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The Modrinth desktop app is a modern, open-source Minecraft launcher built for the community. It provides seamless integration with Modrinth’s platform for discovering, installing, and managing mods and modpacks.

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Installation

System Requirements
  • Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
  • 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)
  • 2GB free disk space
Installation Steps
  1. Download the installer from modrinth.com/app
  2. Run the .exe installer
  3. Follow the installation wizard
  4. Launch the app from the Start menu
The app will automatically detect your existing Minecraft installation and Java runtime.

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Instance Management

Instances (also called profiles) are independent Minecraft installations with their own mods, settings, and game versions.

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Creating Instances

From Scratch

  1. Click “Create Instance”
  2. Select Minecraft version
  3. Choose mod loader (Fabric, Forge, Quilt, NeoForge)
  4. Set instance name and icon
  5. Configure initial settings
  6. Click “Create”

From Modpack

  1. Browse modpacks in the app
  2. Click “Install” on a modpack
  3. Select game version (if multiple available)
  4. Choose installation location
  5. App automatically downloads and configures everything

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Instance Features

Each instance provides: Profile Management (profile.rs)
  • Independent mod folders
  • Separate resource packs and shader packs
  • Custom Java arguments and memory allocation
  • Per-instance save files and screenshots
  • Instance icons and metadata
Quick Actions
  • Launch game
  • Edit instance settings
  • Open instance folder
  • View crash reports
  • Export as modpack
  • Delete instance

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Instance Settings

Configure each instance individually:
  • Instance name and description
  • Custom icon upload
  • Minecraft version
  • Mod loader version
  • Game directory path
The app automatically selects the optimal Java version based on your Minecraft version. Java 8 for 1.16 and below, Java 17 for 1.17-1.20.4, and Java 21 for 1.20.5+.

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Browsing and Installing Mods

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Integrated Browse Tab

The app includes a full-featured project browser: Search Capabilities
  • Real-time search with instant results
  • Filter by project type (mods, plugins, resource packs, shaders, modpacks)
  • Compatibility filtering based on instance version and loader
  • Category and tag filters
  • Sort by relevance, downloads, follows, or updated date
Installation Flow
  1. Select an instance from the dropdown
  2. Browse or search for projects
  3. Click on a project to view details
  4. Select a compatible version
  5. Click “Install” - dependencies are automatically resolved

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Automatic Dependency Resolution

When you install a mod, the app automatically detects and installs all required dependencies. You’ll see a confirmation dialog listing all mods that will be installed.
Dependency Features
  • Automatic detection of required mods
  • Optional dependency suggestions
  • Conflict detection and warnings
  • Version compatibility checking
  • Dependency tree visualization

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Managing Installed Mods

For each instance, you can: Mod Actions (profile.rs functions)
  • Enable/disable mods without deletion
  • Update to latest compatible version
  • Update all mods at once
  • Remove individual mods
  • View mod details and changelog
  • Check for updates
Bulk Operations
  • Update all outdated mods
  • Disable all mods
  • Export mod list
  • Import from file

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Minecraft Version Management

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Version Selection

The app supports all Minecraft versions:
  • Release versions - Stable Minecraft releases
  • Snapshots - Experimental preview builds
  • Historical versions - Classic and old releases
  • Modded versions - Pre-configured with mod loaders

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Mod Loader Support

Supported Loaders

  • Fabric
  • Forge
  • Quilt
  • NeoForge
  • Bukkit/Spigot/Paper (servers)

Automatic Detection

  • Auto-install compatible loader versions
  • Dependency compatibility checking
  • Loader-specific optimizations
  • Multi-loader support detection

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Version Updates

Keep your game and mods up to date:
  • Automatic update notifications
  • One-click update all mods
  • Changelog viewing before updating
  • Rollback to previous versions
  • Update profiles for modpacks

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Profiles and Settings

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Application Settings

Customize the app’s behavior:
  • Default instance directory
  • Concurrent download limit
  • Theme selection (light/dark/system)
  • Language preferences
  • Update channel (stable/beta)

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Account Management

Manage your Minecraft accounts:
  • Sign in with Microsoft account
  • Add multiple accounts
  • Switch between accounts per instance
  • View account status and authentication
  • Offline mode for offline play

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Advanced Features

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Modpack Export

Create your own modpacks from instances: Export Options (profile_export_mrpack)
  1. Select files to include
  2. Add modpack metadata
  3. Configure version information
  4. Export as .mrpack file
  5. Share or upload to Modrinth
Export Includes
  • All installed mods
  • Configuration files
  • Resource packs and shader packs
  • Custom scripts
  • Server information

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Process Management

Game Launching (profile_run, profile_kill)
  • Launch multiple instances simultaneously
  • Monitor game process status
  • View live console output
  • Automatic crash detection
  • Kill stuck processes
Instance Indicators
  • Running status display
  • Play time tracking
  • Memory usage monitoring
  • Quick stop button

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Import and Migration

Import From

  • Other Modrinth installations
  • CurseForge modpacks (.zip)
  • MultiMC/Prism instances
  • ATLauncher instances
  • Custom .mrpack files

Migration

  • Automatic profile migration
  • Settings preservation
  • Mod compatibility checking
  • Instance backup before migration

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Performance Optimization

The app includes built-in optimizations:
  • Efficient mod downloading with parallel requests
  • Intelligent caching of project metadata
  • Background update checks
  • Optimized file system operations
  • Low memory footprint

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

Game Won’t Launch
  • Verify Java installation
  • Check memory allocation settings
  • Review crash logs in instance folder
  • Disable conflicting mods
  • Repair instance installation
Mods Not Working
  • Ensure mod compatibility with game version
  • Check for missing dependencies
  • Verify correct mod loader is installed
  • Look for mod conflicts in logs
Update Problems
  • Clear app cache
  • Check internet connection
  • Verify download permissions
  • Try manual mod download

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Logs and Debugging

Access logs for troubleshooting:
  • Game logs - In instance folder under logs/
  • App logs - Available in settings → Advanced
  • Crash reports - Automatically detected and displayed
  • Debug mode - Enable for verbose logging
When reporting issues, include your app version, operating system, and relevant log files. Access logs from Settings → Advanced → Open Logs Folder.

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Open Source

The Modrinth app is fully open source:
  • Repository: github.com/modrinth/code
  • License: Multiple licenses per package
  • Contributions: Welcome via pull requests
  • Issue tracking: GitHub Issues
Built with:
  • Tauri (Rust backend)
  • Vue 3 (Frontend)
  • TypeScript
  • Theseus (Minecraft management library)