Bedrock vs Java Minecraft mods — what's the difference?
"Bedrock" and "Java" are two separate games that both happen to be called Minecraft. They don't share a mod format, and a file built for one will never do anything in the other — this is why so many downloads "don't work."
The short version: Bedrock mods are called add-ons (.mcpack / .mcaddon) and Java mods are .jar files loaded by Forge, Fabric or NeoForge. Neither format opens in the other game.
1. Which one do I have?
Both are Minecraft, so the name alone doesn't tell you. What tells you is where you got it and how you play it:
- Bedrock Edition — the version on Android, iOS, Windows (Microsoft Store), Xbox, PlayStation and Switch. Bought with a Microsoft account, has a Marketplace inside the game.
- Java Edition — the PC-only version bought on minecraft.net and launched through the official Minecraft Launcher. No Marketplace; mods come from outside the game.
If you play on a phone or tablet, you have Bedrock — there is no Java Edition for mobile.
2. Different file, different game
| Bedrock | Java | |
|---|---|---|
| Called | Add-ons | Mods |
| File type | .mcpack / .mcaddon | .jar |
| Needs | Nothing extra — Minecraft imports it directly | A mod loader: Forge, Fabric or NeoForge |
| Install location | Imported, then activated per-world | .minecraft/mods folder |
| Written in | JSON + optional JavaScript (add-on scripting) | Java, using the loader's modding API |
Minecraft picks how to open a file by its extension and internal format — a .jar has no meaning to Bedrock, and a .mcpack has no meaning to the Java Launcher. This is a platform boundary, not a bug either side could "just fix."
3. Can I get Java-style mods on Bedrock?
Not by running the same file — but some Bedrock creators build add-ons that recreate a feature Java is known for (a Java-style hunger/saturation system, a popular Java mod's mechanic, and so on) using Bedrock's own add-on format. Those show up in our catalog as ordinary .mcaddon add-ons; they are new files written for Bedrock, not ports that run the original Java code.
4. Can I use a Bedrock add-on on Java, or the reverse?
No, in either direction. There's no setting or converter that makes one edition read the other's format — you need the version of the content actually built for your edition.
5. Which app do I need?
We split this by edition so you don't end up with content that isn't there: MC Bedrock Mods for add-ons, maps, texture packs and skins, and MC Java Mods for Forge/Fabric/NeoForge mods and modpacks. Installing the wrong one for your edition means the exact mod you want simply won't be in the catalog.
Get the right app for your edition
MC Bedrock Mods for add-ons, maps & skins; MC Java Mods for Forge/Fabric/NeoForge. Free on Android.
Frequently asked questions
Will a .jar file work on Minecraft Bedrock (mobile/console)?
No. Bedrock has no mod loader and cannot read a Java .jar at all — opening one does nothing.
Will a .mcpack or .mcaddon work on Minecraft Java Edition?
No. The Java Launcher and Forge/Fabric/NeoForge don't recognize Bedrock's add-on format.
How do I know which edition my Minecraft is?
Mobile, console and the Microsoft Store PC version are Bedrock. The version bought on minecraft.net and run through the Minecraft Launcher on PC is Java.
Are there Bedrock add-ons that copy a popular Java mod's idea?
Sometimes — creators rebuild a Java-style mechanic as a native Bedrock add-on. It's a new file written for Bedrock's format, not the original mod running unmodified.