Java Edition launcher

Minecraft Launcher

Developers	Nathan Adams Petr Mrázek‎
Platforms
Written in	C++
Current version	2.1.5964 2.1.5963 2.1.5965

The Minecraft launcher is the login and downloader front-end to the stand-alone client. It is responsible for downloading the main Java packages, including minecraft.jar, which holds the code and resources of the game such as textures, and LWJGL. It also acts somewhat like a basic and easily bypassable copy-restriction by forcing the user to login to a paid account when running for the first time. It is possible to use the launcher to run all release versions of Minecraft, most Beta versions, and a small fraction of Classic, Indev, Infdev and Alpha. Not every version of the game is included (to see a list of all versions not included in the launcher, see missing launcher versions). The current launcher is the seventh launcher for Minecraft, and the third that was built to automatically update itself.

Launch

The login screen for launchers without being previously logged-in.

Every time the launcher is executed, it checks a specific directory where Minecraft stores its files called ".minecraft". It checks a file called "launcher_profiles.json" for login credentials. If the file does not exist, is corrupt, or no user is logged in, the user must login with a valid premium account, otherwise the user will be directed to play the Demo version or purchase the game.

When logging in, the launcher will first try to verify the login. If a valid "launcher_profiles.json" file exists but there is no Internet connection, the launcher will offer a "Play offline" mode if a player was logged in when it was last closed. If the connection is successful, the launcher will then, depending on profile options, compare the latest version in the latest "versions" directory to the latest version reported by the server. If the selected version does not exist or the latest installed version is outdated when "Use latest version" is selected in the profile, the launcher will download all Minecraft components and Java binary files. It will also synchronize everything in the "assets" folder (see Resource pack).

Finally, upon a successful update or installation, the launcher will execute the Minecraft jar (via "javaw.exe", Oracle's Java Virtual Machine executable.) It is possible however for there to be missing ".jar" files, in which case the launcher will attempt to replace the missing files automatically but will stop if there is no connection.

Currently, the Minecraft launcher supports 57 languages.

Features

Launcher

• Manage multiple profiles (stored in "launcher_profiles.json"). Each profile can control:
  • Game version. Includes access to outdated development builds and previous releases. Older/custom versions can also be added manually.
  • Mojang account used to play the game
  • Command line arguments for Java (such as heap size)
  • Game directory (where the game files are saved on disk)
  • Edit profile pictures or custom made ones
• The launcher doesn't store the password locally. Instead of this, it uses a 'refresh token'
• The launcher supports multiple instances (as the game also does)
• Automatic updates for launcher
• Ability to update libraries, such as LWJGL
• Offline mode. (The first time launch requires an Internet connection to download required resources)
• 57 languages available
• Crashes can be reported to Mojang, through Hopper
• Crashes are indexed through a database for information on how to fix the issue
• Launcher Settings
• Switching accounts or logging off
• Changing skins
• Downloads servers on versions
• Help button
• Shows you the launcher version information when you click the launcher version

Backward compatibility

A profile with Alpha and Beta versions enabled

The Minecraft launcher has the ability to play old Alpha and Beta versions of the game. Currently snapshots, Alpha, Beta, and all release versions are available to play. Four Pre-classic versions, four Classic versions, and one Infdev version are available under the name "old_alpha". No Indev versions are currently available from the launcher.

These versions are very out of date and may be unstable. Any bugs, glitches, missing features, or crashes that result from instability will never be resolved as only later versions are supported. Mojang strongly recommends backing up any save data and playing through a separate directory in the case of corruption.

To enable the old versions, click the "Installations", turn the "Historical Versions", make a new profile, select any of the versions in the "Version" box, then click "Save".

Skins

Skin options in the launcher

Note: The latest update has temporarily removed the ability to change skins through the launcher. Skins can still be edited on the Minecraft website.The image shows the previous version of the launcher's Skin Editor.

You can change or add your custom skin within the Minecraft launcher. To change or add your skin click the "Skins" button, then click the "Browse" button to navigate through your file system for your skin file. The file must have a resolution of 64×64 in order for the launcher to accept it as a skin file. Additionally, the skin file must be in a .png format. After you have found the skin file, click the "Save" button to confirm your in-game skin.

• You can reset your skin to the Steve or Alex defaults by clicking "Click to reset".
• You can choose between player models - either Classic (Steve) or Slim (Alex).

If the game is running when the user enters this menu, a warning appears at the bottom of the launcher: Minecraft is currently running. Skin changes may not take effect until the game is next started.

