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Strawberry Launcher
Strawberry Launcher
Documentation

Official setup guide

Install, configure and fix Strawberry properly.

A clean reference for required downloads, version setup, loaders, folder structure and common launch issues.

Download installerQuick start

Category tree

docs
├─ requirements
├─ quick-start
├─ loaders
├─ folder-layout
└─ troubleshooting

Required downloads

Install these before setting up profiles. Java is the most common cause of launch issues.

DownloadWhy it mattersLink
Java 21 RuntimeRequired for modern Minecraft versions such as 1.20.5+ and 1.21.x.Adoptium
Minecraft AccountNeeded for official authentication, online play and multiplayer servers.minecraft.net
Windows 10/11Recommended platform for the current Strawberry Launcher installer.Microsoft
ModrinthRecommended source for modern mods, loaders and version metadata.Modrinth

Quick start

Follow this order for a clean first install.

  1. 1Download and install Strawberry Launcher.
  2. 2Install Java 21 if you plan to use Minecraft 1.21.x.
  3. 3Create a version from the launcher dashboard.
  4. 4Choose Vanilla, Fabric or NeoForge.
  5. 5Install mods/shaders into that selected version.
  6. 6Launch and use the terminal output if anything fails.

Loaders

Pick the loader based on the content you want to run. Mods must match both the Minecraft version and the loader.

Vanilla
Clean Minecraft without mods.
Use for base installs, testing and normal servers.
Fabric
Lightweight mod loader.
Best for Sodium, Iris, Lithium and modern client-side mods.
NeoForge
Forge-style mod ecosystem.
Best for larger modpacks and heavier modded setups.
Modrinth
Mod discovery/source.
Use for version-matched mods and clean metadata.

Folder layout

Strawberry should keep content isolated by profile so different mod setups do not break each other.

%APPDATA%\.strawberry-launcher
├─ instances
├─ Fabric 1.21.5
├─ mods
├─ shaderpacks
└─ resourcepacks
└─ Vanilla 1.21.5
├─ cache
└─ logs

Troubleshooting

Start with the terminal output. It usually tells you the missing Java version, failed download or incompatible mod.

Game does not launch

Check Java first. Minecraft 1.21.x should use Java 21. Then check the selected loader and terminal output.

Mods do not show

The mod is probably in the wrong profile folder or does not match the selected loader/version.

Shaders do not appear

Place shader packs inside the selected instance shaderpacks folder, then enable them in-game.

Download failed

Retry the queue and clear partial downloads from the instance cache if the same file keeps failing.

Copy the terminal log before changing settings. It gives you the fastest path to the actual problem.