How to Install a Minecraft Add-On on Windows 10

To install a Minecraft add-on on Windows 10, import a Bedrock-compatible .mcpack or .mcaddon file into Minecraft for Windows, then activate the pack for a new or existing world. A .mcworld file is a world archive; importing one adds a playable world that may already contain add-ons. Add-ons are for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, while Java Edition uses a different mod system.

Check the file before you open it

Use an add-on that clearly says it supports Minecraft: Bedrock Edition and your game version. The official Minecraft Add-Ons guide explains that Add-Ons are Bedrock content made from resource packs, behavior packs, or both. Resource packs change assets such as textures and sounds; behavior packs can change game rules, entities, or mechanics.

File extensions tell you what you downloaded. Microsoft describes .mcpack as a zipped resource or behavior pack, .mcaddon as a package that can contain packs or worlds, and .mcworld as a Bedrock world archive. If Windows hides extensions, open File Explorer, choose View, and turn on File name extensions so you can check the complete name. Do not rename a ZIP file to .mcpack unless the add-on creator specifically instructs you to do so.

How to install an add-on in Minecraft

1. Download a Bedrock-compatible package

For the simplest route, browse add-ons in the official Minecraft Marketplace catalog and follow the in-game prompts. If you download a file from a creator, use the creator’s own download page, read the compatibility notes, and save the package somewhere easy to find, such as Downloads. Avoid files that claim to be Java mods when you need a Windows Bedrock add-on. Before changing a world you care about, use a test world or a copy of that world.

2. Open the package with Minecraft

In File Explorer, open the downloaded .mcpack or .mcaddon file. If Windows asks which app to use, choose Minecraft for Windows. Minecraft should launch and show an import status; wait for the import to finish before closing the game. Microsoft identifies these as Bedrock pack formats in its file-extension reference and documents an add-on import handler for .mcaddon files in its Minecraft import documentation.

If the download is a .mcworld, opening it imports a world instead of installing a standalone pack. Return to Play and look for the imported world in your world list. If you received a ZIP, inspect the creator’s instructions rather than changing its extension at random.

3. Open the settings for the world you want to use

For an existing world, select Play, then choose the pencil or edit control beside that world. For a new world, go to Play and choose Create New, then Create New World. In the world settings, find the Add-Ons area and open Resource Packs or Behavior Packs. Minecraft’s official activation instructions use these pack sections for both new and existing single-player worlds.

4. Activate the pack and launch the world

In the relevant pack section, open the available or My Packs list, select the add-on, and choose Activate. Some downloads include both a resource pack and a behavior pack; check both sections and activate the components the creator requires. When the pack appears under the active packs list, return to the world screen and select Create for a new world or Play for an existing one. Test the add-on in the world before adding more packs.

If the add-on does not appear

• Nothing opens: confirm the file ends in .mcpack or .mcaddon, and choose Minecraft for Windows from the Open with menu if it is offered. Make sure Minecraft is installed and updated.
• The import finishes but the pack is missing: restart Minecraft, edit the intended world, and check both Resource Packs and Behavior Packs. The downloaded file may have imported a world instead; check the Play list for a new world if its extension is .mcworld.
• The pack is listed but has no effect: confirm it is activated for the world you launched, and check the creator’s Bedrock and game-version requirements. Java Edition mods do not become Bedrock add-ons by changing a filename.
• The world behaves unexpectedly: return to its settings and deactivate the new pack. Minecraft provides an official Add-On troubleshooting guide for further checks.

Older tutorials may tell you to copy packs into a Microsoft.MinecraftUWP app-data folder. Microsoft documents a Windows storage migration from UWP to GDK beginning with Minecraft version 1.21.120, so paths in older guides may not match current installations. For a packaged add-on, use Minecraft’s import flow instead of relying on an old folder path; see Microsoft’s Windows Bedrock storage migration notes.

In short: identify the Bedrock file type, import the package, activate its resource or behavior pack in the target world, and then launch that world. This keeps installation separate from Java mod instructions and makes it easier to locate the pack if you need to troubleshoot.

Microsoft Learn: Minecraft file extensions · Microsoft Learn: Windows Bedrock storage migration