Do modpacks work on Minecraft Bedrock Edition?

No. Modpacks are Java Edition only. Bedrock uses add-ons, which are a completely different system. If you bought Minecraft through the Microsoft Store, or you play on console or mobile, you have Bedrock Edition and cannot run modpacks.

How much RAM should I give a modpack?

4 GB is the minimum for most packs, but you will want 6 to 8 GB for anything large like All the Mods, any FTB pack, or RLCraft. In CurseForge, open the profile settings. In Prism, right-click the instance and go to Edit, then Settings, then Java. Never allocate more than about 75% of your total system RAM or your computer will slow down.

Why does my game crash right after the loading screen?

The most likely cause is a Java version mismatch. Minecraft 1.16.5 and older need Java 8, 1.17 through 1.20.4 need Java 17, and 1.20.5 and newer need Java 21. Open the crash report in your .minecraft/crash-reports folder and look for the specific error. A missing or incompatible mod is the second most common reason.

Can I add extra mods to a modpack?

Yes, but it can break things. Drop additional mod jars into the pack's mods folder and make sure they match the same Minecraft version and modloader. Some packs are tightly configured and extra mods cause conflicts or crashes. Always test on a fresh world before playing a long-term save.

I want to play a CurseForge modpack in Prism Launcher. Is that possible?

Yes. Prism Launcher can browse CurseForge packs directly from the Add Instance screen without needing the CurseForge app at all. You can also download the pack zip from CurseForge and import it into Prism using the Import from zip option. Both methods work.

How to Install a Minecraft Modpack

A modpack bundles dozens of mods, configs, and sometimes resource packs into a single download so you don’t have to track down every file yourself. Pick a launcher method below, or scroll to the manual zip section if you already have the files.

What You Need First

Java Edition account: Modpacks run on Java Edition only. Bedrock does not support them.
Java: Java 8 for Minecraft 1.12.2 and older, Java 17 for 1.17 through 1.20.4, Java 21 for 1.20.5 and newer. Most launchers can manage Java for you automatically.
RAM: At least 4 GB free to allocate. Bigger packs like All the Mods or FTB Revelation work better with 6 to 8 GB.
Disk space: Anywhere from 2 to 10 GB depending on the pack.
A launcher or the pack files: CurseForge app, Modrinth app, Prism Launcher, or a downloaded zip or mrpack file.

How to Install a Modpack

CurseForge App

Download and install the CurseForge desktop app.
Open it and click Minecraft in the left sidebar.
To browse the library, click Browse Modpacks, find the pack you want, and click Install. The app downloads all mods automatically.
To use a downloaded zip instead, click Create Custom Profile, then choose the import option and point it at your zip file.
When the download finishes, click Play. CurseForge sets the correct modloader version for the pack without any extra steps.

Modrinth App

Modrinth uses the .mrpack format and supports Fabric, Forge, Quilt, and NeoForge packs.

Download and install the Modrinth App.
To browse, click Discover, search for the pack, and hit Install.
To use a local file, click the + button or Add Instance, choose Import from file, and pick your .mrpack or zip.
The app downloads the mods and sets up the profile. Hit Play when it finishes.

Prism Launcher

Prism is free and open-source. It connects to both CurseForge and Modrinth and handles imported files too, making it a good all-in-one option.

Download and install Prism Launcher.
Click Add Instance in the top left.
Select Modrinth or CurseForge from the left panel, search for your pack, select it, and click OK.
To use a local file, choose Import from zip and select your file instead.
Prism downloads everything and creates a new instance. Double-click it to launch.

To give a Prism instance more RAM, right-click it, go to Edit, then Settings, then Java, and raise the memory value there.

Manual Zip Install

Some community packs ship as a plain zip with a mods folder, config folder, and other files meant to go directly into your game directory. This is different from a CurseForge manifest zip, which needs a launcher to resolve the downloads.

Check the pack description for which modloader and Minecraft version it requires. Install the right one: Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, or Quilt.
Run Minecraft once with the modloader profile active so it generates the full folder structure in your game directory.
Find your .minecraft folder. On Windows, press Win+R and type %appdata%\.minecraft. On Mac it is ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft. On Linux it is ~/.minecraft.
Extract the zip into the .minecraft folder. When prompted, merge the mods and config folders with the ones already there. Do not replace the entire .minecraft directory.
Open your Minecraft launcher, select the modloader profile, and click Play.

For more on adding Forge mods by hand, see installing mods with Minecraft Forge. For Fabric, the Fabric loader guide covers the setup from scratch.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

Game crashes immediately on launch: Almost always a Java version mismatch. Check the pack page for which Minecraft version it targets, then match your Java install. Java 8 for anything before 1.13, Java 17 for 1.17 to 1.20.4, Java 21 for 1.20.5 and newer. Letting the launcher manage Java avoids this problem entirely.
Out of memory errors or constant stuttering: Allocate more RAM. Four GB is the minimum, but larger packs need 6 to 8 GB. In CurseForge, open the profile settings. In Prism, edit the instance and go to the Java tab. Do not go above about 75% of your system’s total RAM or your OS will start struggling too.
Mods folder is empty after importing a CurseForge zip: CurseForge zip files contain a manifest, not the actual mod jars. They are designed to be imported into a launcher, which reads the manifest and downloads every mod. Use the import feature in CurseForge or Prism rather than extracting by hand.
Missing mod error on startup: Some mods on CurseForge are marked restricted and will not download automatically through a launcher. The startup log tells you the mod name. Find it on CurseForge manually and drop the jar into the pack’s mods folder.
Wrong Minecraft version selected in the launcher: The profile must use the exact version the modpack targets. 1.20.1 and 1.20.4 use different Forge builds and are not interchangeable. Even one minor version off will crash on startup.
Chunk errors after updating a pack: Updating a modpack on an existing world can corrupt chunks if mods that placed blocks are removed. Back up your world folder before every update and read the pack changelog before applying it.

Which Versions and Editions This Applies To

Modpacks are Java Edition only. Bedrock Edition uses add-ons, which are a separate format. If you’re on console, mobile, or you bought Minecraft through the Microsoft Store app, you have Bedrock and cannot use modpacks.

Most active modpacks target 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.2, 1.20.1, and 1.21.1. Older packs on 1.7.10 and 1.12.2 still have active communities. Pre-1.13 packs use Forge almost exclusively. From 1.14 onward, Fabric became widely used, and NeoForge arrived as a Forge fork starting around 1.20.1.

If a pack uses Forge, install Minecraft Forge first. Fabric packs need the Fabric loader. NeoForge packs use the NeoForge installer. Launchers handle all of this automatically, but knowing the modloader helps a lot when something goes wrong.