How to install Fabric in Minecraft

What Fabric is

Fabric is an open-source mod loader for Minecraft Java Edition. Unlike the older Forge, Fabric is built to be light and fast. It uses less RAM, updates much faster after new Minecraft versions come out, and is a lot simpler to install.

Fabric became hugely popular thanks to performance mods like Sodium, a replacement for Minecraft's renderer that can double or even triple your frame rate. Those mods are what made many players switch from Forge to Fabric.

Fabric has two separate components that you need to install:

• Fabric Loader - the mod loader itself, installed with the installer from fabricmc.net
• Fabric API - a library of core functions that most mods require

Without Fabric API, many mods simply won't start. That's why we install both, in this order.

Requirements before you install

Before you start, make sure you have the following ready:

• Minecraft Java Edition - Fabric only works with the Java version. Bedrock Edition is not supported
• The official Minecraft Launcher - the one from minecraft.net. You can also use alternative launchers like Prism Launcher, but we recommend the official one for beginners
• Java - Minecraft 1.17 and newer require Java 17 or newer. The Fabric installer will tell you if something is wrong
• The Minecraft version you want, launched at least once - the launcher has to download the files for that version first so Fabric can modify it

Downloading the Fabric installer

Get the Fabric installer only from the project's official site. Don't use any other source: only fabricmc.net guarantees the original file.

1. Go to fabricmc.net and click Download Installer (or Download for Windows / Download universal .jar)
2. Windows users can download the .exe file - the simplest option, it works with one click
3. macOS and Linux users download the .jar file - it needs Java installed, but works the same way
4. Save the file somewhere easy to find, such as your desktop or the Downloads folder

The installer is small (a few hundred kilobytes) and doesn't need to be installed. Just run it.

Installing Fabric Loader

Once you have the installer, you can do the actual install. The whole process takes less than a minute.

1. Run the installer - double-click the .exe or .jar file you downloaded. A window with a few options opens
2. Client tab - make sure you're on the Client tab (not Server). You're installing Fabric for your own game, not for a server
3. Pick the Minecraft version - from the Minecraft Version list, choose the version you want to play. We recommend the latest stable version or whichever one your mods support
4. Fabric Loader version - leave the default (the latest). Change it only if a specific mod requires it
5. Install location - the default path points to your .minecraft folder. Don't change it unless you have a custom installation
6. Check the "Create profile" option - this one matters! It puts a ready-made Fabric profile in the launcher
7. Click Install - the install takes a few seconds. When it finishes, you'll see a message confirming success

Done: Fabric Loader is installed. But that's only the first half. Now you need to add Fabric API.

Fabric API: the required add-on

Fabric API is not an optional add-on. It's a required library, and most mods won't work without it. Treat it as an essential part of the install, just as important as Fabric Loader itself.

You download Fabric API the same way as any other mod, from CurseForge or Modrinth:

1. Go to modrinth.com or curseforge.com and search for Fabric API
2. On the mod's page, pick the version that matches your Minecraft version. For example, if you play 1.21.4, download Fabric API for 1.21.4
3. Download the mod's .jar file
4. Move it to the mods folder inside your .minecraft directory

How to find the .minecraft folder

The .minecraft folder is where Minecraft keeps all its files: settings, worlds, mods and resources.

• Windows: press Win + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft and hit Enter
• macOS: in Finder press Cmd + Shift + G and type ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft
• Linux: the folder is ~/.minecraft

Inside .minecraft you'll find the mods folder. If it isn't there, create it by hand. Minecraft doesn't create the mods folder automatically.

Launching the Fabric profile

With Fabric Loader installed and Fabric API copied into the mods folder, it's time to start the game.

1. Open the official Minecraft Launcher
2. In the bottom left corner (or the top bar), find the profile list. You'll see a new profile named fabric-loader-[version] or simply Fabric
3. Select that profile and click Play
4. The first launch may take a bit longer to load. That's normal, Fabric is loading extra files
5. If everything went well, the main menu shows the word Fabric with a version number in the bottom left corner, along with the number of loaded mods

If the game starts with no mention of Fabric, you probably picked the wrong profile in the launcher. Go back and check the profile list.