Installations

When you open the launcher for first time, it creates a profile that selects the latest version of Minecraft - it cannot be removed.

However, you may create a game profile of your own in the launcher. Click on the "Installations" button, then click "New..." to create one. After this, name your profile as you want it. If you leave it, it will be named "<unnamed installation>". Then, optionally, select a profile picture from the launcher or a custom one. However, it must be a 128×128 .png picture. Select the version you wish to play, and click "Create" to confirm your profile. If you want to edit a profile, just click it. The same applies if you wish to delete a profile. Simply click the profile you want to delete and then click the "Delete [X]" button to remove it.

• 

  Installations settings in the launcher
  You can download server versions by clicking "Server".
• If you want to resize the game, turn "Resolution" on to change the game window size.
• You can turn "More options" on to show more profile options.
• If you want to change the .minecraft file path, turn the on the "Game directory" option. Now, navigate to the folder where you wish to relocate the .minecraft folder. You can also open the Minecraft profile by clicking the green arrow-shaped "Go to folder" button.
• If you turned "Snapshots" check on, it creates a "Latest snapshot" profile automatically.
• You can manually set a logging configuration (see the Debugging article on wiki.vg for more info)
• You can also duplicate a profile by clicking the stacked 3 dots button while hovering a profile.

Command Line usage

As of 2.1.1432, the launcher has 9 command-line options available:

• --clean - This option deletes the game and runtime folders, including their contents, from the working directory.
• --launcherui
• --workDir - This option, followed by a path (relative or absolute), will change the location (and/or name) of the .minecraft folder.
• --nativeLauncherVersion
• --tmpDir - This option, followed by a path (relative or absolute), will change the location (and/or name) of the tmp folder.
• --lockDir
• --winTen - This option adds support for Windows 10. Since the launcher now supports Windows 10 fully, this option is unnecessary and seems to have no effect.
• --proxyHost
• --proxyPort

The --workDir option can be used to create a portable installation of the game. For example, --workDir . (or --workDir=.) can be used to make the launcher use the current directory (no matter what the current folder is called).

History

Java Edition Alpha
v1.0.0					Initial release. In this version users can choose not only the current version but also Infdev.
					The client requires an internet connection on the first run and for updates, but after that the game supports playing offline.
					Command line arguments are accepted to launch the game. Using the format java -cp Minecraft.jar net.minecraft.LauncherFrame username password will allow login without joining a server, while the format java -cp minecraft.jar net.minecraft.LauncherFrame username password serveraddress:portnumber allows joining a server.
v1.2.2					Command line arguments format changed.
Java Edition Beta
1.3					Released in February 21, 2011. A technical sneak preview was published by Notch on February 18, 2011.Added capability of automatic login to the game and/or server by command line arguments.
					Added smarter update system that only updates changed files, prompts the user to update, allows HTTPS logins for a more secure connection, and offers general UI improvements.
					Link to the Minecraft install directory for easy access.
					Add Force Update button under the Options dialog.
					The launcher also featured an inline "changelog" via a Tumblr called MCUpdate, and supports command-line arguments.
					Added the new Minecraft logo.
					Added official links, community links and Mojang on Twitter links.
Java Edition
1.2.1					Properly selects 64-bit Java installations for macOS users.
1.3.2					Added ability to launch demo mode for non-premium users.
1.6.1		13w16a			New launcher added. See launcher history below.

