How to install Minecraft texture packs, shaders and .mcpack files
On Java, put the pack’s .zip in the resourcepacks folder and turn it on under Options › Resource Packs. On Bedrock, open the .mcpack file and Minecraft imports it; then activate it under Settings › Global Resources. Shader packs for Java need Iris or OptiFine.
Install a resource pack on Java
- Start Minecraft Java Edition and open Options… > Resource Packs….
- Click Open Pack Folder. The
resourcepacksfolder opens. - Drop the pack’s
.zipinto the folder (keep it zipped). You can also drag it onto the Resource Packs screen. - Move the pack from Available to Selected with the arrow, and put it at the top if you use several packs. Click Done.
Where is the resourcepacks folder?
| System | Folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\.minecraft\resourcepacks |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/resourcepacks |
| Linux | ~/.minecraft/resourcepacks |
Using more than one pack
You can turn on as many packs as you like. When two packs change the same texture, the one higher in the Selected list (Java) or the active list (Bedrock) wins, and everything it does not change falls through to the packs below it. A common setup is a small pack with your own tweaks at the top and a full pack under it.
Third-party launchers such as Lunar Client and Badlion Client use the same resourcepacks folder in .minecraft by default and have their own Resource Packs menu to turn packs on.
Install an .mcpack on Bedrock
- Double-click the
.mcpack. Minecraft opens and shows Import started… then Successfully imported. - Go to Settings > Global Resources > My Packs, select the pack and press Activate.
- Download the
.mcpackon the phone or tablet. - Android: open it from Downloads or Files and choose Minecraft. iPhone / iPad: tap it in the Files app, then Share > Minecraft.
- Activate it under Settings > Global Resources.
Xbox, PlayStation and Switch cannot import files. Add the pack to a world on a PC or phone and join that world, or play on a Realm or server that includes it.
Install a shader pack
- Iris (Java): install Iris with the installer from irisshaders.dev, play the Iris profile once, then open Options… > Video Settings… > Shader Packs…, click Open Shader Pack Folder and drop the zip in.
- OptiFine (Java): Options… > Video Settings… > Shaders…, then Shaders Folder.
- Vanilla shaders (Java, no mods): these are resource packs. Install them in the
resourcepacksfolder like any other pack. - Vibrant Visuals (Bedrock): open the
.mcpack, activate it, then set Settings > Video > Graphics Mode to Vibrant Visuals.
| System | Folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\.minecraft\shaderpacks |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/shaderpacks |
| Linux | ~/.minecraft/shaderpacks |
Install a skin
- Java: Minecraft Launcher › Skins › New skin, choose Classic or Slim, browse to the PNG and click Save & Use. Or upload it on your profile at minecraft.net.
- Bedrock: open a skin pack
.mcpackand pick the skin under Dressing Room › Classic Skins, or import a single PNG there.
More detail in How to make a custom Minecraft skin.
Pack not working?
The most common problems are below. All fixes, with explanations.
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Made for an older / newer version of Minecraft” | The pack format in pack.mcmeta is not your game’s. | Export again for your version, or widen the compatibility range. Texture-only packs usually still work if you click Yes. |
| “Broken or incompatible” (Java 1.21.9+) | pack.mcmeta has only pack_format, or its fields break the rules. | Re-export from the Texture Pack Maker, which writes min_format and max_format. |
| The pack is not in the list at all | pack.mcmeta is missing, not at the top of the zip, not valid JSON, or has no description. | Make sure the zip opens straight onto pack.mcmeta and assets, not a folder. |
| Bedrock says the import failed | manifest.json is missing, not at the top of the file, or invalid. | Export again as .mcpack and open the new file. |
| Bedrock pack changes nothing | Another pack above it replaces the same textures. | Move your pack to the top of the active list. |
Questions
Should I unzip a resource pack?
No. Java loads zipped packs directly. An unzipped folder also works if pack.mcmeta is directly inside it, but keeping the zip is simpler.
Which pack wins when two change the same texture?
The one higher in the Selected (Java) or active (Bedrock) list.
Can console players use custom packs?
Not by importing files. They can join a world, Realm or server that carries the pack.