Where Are Minecraft Java Edition Save Files Located?
The exact folder where Minecraft Java Edition stores your worlds, for backing up, copying between PCs, or manual recovery.
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Every Minecraft world you create in Java Edition is its own folder inside ".minecraft/saves", containing the region files, level data, and player data for that world.
Copying a world is as simple as copying its folder to the same location on another PC. This guide is for Java Edition specifically. Bedrock Edition (Windows 10/11 app, mobile, consoles) stores worlds in a completely different location and format.
Where Minecraft (Java Edition) stores this, by platform
%appdata%\.minecraft\saves
Paste %appdata%\.minecraft\saves directly into the Windows Explorer address bar, or run > %appdata%\.minecraft. Each subfolder is one world.
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves
In Finder, use Go > Go to Folder and paste the path, since Library is hidden by default in newer macOS versions.
~/.minecraft/saves
Hidden folder in your home directory; enable "show hidden files" in your file manager, or just use a terminal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up a Minecraft world?
Copy that world's folder out of the saves directory to an external drive or cloud folder. Do this while Minecraft is closed to avoid copying a file mid-write.
Can I move a save between Windows and Mac?
Yes, world folders are cross-platform. Copy the whole world folder into the other machine's saves directory.
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