Minecraft Launcher

Main article: Launcher version history

Launcher version	Release date	Summary of changes
Newer versions can be found at Launcher version history
2.1.3610-beta 2.1.3609-beta 2.1.3608-beta	April 12, 2019	Unknown
2.1.3514-beta 2.1.3513-beta 2.1.3512-beta	April 9, 2019	Keyboard navigation is now supported for the username and password fields The game can now be started by pressing enter on any screen where the Play button is visible Sound cues can now be enabled for login state and results
2.1.2496-beta 2.1.2495-beta 2.1.2494-beta	February 21, 2019	New download system that should improve download reliability and speed.
2.1.2482 2.1.2481 2.1.2480	February 21, 2019	Fixed the launcher updater failing when the .minecraft folder is a symbolic link. Added a function where the launcher will re-validate its files after failing to start on Mac. Fixed the launcher stalling during startup if YouTube is not responding. Updated translations.
2.1.2474 2.1.2473 2.1.2472	February 18, 2019	Main article: Launcher 2.1.247x
2.1.2468-beta 2.1.2467-beta 2.1.2466-beta	February 14, 2019	The progress bar now updates properly in the "Prepare" phase Speed of the "Prepare" phase has been improved on multi-core machines Fixed a bug causing game launches to stall on Linux Fixed an error that would pop up when changing game directory in any configuration Fixed the launcher update progress bar not working on mac Fixed sounds not working in Minecraft versions prior to 1.6
2.1.2366-beta 2.1.2365-beta 2.1.2364-beta	February 11, 2019	Fixed a bug that caused the launcher to soft-lock when there was no launcher_profiles.json file on disk. The launcher will now display a notification of new launcher versions, even if they release while the launcher is already running. Bug fixes MCL-5436 – Cannot launch directory junction profiles MCL-10280 – Launcher can't save the game directory in profiles
2.1.2358-beta	February 8, 2019	Unknown
2.1.2350-beta	February 7, 2019	Bug fixes MCL-10479 - Beta Launcher breaks on 404 Error for non-Mojang-hosted jars
2.1.2339-beta 2.1.2338-beta 2.1.2337-beta	February 6, 2019	Bug fixes MCL-5569 - Launcher does not open a window after being opened MCL-5642 - UNC path game directory not supported MCL-8418 - Won't launch minecraft on already existing .minecraft MCL-10279 - Launcher can't start if the .minecraft folder in appdata is a symlink MCL-10476 - Can't use hard link in custom java executable path
2.1.2033-beta 2.1.2032-beta 2.1.2031-beta	December 18, 2018	Unknown
2.1.2024-beta 2.1.2023-beta 2.1.2024-beta	December 14, 2018	Bug fixes MCL-5451 - Long text on gray buttons is not centered and moves when hovering over it MCL-10094 - Profiles are in wrong order if there are more than ten entries in the list MCL-10135 - Launcher does not sort profiles correctly
2.1.1911-beta 2.1.1910-beta 2.1.1909-beta	December 7, 2018	Restructured Code
2.1.1462	October 23, 2018	Bug fixes MCL-9718 – Launcher does not allow uploading skin files larger than 8kb MCL-9769 – Some buttons change their width when hovering over them
2.1.1433 2.1.1432 2.1.1431	September 26, 2018	Added Kiosk Mode for event organizers, which removes logout/account info to keep users logged in.
2.1.1351 2.1.1350 2.1.1349	July 26, 2018	Bug fixes MCL-5530 – "Download Server" link invalid for versions before 1.2.5 MCL-5627 – View crash report link is not working MCL-5634 – Launcher not showing link to open crash report when closing log before crash MCL-8726 – Minecraft game output log's "lines shown" option is apparently always set to All, even if you change it MCL-9318 – Launcher uses incorrect link for Snapshot Server downloads MCL-9498 – .dll files don't exist error MCL-9564 – Deleting profile on "Launch Options" tab does not deselect it on "News" tab MCL-9583 – "Copy" string is non translatable MCL-9651 – http://resources.download.minecraft.net/ad/ urls give 403, while other directories and https://resources.download.minecraft.net/ad/ urls succeed
2.1.1218 2.1.1217 2.1.1216	June 28, 2018	Added option to sort profiles either by name or by last played. Added a "Copy" button next to profiles. Bug fixes MCL-7178 – Failed to Login: Bad login on old versions MCL-7282 – Minecraft Launcher fails to pass Session ID to pre 1.7.2 Minecraft clients MCL-8112 – Launcher tries to create "logs" directory in /opt/minecraft-launcher MCL-8389 – Log output not auto-scrolling MCL-8649 – Linux: "Missing key 'natives-linux' on libraries[*].downloads" when downloading versions 1.8 and lower MCL-8724 – Linux launcher doesn't set working directory when launching MCL-9440 – New Launcher launches minecraft with a working directory at the location of the launcher instead of the .minecraft directory
2.1.1144	June 21, 2018	MCL-9319 – Launcher crashes after staying on and exiting the game Other unknown changes
2.1.1143	June 21, 2018	Bug fixes MCL-5291 – Error Code 5 - Problem moving tmplauncher.tmp to Minecraft.exe MCL-6129 – Outdated digital signature by Mojang for "MinecraftInstaller.msi" MCL-9319 – Launcher crashes after staying on and exiting the game Other unknown changes
