Minecraft mods

A complete guide to the world of Minecraft mods. From installing your first mod to advanced shader setup, here's everything you need to get more out of the game.

What are mods?

Mods (short for modifications) are unofficial add-ons made by the community that change or expand gameplay in Minecraft Java Edition. They can add new blocks, mobs, biomes and mechanics, improve the graphics or turn the game into something completely new. Minecraft's mod ecosystem is one of the richest in gaming history: platforms such as Modrinth and CurseForge offer over 150,000 mods.

Modding Minecraft doesn't take advanced technical knowledge. With modern mod loaders (programs that load mods), the whole process comes down to downloading a few files and putting them in the right folder. This guide takes you through every step, from simply boosting performance to adding realistic shaders or installing a huge modpack with hundreds of new features.

Mod loaders: the foundation of modding

To run any mod in Minecraft, you need a mod loader: a special program that acts as a bridge between the game and the mods. In 2026 there are four main mod loaders, each with its own strengths:

Fabric: lightweight and fast, good for optimization mods and shaders. It's the quickest to update to new Minecraft versions: Iris 1.11.5 and Complementary r5.9.3 shaders, among others, already work on 26.3 (as of October 2026).
NeoForge: the successor to Forge, with a huge mod library. The best choice for big tech and magic modpacks.
Forge: the classic mod loader, with over a decade of history. Still in use, but gradually being replaced by NeoForge.
Quilt: a fork of Fabric with improved tools for developers. Backward compatible with Fabric mods.

Each loader uses its own system for loading mods, so mods written for Fabric don't work on Forge and vice versa (though there are exceptions). Which loader you choose depends on the mods you want to use. Read more in our Fabric vs Forge comparison.

Where to find mods

Downloading mods safely is crucial. Never download mods from random sites, because they can contain malware. These are the trusted sources:

Modrinth: a modern, open-source platform with a clean interface and fast search. Many mod developers prefer it.
CurseForge: the biggest mod database, with over 100,000 projects. It has its own app for managing modpacks.
GitHub: many open-source mods publish their files right in the repository. Check the Releases tab.

When you download mods, always check that the mod version matches your Minecraft version and mod loader. A mod made for Fabric 1.21.4 won't work on Fabric 1.20.1: version compatibility is key.

Java Edition vs Bedrock Edition

Traditional mods (.jar files loaded by Fabric/Forge) only work in Minecraft Java Edition. Bedrock Edition (Windows 10/11, consoles, phones) uses its own add-on system, Minecraft Add-Ons, which can do far less. This guide covers Java Edition modding only, because that's the edition with full mod support.

Tip: If you're new to mods, start with the installation guide. It takes you step by step through the whole process, from downloading a mod loader to launching your first mod.

Modding guides

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How to install mods

Step by step: installing Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt. Requirements, the mods folder and troubleshooting.

Fabric vs Forge compared

History, technical differences, compatibility, performance and which mod loader to choose in 2026.

Best Minecraft mods

A curated list of the best mods: optimization, shaders, maps, adventure, QoL, textures and HUD.

Shaders guide

What shaders are, Iris vs OptiFine, installation, the top 10 shaders and performance optimization.

Texture packs

What resource packs are, how to install them, popular packs and making your own textures.

Visual and animation mods

Punchy!, FWA, Subtle Effects, ATMOSPHERICS and 11 other mods with effects that need no shaders. Loaders and versions for 26.3.

Connected textures

Continuity, Fusion and CTM: frameless glass and OptiFine-format packs on Fabric, NeoForge and Forge.

Staying safe while modding

The Minecraft community has had to deal with malware in mods several times. In 2023 an attack known as "fractureiser" infected dozens of popular mods on CurseForge and stole players' data. Platforms have added extra safeguards since then, but the problem hasn't gone away. Since January 2026, WeedHack has been going around: malware hidden in fake clients and mods that McAfee links to more than 116,000 infections (more about WeedHack). In August 2026 it came out that the PixelReel mod passes the addresses and API keys of private Plex, Jellyfin and Emby servers to other people on the same server (details of the flaw). That's why you should stick to a few basic rules:

Only download mods from Modrinth, CurseForge or official GitHub repositories.
Check the download count and reviews: popular mods get more scrutiny.
Never download .exe or .msi files advertised as "Minecraft mods".
Use up-to-date antivirus software.
Before installing a mod, check that its creator is known in the community.

Modpacks: ready-made sets of mods

If you don't want to pick mods by hand, modpacks are the perfect solution. They're carefully chosen sets of dozens or even hundreds of mods that work with each other and form a coherent experience. Popular modpacks include:

All the Mods 10: a huge "kitchen sink" pack with over 400 mods covering technology, magic and exploration.
Create: Above and Beyond: a quest-based modpack focused on the Create mod and automation.
Better Minecraft: an improved vanilla Minecraft with new biomes, structures and bosses.
Cobblemon: a single mod, not a modpack. It turns Minecraft into a Pokémon-style game where you catch and train creatures. Its developers also publish a ready-made pack, the Cobblemon Official Modpack.

The easiest way to install modpacks is with a launcher such as Prism Launcher, ATLauncher or the CurseForge App: a few clicks and the launcher downloads and sets up everything automatically.