Installing mods on Fabric

Once Fabric works, adding new mods is very simple. It comes down to three steps:

1. Download the mod from a trusted source, ideally Modrinth or CurseForge. Check that the mod supports Fabric (not Forge!) and that the mod version matches your Minecraft version
2. Copy the .jar file to the .minecraft/mods folder
3. Launch the game with the Fabric profile - the mod loads automatically

Where to download mods

Use only official mod sources:

• Modrinth (modrinth.com) - a modern platform, very popular in the Fabric community. All files are checked for malware
• CurseForge (curseforge.com) - the biggest mod platform, with both Fabric and Forge mods. Pay attention to which mod loader a given file supports

Never download mods from sites that aren't the official modding platforms. Malware hidden in .jar files can steal your passwords and account data.

Version compatibility

Every mod is built for a specific Minecraft version and a specific Fabric Loader version. If you download a mod made for 1.20.1 and play on 1.21.4, the mod won't work or will cause an error on startup. Always download the mod version that exactly matches your game version.

Mod Menu: managing mods in game

Mod Menu is one of the first mods worth installing once Fabric is set up. It adds a Mods button to the main menu that opens a list of all installed mods, with their versions and links to their project pages.

Mod Menu is especially handy when you have a lot of mods: you can quickly check that all of them loaded and spot any conflicts.

Installing it works the same as any other mod:

1. Download Mod Menu from Modrinth (search for "Mod Menu")
2. Choose the version that matches your Minecraft and Fabric Loader
3. Copy the .jar file to the mods folder
4. Launch the game - a new Mods button appears in the main menu

Mod Menu needs no configuration and doesn't affect game performance. It's purely a diagnostic and organizing tool.

Common problems and fixes

The game won't start: crash on launch

The most common cause is a missing Fabric API or mismatched versions. Check:

• That the Fabric API file is in the mods folder and is the right version
• That all your mods are made for the same Minecraft version
• Open .minecraft/logs/latest.log in a text editor - near the bottom you'll find a description of the error and the name of the problem mod

The Fabric profile doesn't show up in the launcher

The Create profile option wasn't checked during installation. The fix: run the Fabric installer again and check it this time. You can also add the profile by hand in the launcher: choose Installations, click New installation, and set the version to release fabric-loader-X.X.X-1.XX.X.

A mod says "requires Fabric API" or "missing dependency"

Download Fabric API from Modrinth or CurseForge and put it in the mods folder. This is the most common cause of that message. Make sure the Fabric API version matches your Minecraft version.

I already have Forge. Can I install Fabric alongside it?

Forge and Fabric can't run together in one installation. You can keep both as separate profiles in the launcher, though. Each profile points to its own game version and can have its own mods folder (if you set a separate game directory in the profile settings).

Fabric is installed, but the game runs slower than without mods

Fabric Loader alone has a minimal effect on performance. If the game runs slower, one of your installed mods is probably poorly optimized or conflicting with another. Remove mods one by one to find the culprit. You could also install Sodium, which noticeably improves rendering performance.

Fabric vs Forge comparison

Both Fabric and Forge are popular mod loaders for Minecraft, but they differ in philosophy and in what they're used for.

Choose Fabric if you want to play the latest Minecraft versions, care about performance, or want mods like Sodium, Iris, Lithium or Mod Menu.

Choose Forge if you're after big tech modpacks, RPG mods or a specific mod that exists only on Forge.

Many popular mods, OptiFine among them, exist only on Forge or come as a separate version for each loader. Always check which mod loader the mod you want supports before you decide which one to install.

Related pages

• Fabric: what it is and why it's worth using
• Forge: installation and comparison with Fabric
• Minecraft mod catalog
• Mod Menu: managing mods in game
• Sodium: the performance mod