1.6.91	June 21, 2018	Unknown
2.0.1051	May 8, 2018	Unknown
2.0.1049	May 8, 2018	Bug fixes MCL-8432 – Attempting to use "Forgot Password" on windows doesn't open the link in the default browser. MCL-9178 – "Need Assistance?" link in skins tab does not work
1.6.89	May 8, 2018	Unknown
1.6.84	October 26, 2017	Unknown
2.0.1007-stage	October 25, 2017	Unknown
2.0.1006-stage	October 25, 2017	Unknown
2.0.1005 2.0.1004	October 25, 2017	Support for arguments block instead of minecraftArguments template string in the version JSON
2.0.1003	October 25, 2017	Bug fixes Fixed launching modded versions MCL-1905 – legacy.json missing causing java.io.FileNotFoundException MCL-8255 – Java 9: Unrecognized VM Option 'CMSIncrementalMode'
1.6.82	October 25, 2017	Support for arguments block instead of minecraftArguments template string in the version JSON
2.0.996	October 25, 2017	Unknown
2.0.995	October 25, 2017	Support for arguments block instead of minecraftArguments template string in the version JSON Bug fixes MCL-1394 – Trouble with multiple custom directories MCL-5391 – Output log viewer is crashing MCL-5440 – Launcher erases invalid profile directories MCL-5441 – Empty profile directory causes launcher to pass malformed start arguments to Minecraft MCL-5461 – Minecraft Game Output doesn't behave correctly sometimes when resized MCL-5467 – Starting the launcher while offline crashes the launcher MCL-5636 – Minecraft achievements have reset for all worlds with new launcher. MCL-6482 – Launcher crashes with unknown error MCL-7304 – If you set the language to Japanese the launcher has garbled characters.
1.6.81-stage	October 25, 2017	Unknown
1.6.79-stage	June 13, 2017	Unknown
2.0.935	June 13, 2017	Unknown
2.0.934	June 13, 2017	Unknown
2.0.932-stage	June 13, 2017	Unknown
2.0.897	May 30, 2017	MCL-7333 – Minecraft Launcher 2.0.847 hangs at Preparing after clicking the Play Download 1.11.2 - Latest release
2.0.895	May 30, 2017	New translations Bug fixes MCL-5583 – Windows: "Minecraft launcher has stopped working" on game startup MCL-7321 – When i click "PLAY" minecraft can't load MCL-7333 – Minecraft Launcher 2.0.847 hangs at Preparing after clicking the Play Download 1.11.2 - Latest release
2.0.847	April 10, 2017	Unknown
2.0.834 2.0.833 2.0.832	March 10, 2017	Unknown
2.0.806 2.0.805	February 9, 2017	Bug fixes MCL-1274 – Logging in as guest MCL-1922 – Uncommon unicode displayed as (?) MCL-2182 – Launcher doesn't update the download state of an Minecraft version MCL-2444 – Changing profile runs on Event Dispatch Thread MCL-2743 – Launcher opens too low (goes off screen) MCL-2761 – Long JVM arguments: Profile Editor spans multiple screens MCL-2820 – Profile names have no length limitation, causing buttons to be below the "Play" button MCL-2872 – Extreme lag / freeze when trying to select profile and MOJANG server are offline / no internet connection MCL-3262 – Can't switch users in offline mode. MCL-3306 – Launcher can be made visible with a white screen using windows Alt+Space shortcuts MCL-3338 – Visibility option has a tick box MCL-3559 – Game Output scrolling bug MCL-3750 – No indication when launcher fails to create directory MCL-3962 – Launcher prints "Completely ignored arguments: [--nativeLauncherVersion, ###]" MCL-4165 – Pressing Play does not disable options to manipulate profile MCL-4454 – Selecting from multiple profiles on same account always returns first from availableProfiles MCL-4563 – Having _JAVA_OPTIONS set up to anything in Enviroment Variables makes the launcher crash MCL-4883 – Outdated digital signature by Mojang for "Minecraft.exe" MCL-5094 – Launcher prints java.io.IOException: Stream closed multiple times in Launcher Log after closing game MCL-5646 – Launcher stays on "Preparing..." after pressing "Play"
2.0.775-stage 2.0.774-stage	February 8, 2017	Unknown
2.0.760-stage	February 3, 2017	Unknown
2.0.757-stage	February 3, 2017	Unknown
2.0.726-stage	February 1, 2017	Fixed some issues with the update process.
2.0.710-stage	January 31, 2017	Fixed some issues with mods.
2.0.700	January 31, 2017	First official release that replace the old launcher.
2.0.682-dev	January 30, 2017	Unknown
2.0.673-stage	January 27, 2017	Unknown
1.6.73	January 26, 2017	Unknown
2.0.663-stage	January 25, 2017	No security popups for Mac anymore.
2.0.581-stage 2.0.580-stage 2.0.579-dev	January 18, 2017	Added a launcher version information tab. Support for Linux
2.0.511-stage 2.0.510-stage	January 3, 2017	Changed font from the Minecraft default to Segoe UI. Fixed a bug where the resolution was 2304×1202 regardless of launch option or window size.
2.0.497-stage	December 29, 2016	Added more languages.
2.0.490-stage	December 27, 2016	Unknown
2.0.465-stage 2.0.464-stage	December 8, 2016	Unknown
2.0.455-stage	December 7, 2016	Unknown
2.0.447-stage	December 6, 2016	Fixed a crash when you launched any minecraft.jar except for "1.11 Latest release" or lower.[citation needed]
2.0.429-stage	November 30, 2016	Unknown
2.0.425-stage 2.0.424-stage	November 29, 2016	Unknown
2.0.414-stage	November 28, 2016	Fixed a bug where the Launcher could get stuck on 'Loading...' everywhere.
