Minecraft stores each world as a folder on your PC. Knowing where they are lets you back up worlds, move them to another computer, install downloaded maps, or recover a world after reinstalling. The location depends on your edition: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition (the Windows version from the Microsoft Store or Xbox app) save in different places, and Bedrock’s location changed in a 2025 update. This guide covers both.
Quick Answer
Java Edition: press Windows + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft\saves, and press Enter. Bedrock Edition (current versions): press Windows + R, type %appdata%\Minecraft Bedrock\Users, open your user-number folder, then games > com.mojang > minecraftWorlds.
Java Edition World Location
- Press Windows + R.
- Type %appdata%\.minecraft\saves and press Enter.
- Each folder is one world, named as it appears in the game.
Full path: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\saves. You can also open it from the game: select a world, click Edit > Open World Folder. If you use a custom launcher profile with a different game directory, the saves are in that folder instead.
Bedrock Edition World Location
Current versions (after the 2025 update)
- Press Windows + R, type %appdata%\Minecraft Bedrock\Users, and press Enter.
- Open the folder with a long number (your account), or Shared for worlds available to all users.
- Go to games > com.mojang > minecraftWorlds.
Bedrock world folders have random-looking names. Open a folder and read the levelname.txt file to see the world’s name.
Older versions
Older Bedrock versions stored worlds in %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftUWP_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\games\com.mojang\minecraftWorlds. If you haven’t updated in a long time, check there.
Back Up or Move a World
- Back up: close Minecraft, copy the world folder to another drive or cloud storage.
- Move to another PC: copy the folder into the same location on the other PC (same edition).
- Bedrock export: in the game, open the world’s Edit screen and choose Export World to create a .mcworld file you can double-click to import.
- Install downloaded maps: Java maps go in saves; Bedrock maps usually come as .mcworld files to double-click.
Can’t Find Your Worlds?
- Show hidden folders: in File Explorer, View > Show > Hidden items (AppData is hidden by default). Typing the path in the Run box also works.
- Make sure you’re checking the correct edition’s folder.
- Bedrock worlds on Realms are stored online; download a copy from the Realm’s settings.
- After a Bedrock update, if worlds seem missing, check both the new and old locations before deleting or reinstalling anything.
Moving to a new PC? Follow how to transfer a Minecraft world to another computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert a Java world to Bedrock?
Not natively. Third-party conversion tools exist, but results vary; always keep a backup.
Does uninstalling Minecraft delete my worlds?
It can, especially for Bedrock. Back up world folders before uninstalling.
Is it the same on Windows 11?
Yes. The paths are the same on Windows 10 and 11.
Summary
- Java: %appdata%\.minecraft\saves.
- Bedrock (current): %appdata%\Minecraft Bedrock\Users\[number]\games\com.mojang\minecraftWorlds.
- Close the game before copying worlds.
- Use Export World in Bedrock for easy transfers.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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