Step 1: Install the Fabric loader
The Fabric loader is the modding framework. It goes between Minecraft and your mods.
- Go to fabricmc.net and download the installer for your OS
- Open the installer
- Select your Minecraft Version from the dropdown, for example 26.2
- Leave Loader Version on the latest stable
- Leave Install Location as the default (your
.minecraft folder)
- Click Install
The installer adds a new profile to your Minecraft launcher automatically. You will see it named something like "fabric-loader-0.16.x-26.2" in the Installations tab.
Do not change the Loader Version unless a specific mod requires an older one. Always use the latest stable Fabric loader for your Minecraft version.
Step 2: Find your mods folder
Mods are .jar files placed in a specific folder. The location depends on your OS:
| OS |
Path |
| Windows |
%AppData%\.minecraft\mods |
| macOS |
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods |
| Linux |
~/.minecraft/mods |
Windows shortcut: Press Win + R, type %AppData%\.minecraft\mods, press Enter. The folder opens directly.
If the mods folder does not exist, create it. It must be named exactly mods inside your .minecraft directory.
If you use multiple Minecraft instances (different versions, different mod sets), each instance has its own .minecraft folder. Make sure you're putting mods in the right one. Launchers like Prism Launcher or MultiMC manage separate instances automatically.
Step 3: Install Fabric API
Fabric API is required by almost every Fabric mod, and it is not the same thing as the Fabric Loader you just installed. This mix-up is the single most common failure new users hit, so it is worth being precise about the difference:
|
Fabric Loader |
Fabric API |
| What it is |
The modding framework itself |
A mod, downloaded and installed like any other |
| Where it goes |
Its own launcher profile (Step 1) |
Your mods folder, alongside your other mods |
| Where you get it |
fabricmc.net installer |
Modrinth or CurseForge, like any mod |
| Do you need it |
Yes, always, to run any Fabric mod |
Almost always, because most mods depend on it |
Installing the loader does not install the API. They are two separate downloads from two separate places, and skipping the second one is why "I installed Fabric but my mods won't load" is such a common complaint.
Download Fabric API from Modrinth: modrinth.com/mod/fabric-api
- Click Versions
- Filter by your Minecraft version
- Download the latest release (
.jar file)
- Place it in your
mods folder
Do not rename the file. Do not unzip it. .jar files go into the mods folder as-is.
Step 4: Download and install your mods
Where to download mods safely:
- Modrinth (modrinth.com): the recommended source. Mods are verified, fast CDN, no adware wrappers.
- CurseForge (curseforge.com): the original repository, still widely used, safe if you use the direct download links.
Avoid random .jar downloads from YouTube descriptions, unofficial "mod packs" on third-party sites, or mirror sites. Malicious mods exist and they target Minecraft players specifically.
For each mod you want:
- Go to Modrinth, search for the mod name
- Click Versions, filter by your Minecraft version and Fabric
- Download the
.jar file
- Place it in your
mods folder
Example: installing Sodium:
- Search Modrinth for "Sodium"
- Versions → your Minecraft version → Fabric → download the matching jar, for example
mc26.2-0.9.2-fabric
- Drop it into
.minecraft/mods/
Repeat for each mod. A typical performance setup (sodium, lithium, fabric-api) is three files in the mods folder. For the full recommended set and what each mod does, see the Fabric performance mod stack; browsable reviews of 111+ mods live in the mods directory.
Step 5: Launch and verify
- Open the Minecraft launcher
- Select the Fabric profile (the one the installer created)
- Click Play
On the main menu title screen you should see something like "Fabric Loader 0.16.x, Fabric API x.x.x" in the lower-left corner. If you see the Fabric version listed, your mods are loading.
Press F3 in-game and look at the top of the debug screen; the mod count appears next to the Fabric loader version.
Common errors and fixes
Reading a version-mismatch crash
Most Fabric crashes on launch are a version mismatch, and the crash log tells you exactly which mod and why if you know where to look. Open the newest file in .minecraft/crash-reports/ and look near the top for a block that names the mod and states what it expected versus what it found, something like a mod requiring fabric-api >= 0.100.0 when 0.97.0 is installed, or a mod built for Minecraft 1.21.4 refusing to load against 1.21.5. The report usually names the specific dependency and version range, not just "a mod crashed."
Two common patterns: a version range failure ("requires fabric-api version >=X, found Y") fixes with a Fabric API update, or occasionally a downgrade if the mod targets an older API than you have; a flat version mismatch (mod built for 1.21.3, running on 1.21.4) fixes by finding a 1.21.4-tagged release of that mod, or waiting for the author to publish one.
"Requires fabric-api" specifically means the mod calls into functions that live in the Fabric API mod, not the base Fabric Loader, and cannot start without that mod present at a compatible version. It is asking for the separate API mod from Step 3, not the loader again.
"Incompatible mods" crash on launch
A mod is not compatible with your Minecraft version or Fabric loader version. The crash log (in .minecraft/crash-reports/) names the conflicting mod. Fix: download the build of that mod that matches your Minecraft version.
"Could not find or load main class" / game doesn't start
Fabric loader installed into the wrong .minecraft folder. Verify the Fabric profile in the launcher points to the same folder where your mods are.