2.0.388-stage 2.0.387-stage	November 25, 2016	Added language selection
1.6.70	November 17, 2016	Unknown
2.0.320-stage 2.0.319-stage	November 4, 2016	Unknown
2.0.283-stage 2.0.282-stage	November 2, 2016	Now supports running multiple instances of Minecraft at the same time Can now be kept open while the game is running Now backs ups "launcher_profiles.json" before migrating settings to new launcher Made launch options slightly smaller The button to add a new launch option is now at the top of the list "Keep launcher open" and "Show game log" are now separate settings Multiple bug fixes: Fixed running modded versions Resolution setting should now work properly Fixed an issue where opening the game directory would give an error message even when it worked Pressing Del in input fields no longer removes the rest of the line Pressing Tab ↹ on the news page no longer messes with the news carousel Fixed a crash that sometimes happened when the game closed Selecting input with your mouse and hitting backspace on the keyboard should now properly delete the input The version information page no longer selects all text when you click it
1.6.69	October 26, 2016	Unknown
2.0.164-stage 2.0.163-stage	October 26, 2016	New launcher iteration for testing initially for Windows and macOS Runs as a native application that no longer requires Java Interface redesign
1.6.66	October 24, 2016	Now warns the player when their profile has been opened in the new launcher.
1.6.61	March 3, 2016	Game Session ID is now hidden in the game output tab when launching the game, now says Session ID is <censored> Bug fixes MCL-1701 – Linux: "Open Game Dir" fails and throws exception MCL-4388 – Minecraft is not launching.
1.6.59	February 25, 2016	Unknown
1.6.57	February 24, 2016	Unknown
1.6.51	February 4, 2016	Unknown
1.6.48	October 9, 2015	Bug fixes MCL-3989 – macOS launcher hanging on repeat launches (blank screen, spining beachball) MCL-3991 – New macOS launcher (1.6.44 and above) won’t start after a 1.9 snapshot game is opened Other unknown changes
1.6.44	September 11, 2015	Added information about new macOS Installer. (Showing only on macOS)
1.6.39	September 8, 2015	Fixed Launcher window closing. Fixed closing the "Profile Editor" window. Minor changes.
1.6.19	July 24, 2015	Added Windows 10 support Added new argument -winTen MCL-3410 – Shows wrong OS
1.6.13	July 1, 2015	Launcher now creating folder "server-resource-packs" in game directory. MCL-3732 – Server Resource Packs not downloading: "Internal Exception: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Parameter 'directory' is not a directory"
1.6.11	January 30, 2015	Installer uses Java 8 Executable downloads its own runtime; Java no longer needs to be installed Bug fixes MCL-546 – Unknown publisher, missing digital signature MCL-2987 – Launcher will not remember login info by your gamertag MCL-3128 – Launcher stuck on launcher.pack.lzma download MCL-3303 – Launcher doesn't open. MCL-3349 – Fatal error launching game
1.6.5	December 18, 2014	Test launcher Launcher Log takes note of 'proxy', for instance showing 'proxy == DIRECT' MCL-3287 – "unknown error" when running Minecraft.msi
1.6.3	December 17, 2014	Test launcher Launcher for Windows now available as .msi, installs to the /Program Files (x86)/Minecraft directory First installable launcher.
1.5.5	December 16, 2014	Test launcher Unknown
1.5.4	December 12, 2014	Test launcher Update for the native bootstrap Uses a local, launcher-managed Java runtime instead of system Java.
1.5.3	September 1, 2014	Bug fixes MCL-2300 – Extra Fonts installed in Windows 8.1 stops Launcher running MCL-3013 – Launcher: "Playing offline" MCL-3171 – Checksum mismatch for realms 1.5.8 MCL-3257 – < Forgotten in the Client
1.5.2	August 19, 2014	Re-launching Minecraft with a user used previously will override the game output tab for that user MCL-2964 – Inherited JSON is overwritten when a library download takes place
1.5.1	July 29, 2014	Fix launcher stuck on Loading... Bug fixes MCL-1742 – macOS: Launcher Crashes When Offline MCL-2494 – Play and Log out buttons grayed out on first run of launcher / launcher update
1.5	July 28, 2014	Development Console tab renamed to Launcher Log You can now run multiple instances of Minecraft at once, provided they're on different users Play button renamed to Already Playing... if Minecraft is open while looking at launcher New tab called Game Output (yourusername) appears after launching minecraft
1.4.7	July 25, 2014	Prepend libraries instead of appending(?)
1.4.6	July 25, 2014	Added some command-line switches on the Profile Editor(?) Added version inheritance
1.4.5	July 25, 2014	Added a "Switch users" button to make switching users easier Another attempt to fix MCL-2494, but the fix didn't work.
1.4.4	May 19, 2014	Attempt to fix MCL-2494, but the fix didn't work. Bug fixes MCL-2492 – Orphaned Snapshots Are Not Fully Deleted MCL-2564 – No alpha or Beta versions in launcher (even local ones)
1.4.2	May 2, 2014	MCL-2490 – Custom Versions are not loading
