A data pack is a folder or a .zip file that changes vanilla Minecraft without a mod loader: new loot tables, recipes, advancements, or full world generation, using only files the game already reads. The official name is two words, data pack, though players often search it as one word, datapacks. Installing one works differently depending on whether you are starting a new world or adding one to a world you already have, and both paths are Java Edition only.
Install a data pack in a new world
Open Minecraft and click Create New World, then open the More tab and click Data Packs. Drag the pack's .zip file, or its unzipped folder, straight into the window, or click Open Pack Folder to open the temporary folder Minecraft is using for this world and drop the file there instead. Confirm the prompt, then click the arrow on the pack's icon to move it from Available into Selected.
- 1.Click Create New World, then the More tab, then Data Packs.
- 2.Drag the pack in, or use Open Pack Folder to add it manually.
- 3.Click the arrow on the pack's icon to move it from Available to Selected.
- 4.Click Done, then Create New World.
Browse our data packs section if you have not picked one yet. Every listing there installs the same way.
Add a data pack to an existing world
For a world you already play in, add the pack after the fact instead of through world creation. Select the world on the world list, click Edit, then Open World Folder, and open the folder named datapacks inside it. Drop the pack's .zip file or unzipped folder straight in, with nothing extra wrapped around it.
- 1.Select the world, click Edit, then Open World Folder.
- 2.Open the datapacks folder and drop the pack's .zip or unzipped folder inside.
- 3.Type /reload with cheats on, or fully exit and re-enter the world.
- 4.Run /datapack list to confirm Minecraft found it.
/reload picks up most changes, loot tables, recipes, advancements, and functions, without leaving the world. A few newer, experimental features only apply after you actually exit and rejoin, so if something looks half-loaded after /reload, re-entering the world is the next step. /datapack list enabled shows exactly what is active right now, which is the fastest way to tell a pack landed in the wrong folder from one that loaded but is simply disabled.
Whether you need a resource pack too
Some data packs add items, blocks, or mob variants that need matching textures to look right, and those textures ship as a separate resource pack rather than being folded into the data pack itself. Check the pack's own page for a resource pack requirement before you install. When there is one, add it the same way you would any other, following our guide on installing resource packs, alongside the data pack rather than instead of it.
Limits worth knowing before you install
World generation packs like Terralith and Incendium only change chunks Minecraft has not generated yet. Chunks you have already explored keep their original terrain permanently, since installing and reloading does not retroactively reshape ground the game has already written to disk.
- Worldgen packs only affect new chunks, never the ground you have already explored.
- Two data packs that touch the same loot tables, recipes, or advancements can conflict; test one at a time if something behaves oddly.
- Some packs, like Graves, need a proper uninstall step rather than just deleting the file, so check the pack's own instructions before removing one.
Installing a data pack step by step
Frequently asked questions
Do data packs work on Bedrock?
No. Data packs are a Java Edition feature only. Bedrock Edition, including Bedrock Realms, uses a separate system called behavior packs instead, and the two are not interchangeable. If you play on Bedrock, look at our Bedrock addons instead, and see how Java and Bedrock differ if you are not sure which edition you are running.
Does the data pack need to match my game version?
Yes, loosely. Every data pack declares a pack_format number, and Minecraft checks that number against the version you are running. A mismatch is exactly why a pack can sit in the datapacks folder and still fail to load, or load with a warning about an incompatible pack. If a pack you installed correctly still will not show up, our troubleshooting guide covers pack_format mismatches and the other common causes.
Do I need to unzip the data pack?
No. Minecraft reads a data pack as either a .zip file or an unzipped folder, so leave it zipped unless the pack's own instructions say otherwise. Unzipping only matters if you plan to open and edit the pack's files yourself.
Can I install a data pack on a server the same way?
Not quite. A server's datapacks folder lives inside the world folder next to the server jar, not inside a save under .minecraft, and reloading it usually does not need anyone to leave the world. See adding data packs to a Minecraft server for the server-specific steps.
