Manual Install

Created by Kristine Pineda, Modified on Mon, 23 Dec, 2024 at 9:41 AM by Kristine Pineda

It’s possible to install Essential manually. If you are looking for the easiest way to install Essential, visit Essential Installer

Prerequisites

To follow this guide, ensure you have installed:

The Minecraft Launcher: Available at minecraft.net
Java 8: Download it from java.com

Download and install your modloader

Essential is compatible with both Fabric and Forge modloaders. We typically recommend using Fabric due to its modern architecture and the higher quality of mods available for it.

Compatability

Minecraft Version	Fabric	Forge
1.8.9	❌	✅
1.12.2	❌	✅
1.16.5	✅	✅
1.17.1	✅	✅
1.18.2	✅	✅
1.19.4	✅	✅
1.20.2	✅	✅
1.20.4	✅	✅
1.20.6	✅	?
1.21	✅	?

Modloader Downloads

Fabric → fabricmc.net
Forge → minecraftforge.net

Install Modloader

Download your preferred modloader installer
Double-click the installer file to open it
Configure your installation
Complete the install

? Experiencing issues with the modloader installer, such as it not opening or opening with a program other than Java? This could be due to an alteration in the default program for opening .jar files. We suggest running jarfix to resolve this issue. (Select the download under Download from the authors' website)

Install Essential mod

Visit essential.gg and download the Essential mod version compatible with your Minecraft version and modloader. The download for the raw mod is on the bottom of the page.
Launch the Minecraft Launcher.
Select Installations.
Click on the ? icon for the profile you want to modify.
Locate or create a mods folder in the profile directory. Then, move the downloaded Essential.jar file into this folder.
That's it! Start Minecraft, and the Essential mod should now be installed and ready to use.