Help CenterMods let you transform your game into something completely new. They can add blocks, items, creatures, and even entire dimensions to explore. In this guide, we’ll cover the most popular mod loaders and show you how to install mods on your client for singleplayer use.
If you’d like to add mods to a SimpleGameHosting server, check out our step by step article on How to Add Mods to Your Minecraft Server.
We also offer over 200 modpacks in our one click installer. Perfect if you want a ready made experience. To get started, see our guide on Setting Up Modpacks on Your Minecraft Server.
The Different Modloaders
Before you start installing mods, it’s important to understand the different loaders available. Each one comes with its own strengths, weaknesses, and off their own unique content. Below are the most common options:
- Forge – Forge is the “classic” mod loader. It’s been around forever, has the biggest library of mods, and is perfect if you want access to almost everything the Minecraft modding world has to offer.
- NeoForge – NeoForge is a fork for Forge. It works with most Forge mods but is designed to keep things up to date and smooth, making it a great choice if you want stability with a little extra performance.
- Fabric – Fabric is the lightweight option and is super popular for performance mods like OptiFine alternatives and client tweaks. Perfect if you want a smoother experience without a heavy setup.
In addition to choosing a mod loader, you’ll also need to match the correct mod loader version of that mod loader to your game. For example, if you’re using Forge for Minecraft 1.21.8, you may see multiple loader versions available for that specific game version, as shown in the image below.
Setting Up Your Client
Now that you understand the basics, it’s time to get your client ready. While you can manage all of these loaders through the CurseForge app, this guide will walk you through installing them directly on your client without using third-party managers.
Using the Forge Mod Loader
Step 1: Installing the Mod Loader
1. Go to the official Forge website. For this example, we’ll use Forge 1.21.8. Find your version and click the Installer button.
2. You’ll be taken to a new page, press Skip in the top-right corner to download right away.
3. Once the file is downloaded, open it. In the Forge Installer window, select Install client and click OK. Wait for the installation to finish. A message will confirm when it’s successful.
4. Open the Minecraft Launcher. To the left of the Play button, select the version dropdown and choose Forge. If it doesn’t appear, click the arrow to expand the list.
5. Launch the game. If Forge was installed successfully, you’ll see the Minecraft version along with Forge displayed in the bottom left corner of the main menu.
Step 2: Installing the Mods
Now that Forge is set up on your client, it’s time to add mods. We're going to be adding MouseTweaks to our setup in this example.
1. Download mods from trusted sites like CurseForge or Modrinth, making sure they match your game version and loader.
2. For easy access, place the downloaded files on your Desktop.
3. Start Minecraft with Forge, then from the main menu click Mods, and Open Mods Folder.
4. Drag and drop your downloaded mods into this folder.
5. With your mods installed, open Minecraft using Forge. Make sure everything is working as expected. If something isn’t right, double-check that:
- You’ve installed the correct Forge version
- You’re launching the game through NeoForge in the Minecraft Launcher
- Your mods are compatible with the version of Forge you’re using
If you see an Exit Code 1 error, it usually means older or incompatible mods are still in your mods folder. When installing a new version of Forge, it’s best to clear out your mods folder completely and then add back only the mods that match your game and loader version. Try adding just a few at a time to see what works and what does not.
Using the NeoForge Mod Loader
Step 1: Installing the Mod Loader
1. Go to the official NeoForge website. For this example, we’ll use NeoForge 1.21.8. Find your version and select the Click Here to Download Installer button.
2. Once the file is downloaded, open it. In the NeoForge Installer window, select Install client and click OK. Wait for the installation to finish. A message will confirm when it’s successful.
3. Open the Minecraft Launcher. To the left of the Play button, select the version dropdown and choose NeoForge. If it doesn’t appear, click the arrow to expand the list.
4. Launch the game. If NeoForge was installed successfully, you’ll see the Minecraft version along with NeoForge displayed in the bottom left corner of the main menu.
Step 2: Installing the Mods
Now that NeoForge is set up, it’s time to add mods. We're going to be adding Biomes 'O Plenty and it's dependencies (GlitchCore & TerraBlender) to our setup in this example.
1. Download mods from trusted sites like CurseForge or Modrinth, making sure they match your game version and loader.
2. For easy access, place the downloaded files on your Desktop.
3. Start Minecraft with NeoForge, then from the main menu click Mods, and Open Mods Folder.
4. Drag and drop your downloaded mods into this folder.
5. With your mods installed, open Minecraft using NeoForge. Make sure everything is working as expected. If something isn’t right, double-check that:
- You’ve installed the correct NeoForge version
- You’re launching the game through NeoForge in the Minecraft Launcher
- Your mods are compatible with the version of NeoForge you’re using
If you see an Exit Code 1 error, it usually means older or incompatible mods are still in your mods folder. When installing a new version of NeoForge, it’s best to clear out your mods folder completely and then add back only the mods that match your game and loader version. Try adding just a few at a time to see what works and what does not.
Using the Fabric Mod Loader
Step 1: Installing the Mod Loader
👋Note: All Fabric mods require you to add the FabricAPI mod to your mods folder for them to work.
1. Go to the official Fabric website. For this example, we’ll use Fabric 1.21.8. Find your version and click the Download for Windows button.
2. Once the file is downloaded, open it. In the Fabric Installer window, ensure you're on the Client tab, select the game version, and then press the Install button. A message will confirm when it’s successful.
4. Open the Minecraft Launcher. To the left of the Play button, select the version dropdown and choose Fabric. If it doesn’t appear, click the arrow to expand the list.
5. Launch the game. If Fabric was installed successfully, you’ll see the Minecraft version along with Fabric displayed in the bottom left corner of the main menu.
Step 2: Installing the Mods
Now that Fabric is set up, it’s time to add mods. We're going to be adding Farmers Delight and it's dependencies to the mods folder. Don't forget, FabricAPI needs to be installed for an Fabric mods to work
1. Download mods from trusted sites like CurseForge or Modrinth, making sure they match your game version and loader.
2. For easy access, place the downloaded files on your Desktop.
3. Open the %appdata% folder on your computer to access your Minecraft files. To do this, type %appdata% into your desktop search bar and press Enter. In the window that appears, locate and open the .minecraft folder,
4. Then find and open the mods folder. Keep this window open.
5. Drag and drop the mods you downloaded from your Desktop (or wherever you saved them) into the mods folder you just opened.
6. With your mods installed, open Minecraft using Fabric. Make sure everything is working as expected. If something isn’t right, double-check that:
- You’ve installed the correct Fabric version
- You’re launching the game through Fabric in the Minecraft Launcher
- Your mods are compatible with the version of Fabric you’re using
If you see an Exit Code 1 error, it usually means older or incompatible mods are still in your mods folder. When installing a new version of Fabric , it’s best to clear out your mods folder completely and then add back only the mods that match your game and loader version. Try adding just a few at a time to see what works and what does not.
Common Problems & Quick Fixes
- Installer not launching - Ensure you have Java installed and setup on your client, as it's needed for these installers to run.
- Game crashes / Exit Code 1 - Check mod, loader, and Minecraft versions. Remove incompatible mods.
- Mods not showing - Make sure you launched with the correct loader and added required dependencies.
- World issues - Some mods need a new world to work correctly.
- Multiple mods not working - Add mods one at a time to identify conflicts.
- Downloaded mods not recognized - Only use trusted sites like CurseForge or Modrinth.