1.4	May 2, 2014	Loading bar displays file currently being downloaded MCL-2350 – Slowly eats large amounts of heap Removed tab Local Version Editor (NYI) Auto cleanup unused libraries
1.3.11	March 12, 2014	Update Notes website frame uses JavaFX if available Profiles are now displayed in alphabetical order Bug fixes MCL-100 – Launcher displays malformed page when Tumblr is down MCL-226 – Launcher waits before webpage is loaded before becoming usable MCL-243 – Launcher not showing update notes / showing garbage MCL-1917 – Launcher downloads pre-releases as releases instead of snapshots MCL-2237 – Profiles not organized in the Launcher
1.3.10	February 13, 2014	Libraries use SHA-1 for validation Bug fixes MCL-1291 – Spamming the log from the client freezes the launcher MCL-1516 – Launcher shows "Ready to update & play Minecraft" or "Ready to download" even if no update is pending MCL-2176 – 'Minecraft' is miswritten in the Edit Profile dialog.
1.3.9	January 24, 2014	Updated bug tracker links
1.3.8	January 8, 2014	Added "(Why can I only play demo?)" link for demo accounts, under the "play demo" button. The link redirects you here
1.3.7	December 12, 2013	Unknown
1.3.6	December 5, 2013	MCL-1895 – Cannot play offline in 1.3.5 version - immediately gamecrash when launching
1.3.5	December 4, 2013	Rearranged the assets folder for the new Assets Management System.
1.3.4	November 26, 2013	Faster downloading of some big files. MCL-1764 – "Play Offline" tries to download files with proxy connection active
1.3.3	November 20, 2013	Bridging of Mojang and Twitch accounts. MCL-1672 – macOS: Minecraft cannot download
1.3.2	November 18, 2013	Added time it took to finish jobs. Faster resource downloading.
1.3.1	October 29, 2013	Speed improvements Basic read-only popup on version list tab Misc fixes and cleanups Bug fixes MCL-1705 – Logging in with the old launcher system invalidates the session/tokens from the new launcher MCL-1745 – Play button not working
1.2.8	October 25, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-1160 – False positive detection of modded minecraft when crashed by stack overflow MCL-1517 – Launcher states crash of 13w36b and newer is modded
1.2.7	October 18, 2013	Added an open game directory button in the profile editor. MCL-1664 – Launcher doesn't work
1.2.5	September 23, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-1266 – Launcher doesn't show the development console unless succesfully logged in MCL-1410 – Help links don't appear to be clickable
1.2.4	September 19, 2013	Unknown
1.2.3	September 12, 2013	MCL-1270 – Can not log out of launcher
1.2.2	September 3, 2013	MCL-1461 – Many versions makes the launcher slow
1.2.1	August 7, 2013	5 old Minecraft versions from Classic and Pre-classic have been pushed to the launcher. MCL-1421 – Selecting Alpha 1.2.0 version launches Alpha 1.2.0_02 instead
	August 6, 2013	Added Alpha versions
	August 2, 2013	Added a warning about using Beta, Alpha, and snapshot versions Bug fixes MCL-464 – Unexpected exception refreshing version list / Play button gray MCL-1262 – Launcher does not remember last used profile MCL-1395 – Release versions 1.0 and 1.1 aren't available MCL-1403 – 1.5 will not launch - " java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: net.minecraft.client.Minecraft"
1.2	August 1, 2013	Added a "Time Machine" feature to use Beta versions. An option for Alpha has been included but the versions are not available yet. Also allows players to play versions 1.2.5-1.4.7 Bug fixes MCL-63 – Launcher does not recognize already-installed versions MCL-105 – 1.5.x shows default Java icon in the taskbar when started with new launcher MCL-861 – Default profile picking up local modded version
1.1.4	July 31, 2013	Some small text updates
1.1.3	July 27, 2013	Fixed low FPS issues on Intel HDXXXX chipsets.
1.1.2	July 22, 2013	MCL-1241 - Cannot play offline
1.1.1	July 19, 2013	New-look launcher and login screen Launcher now closes automatically when game window opens Bug fixes MCL-416 – minecraft launcher uses old directory even when a new one has been given MCL-599 – IllegalStateException on login during assets download MCL-945 – Copying profile of Account 1 will overwrite Account 1's name to Account's 2 name after logging in with Account 2 (Donor Account gets changed to Recipient Account) MCL-983 – Multiple Types of Minecraft Crashes on Launch - Mac MCL-1059 – Java Double Instance - Causing MAJOR Lag MCL-1184 – Launcher doesn't close when requested MCL-1199 – Attempting to close Launcher freezes Launcher
1.0.10	July 12, 2013	Further support for Hopper Client crashes can be flagged as Public Nothing is currently done with these Profiles have the option to disable Hopper support Reporting directly to the bug tracker is only allowed if Hopper is turned off or the launcher can't connect to Hopper Hopper will not send crash report to bug tracker if the game is modded MCL-646 – "Report to Mojang" Button creates blank report without crash report
1.0.9	July 10, 2013	Added support for the new crash-reporting system, Hopper Any client crash will automatically submit the crash report MCL-862 – Client token collisions can prevent players from logging in to servers
