Why Minecraft Won’t Launch or Open On Windows PC 2024

Are you facing the frustrating issue of Minecraft refusing to launch or open on your Windows PC? You’re not alone. Many users encounter this problem, as indicated by the numerous searches for solutions.

Whether you’re experiencing a complete failure to launch, encountering errors after pressing play, or dealing with a persistent refusal to start, this article aims to provide comprehensive insights and troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the issue.

From examining common causes to offering step-by-step solutions, we’ll guide you through the process of getting Minecraft up and running on your Windows system.

Why Minecraft not Launching on my PC?

Building your dream blocky world shouldn’t involve a battle against launch errors. Yet, here you are, frustrated by Minecraft refusing to launch. Usually this problem occur because of;

Launcher recent updates that can trip up the launcher itself. Check for a stuck update or try re-downloading the launcher.
For Java edition players, outdated or missing Java runtime environments can throw a wrench in the works.
Background applications can sometimes clash with Minecraft.
Make sure your PC meets the minimum system requirements.
Outdated graphics card drivers can cause graphical glitches and even prevent launch.
Minecraft modding can overload the game. Try launching with a fresh, mod-free profile to see if it’s a mod-related hiccup.

How to Fix Minecraft Won’t Launch Issue on Windows

Before applying the fixes you need to check whether your computer is powerful enough to run the game which is a possible reason for this issue, you can check Minecraft system requirements first.

End all Minecraft Processes in the Background

Sometimes the Minecraft game won’t launch, because it got stuck in the background of Windows. When this issue occurs you will see that there are two MinecraftLauncher.exe. You need to end both tasks and reboot the game

Open task manager and close all the processes related to Minecraft and then play the game.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key together on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
In the Processes tab, right-click on the Minecraft and choose End task.
Launch Minecraft again to check if it’s working properly.

Update your Graphics Card Driver

Another reason why Minecraft won’t launch on Windows 11 and 10 PC is the outdated or corrupted graphics drivers. To improve gaming performance you need to update the graphics driver. There are two methods to update graphics cards i.e. Manual and Automatic.

In the manual method, you need to visit NVIDIA/AMD sites and search for the latest compatible drivers and download them on your PC. If you don’t have relevant skills then there are chances that you might install the wrong drivers.

So we suggest you adopt an automatic method in which you need to download Driver Easy on your PC. This tool will automatically scan your PC for outdated graphics drivers and update it instantly.

Delete Launcher Profiles

Minecraft launcher saves its profiles on your system that are loaded whenever you open up the launcher. Sometimes the profiles in the launcher get corrupted causing Minecraft won’t launch issue.

You need to delete the launcher profile from your system, follow these steps:

First of all, open up the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R combination.
In the Run dialog box, type in %AppData% and then hit Enter.
This will open a File Explorer window. There, look for the .minecraft folder and open it up.
Inside the .minecraft folder, delete the launcher_profiles.json file. You can also choose to just move from that directory to somewhere else if you don’t want to delete it.
Once you have done that, open up the launcher again to see if it works.

Use Bundled Version of Java

Having trouble launching Minecraft after the update? Java might be the culprit! If you previously set Minecraft to use a specific Java version, it might not be compatible with the newer versions bundled with the game. Here’s how to fix it:

Open the Minecraft Launcher and head to Installations.
Choose your profile (usually “Latest Release”).
Click More Options.
Delete anything in the Java Executable box. This defaults to the bundled version.
Save the profile and launch Minecraft again.
If you use a custom launcher, ensure your version uses a Java 17 runtime environment.

Close Incompatible Software

Multiple apps running in the background puts more load on the PC causing conflicts with the game. If you are also running unnecessary programs or antivirus software then close them and then run the game.

This page, maintained by “Minecraft Community Support”, has information on what software may be interfering with the ability to update or log into Minecraft: Java Edition.

