If you want to run Minecraft mods on your server, you will need to install mod loaders that will help you customize the in-game world and content. Two of the most popular mod loaders are Forge and Fabric. We’ve already covered how you can download and install Forge if you’re interested in it, but this guide is dedicated to Fabric. So, let’s learn how to install Fabric, its mods, and how you can run them in the latest Minecraft 1.21 update.
How to Download Fabric for Minecraft
Follow the simple step-by-step process below to download and install Fabric in Minecraft 1.21:
- Visit the official downloads page for Fabric using the link.
- Then, click on the “Download universal jar” button to download the file. This is the better route than using the button above because it will make sure everything is correctly set up for Java.
How to Install Fabric for Minecraft
Once you have downloaded the file, follow these steps to install Fabric so you can start playing with compatible mods:
- Find the Fabric installer file you downloaded and open it up by double-clicking on it. Make sure you have Java installed on your PC before attempting to install Fabric. Visit this link to get the latest Java version.
- Once the Fabric Installer opens, select the “Minecraft version“ you are running and click the Install button at the bottom.
- After the installation is complete, you’ll see the pop-up message mentioning the Fabric API mod, which is necessary for installing various other mods.
- So, visit this CurseForge page linked here. Then, find the latest release file, and download it manually by clicking the three dots icon and then the “Download file” option.
How to Download and Install Minecraft Fabric Mods
Now that you’ve got Fabric up and running, you can install and use Fabric mods. Let’s go over the steps to install the mods:
First, you should find the Fabric mods you want to install. Check out some of the best Minecraft Fabric mods in our dedicated list. We’ve already downloaded the Fabric API mod, but you can also go ahead and download a few more if you like. If you’ve downloaded new shaders, follow our guide on how to run shaders using Minecraft Fabric here.
Visit websites like CurseForge and find the mod that you like. Move to the Files tab and find the latest Fabric file. If the mod has no Fabric files, it means it’s not compatible with Fabric, and you’ll need Forge or a different mod loader to run it. Make sure you download the correct file, as it won’t work otherwise.
Now, open Minecraft Launcher. Move to the Installations tab at the top and make sure the Modded box in the top right corner is checked. You should see Fabric loader here. If you don’t, you can create a new installation with the Fabric loader as the game version.
Next, hover over the Fabric installation and click on the folder icon on the right. This will open the main Minecraft folder.
The next step is to create the mods folder if you don’t already have it. Simply, make a new folder in this location and name it “mods”.
With the mods folder ready, drag and drop the downloaded mods, including Fabric API, into this folder. Having mod files compatible with different loaders doesn’t seem to cause any issues, so you can keep all files in this mods folder. And with that, you have successfully installed new Fabric mods, and you can use them.
How to Use Fabric Mods in Minecraft
Once you’ve added mods to the mods folder, go back to the Minecraft Launcher. In the Play section, make sure the Fabric loader is selected and click on “Play“ to start the game. There is no section that lists all the mods you have installed, so you will need to create a new world to manually check if everything is working.
If a mod is incompatible with the Fabric version you have or requires a specific mod to be installed first, you’ll get a message before Minecraft loads informing you of this.
With that said, you have now learned how to install the Fabric mod loader. With this, you can run Fabric mods in Minecraft 1.21 with ease. As you can see, this process is fairly easy, so don’t hesitate and start downloading mods right away.
Just like with other things that have alternatives, it’s up to you and your personal preference whether you like Fabric or Forge. Forge supports a larger list of mods than Fabric, while Fabric is currently the most stable Minecraft modded version. You should try out both loaders and see which one suits your needs better.
No, you can only play with Fabric mods while running Fabric loader and the same goes for Forge. You cannot mix the mods and loaders together.