1.0.8	July 9, 2013	Fixes to the launcher having trouble playing 1.6.2 on Mac OS X 10.5.8 (Leopard)
	July 8, 2013	Fixes to the launcher having trouble playing 1.6.2 on Mac OS X 10.5.8 (Leopard), doesn't work
	July 2, 2013	The launcher now has a high-definition icon[citation needed] Mac OS X 10.5.8 users have had Minecraft 1.6.1 disabled pending a LWJGL fix, however 1.5.2 is not affected Bug fixes MCL-11 – Pressing play in launcher, and quickly closing it leaves java process hanging and throws an exception MCL-90 – Unable to play 1.6 on Mac OS X 10.5.8 using new launcher (Invalid memory access of location) MCL-515 – Text can Overlap in Launcher Resize MCL-633 – 1.0.4 breaks the authentication system MCL-756 – New launcher won't launch previous versions (1.5.2) on macOS (newest version works fine).
1.0.7	July 2, 2013	MCL-590 – Saves Password no matter what
1.0.6	July 1, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-92 – Starting Window Size does not fit entire GUI MCL-227 – Play button not in frame @ Linux MCL-262 – Text does not fit in window MCL-287 – Launcher gui has limited visuals, can't select version - no access to tabs MCL-596 – Incorrect version in new Mac launcher MCL-696 – I don't see an option to change RAM in "Edit Profile" MCL-722 – Multiplayer official Server : Failed to Login : Bad Login on 1.5.2
1.0.5	July 1, 2013	Added a 'snapshot' setting in the profile editor, enabling/disabling snapshots. MCL-546 – Unknown Publisher, Missing digital Signature
1.0.4	June 28, 2013	Added a 'resolution' setting in the profile editor.
1.0.3	June 27, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-587 – Full game can be played with non-premium account MCL-600 – Launcher gives wrong message when you sign in with username instead of email.
1.0.2	June 27, 2013	Unknown
1.0.1	June 26, 2013	Yggdrasil authentication re-deployed Fixed: MCL-568 – Migrated Account - Can't login in 1.6 prerelease on 1.0.1 launcher
1.0.0	June 26, 2013	Launcher downgraded to 1.0.0 Disabled Yggdrasil because of login error
1.0.1	June 26, 2013	Enabled Yggdrasil, The new auth system More secure and much more featureful.
1.0	June 25, 2013	Unknown
0.9.5	June 18, 2013	Unknown
0.9.4	June 18, 2013	Added "New Profile" and "Edit Profile" Buttons to the profile selection panel Bug fixes MCL-415 – Won't start if game directory doen't exist MCL-459 – I can't right click profiles in the profile list
0.9.3	June 14, 2013	MCL-461 – Crash after using custom version
0.9.2	June 13, 2013	MCL-434 – Unable to launch the game with custom JVM arguments
0.9.1	June 10, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-412 – macOS: Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: net/minecraft/client/main/Main MCL-420 – Error: Could not find or load main class
0.9	June 10, 2013	Now includes a Profile Editor tab. Choosing the game's version can only be done by double clicking your profile and changing the version in the drop down list. Changes to the Version Selector area. MCL-87 – Version selection doesn't persist between launches
0.8.3	June 7, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-68 – Minecraft Launcher [Bootstrap error] [1.6] MCL-393 – unable to launch 13w23a / Missing required option(s) 'version'
0.8.2	May 27, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-124 – "Minecraft is Damaged" - incorrect code signature MCL-319 – Launcher 0.8.1 not generating complete version files for snapshots
0.8.1	May 21, 2013	Client window now uses Crafting Table icon for main window when a snapshot build is selected; Launcher window still uses Grass Block icon Selecting release builds on Windows currently uses the basic Java icon
0.8	May 20, 2013	Bug fixes MCL-163 – Mac Minimized Minecraft Icon Lower Resolution MCL-196 – Version list does not show MCL-212 – New launcher doesn't provide any mechanism to pass java options to minecraft
0.7.2	May 15, 2013	Unknown
0.7	May 13, 2013	Launcher downgraded to 0.7
0.7.1	May 4, 2013	Unknown
0.7	May 2, 2013	Unknown
0.6	April 25, 2013	Unknown
0.5	April 23, 2013	Added 1.5.1 to the list of available versions in the launcher MCL-123 – Mac Firewall Issue
0.4	April 23, 2013	Re-enabled crash reporting
0.3	April 22, 2013	Added Local Version Editor (NYI) tab to the launcher Added window to check server status Bug fixes MCL-1 – Unable to update minecraft: Fatal error occured (4): null MCL-5 – Tab button does not switch between password and username box on launcher
0.2	April 19, 2013	Added Development Console tab to the launcher Fixed starting game trouble
0.1	April 18, 2013	.minecraft directory structure is changed: "assets" folder; stores resources such as language packs and sounds. All music discs now use .ogg format instead of .mus format. "library" folder; stores Java libraries such as LWJGL and jinput.jar. "versions" folder; there are file "versions.json" (meta data) and folders that stores minecraft.jar for each versions (but its name is same as its version. e.g. for 13w16a, "versions/13w16a/13w16a.jar"). The launcher is an executable.

