Tutorials/Update Java

Updating Java is important to do as a Minecraft player, as some technical bugs may be fixed only by updating Java.

The Minecraft launcher is bundled with Java version 1.8.0_51, which is used by default. It is possible to change the used Java version in the profile options menu.

What is Java?
Java is a programming language and computing platform. Unlike many other languages, Java does not run directly on the hardware, but in a virtual machine, called the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Minecraft is written in Java, and uses it for game logic, rendering, and networking.

As of April 14th, 2020, the latest stable (Long-Term Support) Java versions are 1.8.0_251 and 11.0.7, while the latest development build is versions 15 early-access build 18.

Why update?
The latest versions of Java contain important enhancements to help improve performance, stability and security of the Java applications that run on your machine. Installing the latest Java update ensures that Minecraft continues to run safely and efficiently.


 * As of the Java Edition 1.12 update, Minecraft requires Java 8 or greater.
 * Minecraft may sometimes crash without being run by a relatively modern version of Java.
 * Java updates fix lots of problems and bugs and typically cause increases in performance.
 * Running a server requires your computer to have Java installed instead of the pre-installed Java. See Tutorials/Setting up a server for more information.

Where to download?
Obtain the latest long-term Java update here.

Obtain the latest short-term Java update here.

You can obtain the latest Java 14 development build here.

You can obtain the latest Java 15 development build here.

Please note that short-term versions of Java may be unstable, thus could cause unexpected crashes and other issues.

How to update?
When you install Java, go to your launcher, edit or create an installation, and in the Java Executable box, type  (Windows) or:  (Linux). The exact value depends on where your java is installed.

You must remove  from your JVM Arguments. This option is meaningless for Java 9 and newer, and will cause a launch failure if you keep it there.

Known issues

 * In Java 11 or newer, a very rare crash may occur in world generation code . A mod called Voyager exists to fix this issue.
 * Do not upgrade if you are using Intel HD2xxx/3xxx graphics on Windows 10, as the driver is bugged. Java 8 uses a slower rendering method that makes it work, and that is partially why Mojang stuck to this old version.