Game launches but mods don't appear
You placed the .jar files in the wrong folder, or you launched the vanilla profile instead of the Fabric profile. Check both.
"Requires Fabric API" error
You're missing Fabric API or have the wrong version for your Minecraft release. Download it from Modrinth and place it in the mods folder.
Two mods conflict (crash with both installed)
Some mods are incompatible with each other. Common conflicts:
- Indium + Sodium 0.6+: do not install Indium with Sodium 0.6 or higher, it's built in (background in the Sodium vs Embeddium comparison)
- OptiFine + anything: OptiFine doesn't run on Fabric; use Iris instead
- Two versions of the same mod: ensure you have exactly one
.jar per mod
Client-side, server-side, or both
Before installing a mod, check whether it needs to run on the client, the server, or both, since this decides whether joining a modded server requires anything from you at all:
- Client-side only (most performance and visual mods: Sodium, Iris, minimap mods, HUD tweaks): install it on your own game only. A server does not need it, and in most cases the server does not even need to know it exists, since these mods only change what you see and how fast your own game renders, without touching anything the server tracks.
- Server-side only (most anti-lag, world-generation, and admin-tooling mods): install it on the server only. Clients connect normally with no extra mods; the server does the work.
- Both (gameplay mods that add new blocks, items, or mechanics: most content mods and total conversions): every client that connects needs the exact same mod, usually the exact same version, or the connection fails outright or desyncs badly. Server owners running mods like this need to publish the required mod list so players can match it before connecting.
Mod pages on Modrinth and CurseForge label this explicitly (look for "Client" and "Server" tags near the top of the page), so check before assuming a mod you like on your own game will just work when you try to join someone else's server, or that a server's mod list is optional for you to install.
Using Modrinth App (optional shortcut)
Modrinth App is a launcher that manages mod installations for you: dependency resolution, version matching, update notifications. If you're managing more than 10 mods, it saves time.
The app creates its own instance folder separate from the vanilla launcher. Mods installed through the app don't appear in your main .minecraft/mods/ folder; they live in the app's instance directory.
Keeping mods updated
Mods update frequently, especially after Minecraft point releases. When Mojang releases 1.21.5, most mods will need updated versions, and "most" is doing real work in that sentence: mods rarely survive a Minecraft version jump untouched. Fabric API itself usually gets same-day or next-day updates for a new Minecraft version since it is maintained by the Fabric team directly, but individual mods depend on their authors having time to update, test, and publish, which can lag by days or months, and some smaller or abandoned mods never get updated at all.
Pros
- Fabric supports multiple installed loader profiles side by side, so updating Fabric for a new Minecraft version does not remove your working older setup
- Modrinth's version filter makes it fast to confirm whether a specific mod has a release for your target version before you commit to upgrading
Cons
- A mod with no release for the new version simply will not appear when you filter by that version; there is no partial or best-effort compatibility to fall back on
- Updating Minecraft first and checking mods after means playing without the mods you were relying on until each one catches up
The safest approach: before updating Minecraft, check that your mods have 1.21.x-compatible releases on Modrinth. Update Minecraft version only after your key mods are ready. Keep your working .minecraft folder (or a Prism/MultiMC instance) on the old version until the new one is confirmed working, rather than upgrading in place and hoping.
Want mods on a server instead of just your client? The server setup guide covers installing the Fabric server jar, and prebuilt packs are compared in the modpack roundup.
Download links:
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Minecraft mods folder?
On Windows it's %AppData%\.minecraft\mods, on macOS ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods, and on Linux ~/.minecraft/mods. If the folder doesn't exist yet, create it yourself; it must be named exactly mods inside your .minecraft directory.
Do I need Fabric API for every mod?
Almost always, yes. Fabric API is a set of common utilities that most Fabric mods build on, so it's required by nearly every mod in the ecosystem. Download it from Modrinth, filter by your Minecraft version, and drop the .jar into your mods folder like any other mod.
Why won't a mod load in-game?
Check the crash log in .minecraft/crash-reports/ first: it names the conflicting mod directly. The usual causes are a mod built for the wrong Minecraft or Fabric loader version, a missing Fabric API, or two versions of the same mod sitting in the folder at once.
How do I update Fabric to a new Minecraft version?
Run the Fabric installer again and select the new version from the dropdown; it adds a fresh profile without removing the old one. Before switching your saves over, check that your key mods have a compatible release for the new version on Modrinth, since mods can lag behind a Minecraft point release.
Do I need CurseForge's app or OptiFine to install mods?
No, both are optional. Modrinth alone covers manual installation, and OptiFine specifically doesn't run on Fabric at all; use Iris instead if you want shaders.
Are Fabric Loader and Fabric API the same thing?
No, and confusing the two is the most common install mistake. Fabric Loader is the modding framework you install through the fabricmc.net installer as a launcher profile. Fabric API is a mod, downloaded separately from Modrinth or CurseForge and placed in the mods folder, that most other mods depend on to function.
Do I need a mod on the server too, or just my own game?
Depends on the mod. Purely visual or performance mods (Sodium, minimap mods) are client-side only and need nothing from the server. Mods that add new blocks or mechanics usually need to be installed identically on both client and server. Check the mod's page on Modrinth or CurseForge for its Client/Server tags before assuming either way.
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