Gallery

Version history

• 

  The first Minecraft launcher.

• 

  The second Minecraft launcher. The old Minecraft logo can be seen.

• 

  The third Minecraft launcher.

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  The fourth Minecraft launcher.

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  The fifth Minecraft launcher, version 1.6.

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  The sixth Minecraft launcher, version 2.0.

• 

  The seventh and current Minecraft launcher.

2010–16

• 

  The Launcher Log tab after the Launcher starts

• 

  The Local Version Editor (NYI) tab (replaced by Time Machine)

• 

  Error message that is displayed if a development launcher is outdated

• 

  Error message that is displayed if an old launcher is opened after using the 2.0 launcher

2016–19

• 

  Profile icons selection from launcher.

• 

  Launcher in offline mode

• 

  The Help page

• 

  Game crash

• 

  Launcher warning about running another copy of Minecraft if it is already running.

2019–present

• 

  The News tab of the launcher.

• 

  The "Java Edition" tab of the launcher.

• 

  Launcher login screen.

• 

  Default installations.

• 

  Editing an installation.

• 

  The "About" section of the launcher.

Backgrounds

• 

  The background when logging in to an account.

• 

  The background for Java Edition.

• 

  The background for Minecraft Dungeons.

• 

  The background for Dungeons when purchased.

Trivia

• In the top left corner of the 2016–19 launcher, a barely visible button could be found which randomly shows either a creeper face or a shrug kaomoji ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. It glowed white when clicked, but had no use at all. This was removed in the 2019 redesign of the launcher.
  • The creeper face as well as shrug were used for the language selection menu during the beta phase of the launcher, but when a globe was added instead both were simply moved downwards to be kept as an Easter egg.
• Hovering long enough over the "Play" button in the 2016–19 launcher will cause random mobs to appear on the right side of the window.

See also

• Programs and Editors