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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/pojavlauncherteam/pojavlauncher/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Forge is the oldest and most widely-used Minecraft mod loader, providing a rich ecosystem of content mods, tech mods, and large modpacks. PojavLauncher includes a fully integrated Forge installer that downloads the official Forge installer JAR from maven.minecraftforge.net and runs it headlessly — no desktop computer required. Once the process finishes, a ready-to-launch Forge profile appears in your profile list automatically.
PojavLauncher has been discontinued. Its successor is Amethyst Android. These docs describe the final released state of PojavLauncher.

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Supported Forge Versions

PojavLauncher can install Forge for any Minecraft version that has an official Forge release, from the early 1.1 builds through 1.20.x. Java runtime requirements change across that range:
Minecraft Version RangeRequired Java
1.0 – 1.16.xJava 8
1.17 – 1.20.4Java 17
1.20.5 and aboveJava 21
PojavLauncher’s Multi-Runtime feature selects the correct JDK automatically based on the version you install. You do not need to switch runtimes by hand.

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Installing Forge

1

Open the mod-loader installer

From the PojavLauncher main menu, tap the Install JAR button (the toolbar icon that looks like a puzzle piece or installer). A list of supported mod loaders appears.
2

Select Forge

Tap Forge in the mod-loader list. The launcher fetches the full Forge version catalog from https://maven.minecraftforge.net/net/minecraftforge/forge/maven-metadata.xml and displays it grouped by Minecraft version.
3

Choose a Minecraft version, then a Forge version

Expand the Minecraft version you want to play. Each row shows the full Forge build string in the form <mcVersion>-<forgeVersion> (for example, 1.20.1-47.3.0). Tap the build you want. The “Recommended” build for each Minecraft version is a safe starting point.
4

Wait for the download

The launcher downloads the Forge installer JAR to its cache directory. A progress bar tracks the transfer. On slow connections this may take a minute.
5

Headless installation runs automatically

After the download, PojavLauncher launches a Java process with the Forge installer JAR and a custom -javaagent that drives the installer non-interactively. The full argument string passed to the JVM looks like this:
-javaagent:<data_dir>/forge_installer/forge_installer.jar=NPS -jar <cache_dir>/forge-installer.jar
The NPS flag (No Profile Suppression) tells the agent to create a launcher profile when installation completes. You will see the Minecraft installation screen while Forge libraries are being downloaded — this is normal.
6

Launch your Forge profile

When the installer exits, return to the PojavLauncher main menu. A new profile named after the Forge version appears in the profile selector. Select it and tap Play.
If the version list fails to load, check your internet connection and tap Retry. The launcher caches the version list locally so subsequent opens are faster, but the first fetch requires a live connection.

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Installing Mods

Mods are plain .jar files placed in the mods folder inside your Minecraft game directory.
1

Locate your game directory

The default Minecraft home is <storage>/games/PojavLauncher/.minecraft/. If you use a custom profile with a separate game directory, the path will differ — check the profile settings.
2

Copy mod JARs into the mods folder

Create a mods subfolder if it does not exist, then copy your downloaded .jar files into it:
<game_home>/.minecraft/mods/your-mod-1.0.0.jar
You can use a file manager app or connect your device to a computer via USB.
3

Select the matching Forge profile and play

Make sure the active profile in PojavLauncher uses the same Minecraft + Forge version your mods target, then tap Play.
Keep mods organized in separate custom profiles (one per mod set) so you can swap between them without manually moving files.

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Java Version Requirements

PojavLauncher ships with OpenJDK 8, 17, and 21 and selects the correct one when it creates the Forge profile. If you manually edit a profile’s Java setting, make sure it matches the table above — running Forge 1.17+ under Java 8 will result in a crash at launch.
Multi-Runtime Java switching is handled entirely by the launcher. See the Multi-Runtime guide for details on overriding the automatic selection.

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Known Limitations

Some mods call platform-specific APIs or native libraries that do not exist on Android. Common examples include mods that use Netty transports assuming a desktop OS, mods that shell out to system executables, or mods that depend on PC GPU features not exposed through GL4ES. If a mod crashes immediately on launch, check whether the mod author lists Android support.
PojavLauncher uses GL4ES to bridge OpenGL calls to OpenGL ES. Mods or shader packs that require OpenGL 4.x features unsupported by your device’s GPU will either render incorrectly or crash. OptiFine shaders are a common source of this problem — see the OptiFine guide for more detail.
The headless installer downloads Forge libraries and applies them on top of a vanilla Minecraft installation. If vanilla assets for the target version have not been downloaded yet, the installer fetches them during this step. Ensure you have a stable internet connection for the entire installation.
PojavLauncher’s integrated installer only handles official Forge builds from maven.minecraftforge.net. NeoForge (the community fork starting with 1.20.2) is not listed. You may be able to sideload a NeoForge installer JAR manually using the Install JAR flow, but this is untested.

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Next Steps

Fabric & Quilt

Prefer a lightweight mod loader? Install Fabric or Quilt in seconds.

Modpacks

Browse and install full modpacks from Modrinth or CurseForge.

OptiFine

Add shader and graphics optimization support on top of Forge.

Multi-Runtime

Understand how PojavLauncher manages Java 8, 17, and 21.

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