Installation

This is a guide for installing the Pixelmon mod through one of the many supported launchers. This guide and its sub-pages will cover installing Pixelmon to a client, for use in single player or for playing on servers. If you want to create a server, please see our server installation guide instead.

Requirements

• A paid copy of the Java edition of Minecraft, as purchased from this link or through your Mojang account.
  • Only the Java edition can run Forge mods such as Pixelmon. Other editions (Pocket, Windows 10, console releases) cannot run Forge!
  • Cracked launchers may not save your Pokémon when you quit Minecraft, or may cause other issues. This will not be fixed.
• A 64-bit build of Java 8, or a launcher that has a copy of Java bundled in. Newer Java versions will not work with Minecraft 1.12.2. If using Minecraft 1.16.5, up to java 11 may be used. If using Minecraft 1.21.1, Java 21 will be used.
• At least 2 GB of available and assignable RAM.

Notes

• If Minecraft is currently running, quit out of it before installing anything. Close any open launchers as well.
• If you are installing other mods alongside Pixelmon, check the incompatibilities list first to avoid issues.

Launchers

Minecraft, by default, comes with a launcher program that will allow you to log into your account and manage your different installations. While this works well for the base game, installing Forge and its mods can be a difficult process. As such, you can find pre-built Pixelmon packs on several custom launchers that will automatically install everything you need to get playing.

The table below covers the most common launchers. Click one of the launcher links to see how to install Pixelmon to it.

Launcher	Advantages	Disadvantages
Minecraft (default)	Reliable, built-in Java	Difficult install, no pack support (manual adding/updating of mods)
ATLauncher (recommended)	Reliable, built-in Java if using installer	Slightly clunky interface
Technic	Easy, lots of modpacks available	Wipes custom mods when updating a pack
CurseForge	Easy, lots of modpacks available	Downloading big mods like Pixelmon may fail, large bundled install
Modrinth	Easy, lots of modpacks available

Please note: You may also need to allocate more memory to make Pixelmon and other mods run correctly, as covered in our allocation guide.

Versions

Pixelmon is compatible with several versions of Minecraft, shown in the table below. Minecraft versions older than 1.12.2 are considered legacy, and are no longer receiving updates, bug fixes or support.

Minecraft version	Pixelmon version
1.21.1	9.3.6
1.20.2	9.2.10
1.20.1	9.2.3
1.16.5	9.1.13
1.12.2	8.4.3
1.10.2	5.1.2
1.8.9	4.3.1
1.8	4.1.4
1.7.10	3.5.1

Troubleshooting

• If Minecraft crashes after installing Pixelmon, start by examining the crash report using this crash reading guide.
• If Minecraft never finishes loading or runs poorly, you may need to give it more memory. See this guide for instructions on resolving the issue.
• If you require further help, drop by the Pixelmon Discord (recommended) or post a ticket explaining the problem to our support tracker.

macOS Apple Silicon (M1/M2) and Pixelmon 9.0+

Pixelmon 9.0+ is based on Minecraft 1.16.5 which poses a problem for Apple Silicon Macs. The problem arises due to a problem in one of Minecraft's core libraries known as LWJGL. The version that ships with Minecraft 1.16.5 is not compatible with Apple Silicon Macs. Here is a solution:

• First we are going to download Prism Launcher as the launcher. This is a fork of MultiMC which allows for changing libraries and Java versions.
• Next, we need to download an older version of Java 8. Why? Later Java 8 versions broke some stuff with Forge so we need Java 8u311.
• Open Prism Launcher and during the setup it will auto-detect Java installations. Make sure the Java 8u311 (will appear as 1.8.0_311) and there may be 2 listed. Either one should be fine!
• Once that is all done, go ahead and download the Pixelmon Reforged Modpack by clicking "Add Instance" and then clicking CurseForge or ATLauncher and searching Pixelmon Reforged. You can also create a regular vanilla instance and do the installation manually.
• Right click your new instance and select Edit Instance and once that opens select LWJGL and click Change Version on the right side. Select version 3.3.1.
• At this point, if everything is correct it should load up no problem!

Manifest Creation

We recommend using a Manifest.zip when sending your mod-pack to other players. . This will ensure all users have the exact same mods and can connect to both LAN and Dedicated servers.

• Step one: Navigate to CurseForge and open the profile you want to send.
• Step two: There are 3 dots to the left of your "Play" button. This will open a sub-menu to allow the user to Export their profile. Select "Export Profile"
• Step three: Make sure "Mods" is selected in the new menu and click "Export". This will download a manifest.zip that you can send to other players.

Manifest Installation

• Step one: Navigate to CurseForge and select, at the top, "Create Custom Profile".
• Step two: Select "Import" in the new window. It's a small underlined text at the top left below the title.
• Step three: Select the manifest.zip you were sent and let CurseForge do the rest of the work for you.

This will download all necessary mods in their version sent with the manifest. This will ensure all players have the same mods as long as they don't change them manually.