Minecraft Backup Guide for Windows

Installing mods rarely breaks anything, but a corrupted world cannot be recovered. Copying the .minecraft folder takes a minute and protects every world, screenshot, and setting you have.

Choose your OS

Pick your operating system if you'd like to switch guides:

What to back up

• saves — all of your worlds. This is the important one.
• options.txt — your controls and video settings.
• resourcepacks and shaderpacks — packs you installed.
• mods — your current mod set, if you use Forge or Fabric.

1. Close Minecraft

Quit the game and the launcher completely so no file is being written while you copy.

2. Open the Minecraft folder

Use the path for your system shown below.

3. Copy it somewhere safe

Copy the whole folder — or at least saves — to an external drive or a cloud folder, and add the date to the name, e.g. minecraft-backup-2026-07.

4. Restoring a backup

Close the game, then copy the saved folders back into place, overwriting the current ones.

Minecraft folder on your system

%appdata%\.minecraft