Run ADWCleaner Scan

If you’re trying to launch Minecraft but it’s refusing to open, the culprit might be malware lurking on your PC. Don’t worry, we can easily root it out with a handy tool called ADWCleaner.

ADWCleaner is a free, lightweight utility that specifically targets and removes adware, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), and other malicious software that can interfere with your computer’s performance and stability. It’s known for being effective and user-friendly, making it a perfect choice for even novice users.

Remove Mods

If the modded Minecraft won’t launch then there is a simple solution that is to remove mods. Various Mods are available for Minecraft and it’s normal to use mods when playing Minecraft.

However, mods sometimes change your game’s behavior and may cause unknown problems. So if you use mods while playing Minecraft, remove all mods you’ve installed.

Repair Minecraft Launcher

The Minecraft not launching issue can also be linked with the launcher. Sometimes, is the launcher that won’t start up, so try repairing the application:

Open the Start menu
Right-click the Minecraft Launcher icon
Select More
Open App Settings
Click Repair and Reset

Clear Minecraft Launcher Cache

The corrupted cahe might be the culprit causing startup problems. So follow these steps:

In the Launcher, click Settings
Click the Accounts tab
Click the Advanced Options at the bottom to open it
Select Clean up cached account tokens

Reinstall Minecraft Launcher

In case the game is still not launching then youneed to reinstall launcher. Follow these steps:

Make a backup of your worlds.
Uninstall the launcher and game.
Download the Windows launcher under ‘Need A Different Flavour’ from minecraft.net.
Redownload and reinstall minecraft.
It could be that your launcher tried to update. Set the new launcher to run in Windows7 or 8 comparability mode (right click shortcut -> properties -> comparability tab)
Also, if it doesnt load or just closes , check the task manager to see if it’s running. If it is, end the task rather than restarting your computer.

Perform a Clean Boot

Running the PC in a clean boot state means that no other services will run except game services. When you turn on PC multiple services start running with it causing conflict. Simply close all these services and then play the game.

Follow these steps:

First of all, open up the Start Menu and type in msconfig. This will show System Configuration in the results. Open it up.
On the System Configuration window, switch to the Services tab.
There, click the Hide all Microsoft services tickbox at the bottom-right corner. This will hide all the essential Microsoft services from the list shown.
Then, click on the Disable all button to disable all the third-party background services
Once you have done that, switch to the Startup tab. There, click on the Open Task Manager option.
This will bring up a Task Manager window. Here, select an app and then click the Disable button. Do this for all the apps shown on the list.
Once you have disabled all the apps, close the Task Manager window and then click OK on the System Configuration window.
Now, go ahead and restart your system. Once your system boots up, open up the Minecraft launcher again to see if it works.

Reset Windows Store

In order to get rid of the Minecraft not launching issue, you can also consider resetting the Windows Store. Many Minecraft players claimed that this has worked for them. Follow the steps below to execute this tactic:

Launch the Run Dialog box by pressing the Windows logo + R keyboard buttons at the same time.
Then, write the text wsreset.exe inside it and press the Enter keyboard button.
Wait for the command to execute.

Try using the MultiMC launcher

While MultiMC is a third-party launcher, it allows you to better manage your Minecraft installations. Many users have confirmed that they were able to launch Minecraft through the MultiMC launcher as opposed to using the official one. Here’s how to download and install the MultiMC launcher:

Open the MultiMC download page in any web browser of your choice. Click on the Download & Install page from the menu in the left-side pane.
Click on the button that corresponds to your operating system, and wait for the installer to download. This may take several minutes depending on your internet connection.
Navigate to the location you saved the installer to. By default, this should be your Downloads folder. Right-click on the installer (typically named something like mmc-stable-win32.zip) and choose Extract All.
Click Extract and wait for your system to extract the contents of the file. When it’s done, navigate to MultiMC > MultiMC.exe and launch the application. You should be able to play the game through this launcher from now on!