Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
The .minecraft Folder: Where Minecraft Saves Your Worlds
On Java Edition your worlds, screenshots, resource packs and settings live in the .minecraft folder: %APPDATA%\.minecraft on Windows, ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft on macOS and ~/.minecraft on Linux. Worlds are in its saves folder, one folder per world. Bedrock keeps its data in a folder called com.mojang instead.
How do you open .minecraft?
Windows: press Windows + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft and press Enter. macOS: in Finder press Shift + Command + G and paste the path. Linux: it is a hidden folder in your home; Ctrl + H shows hidden files in most file managers. Each launcher installation can also use its own game folder; see the launcher.
What is inside the folder?
| Folder or file | What it holds |
|---|---|
| saves | Your singleplayer worlds, one folder each |
| screenshots | F2 screenshots as PNG files |
| resourcepacks | Resource packs you add |
| logs | latest.log and older logs, useful when the game crashes |
| options.txt | Your settings, key binds and video options |
| servers.dat | Your multiplayer server list |
| versions and libraries | Game files the launcher downloads |
Packs and mods: mods and resource packs. Crash help: Minecraft crashing.
How do you back up a world?
Close the world, then copy its folder out of saves to somewhere safe. To restore, copy it back into saves. Each world folder holds level.dat, the world's chunk data and each player's statistics; see statistics.
Where are Bedrock worlds saved?
In the com.mojang folder, worlds sit in minecraftWorlds. On Windows each signed-in user has their own com.mojang under %appdata%\Minecraft Bedrock\Users, with a shared one for signed-out play. On Android, a File Storage Location setting decides whether worlds go in a private internal folder or an external one you can reach.
Can you move .minecraft somewhere else?
Yes: set a different game directory for an installation in the launcher, which is handy for keeping modded and vanilla worlds apart. The launcher folder itself can be moved with the --workDir option.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Minecraft worlds saved?
Java: the saves folder inside .minecraft. Bedrock: minecraftWorlds inside com.mojang.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.