Data & Storage Management

The data architecture of XMCL is divided into two distinct components:

1. System Configurations & XMCL Database (settings, accounts, marketplace cache).
2. Minecraft Game Data (versions, instances, mods, worlds, assets).

Relocating Storage to Another Drive

Running out of space on drive C:? You can easily relocate the entire Game Data Directory to drive D: or E:. See the Drive Relocation Guide.

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1. System Cache & XMCL Database

💡 Easiest Way to Open the Data Directory

You don't need to manually search for hidden system folders! Inside the launcher, go to Settings ⚙️ -> Global Settings -> Storage and click "Open Data Directory". XMCL will automatically open the exact folder in Windows File Explorer!

Exact System Folder Paths by Installation Type:

If you are navigating manually in File Explorer (press Win + R and paste the corresponding path):

🔹 Option 1: AppX / AppInstaller / WinGet Installation (Most Common)

AppX packages run in a sandboxed environment on Windows 10/11. Their data is stored NOT in the standard Roaming AppData, but inside the Windows package sandbox:

%LocalAppData%\Packages\XMCL_68mcaawk44tpj\LocalCache\Roaming\xmcl

(Full path: C:\Users\<Your_Username>\AppData\Local\Packages\XMCL_68mcaawk44tpj\LocalCache\Roaming\xmcl)

🔹 Option 2: Standard EXE Installation

%AppData%\xmcl

(Full path: C:\Users\<Your_Username>\AppData\Roaming\xmcl)

🔹 Option 3: Portable ZIP Package

For the portable ZIP package, data is stored directly in the same folder where you extracted XMCL (alongside xmcl.exe), or in your selected Game Data Directory.

🔹 macOS & Linux:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/xmcl
• Linux: ~/.config/xmcl

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Key Configuration Files:

• user.json — Account profiles (Microsoft, Yggdrasil, Offline), tokens, and skin links.
• settings.json — Global launcher configuration (data path, language, theme, proxy, download nodes).
• instances.json — Registry of all created instances and the last selected instance.
• java.json — Cache of detected Java runtime installations.
• resources-v2/ — LevelDB database containing indexed metadata for mods, resource packs, shaders.
• logs/ — Launcher execution logs (main.log, renderer.log).

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2. Minecraft Game Data Directory

All heavy game files are stored inside the Game Data Directory.

Directory Structure:

📂 Game Data Directory
 ├─ 📂 instances/        # Individual Minecraft instances
 │   ├─ 📂 Fabric-1.20/  # Specific instance folder
 │   │   ├─ 📂 saves/        # World save files for this instance
 │   │   ├─ 📂 options.txt   # In-game settings for this instance
 │   │   ├─ 📂 screenshots/  # Screenshots
 │   │   └─ 📂 mods/         # Hardlinks/symlinks to shared mods
 ├─ 📂 mods/             # Global shared mod pool
 ├─ 📂 resourcepacks/    # Shared resource pack pool
 ├─ 📂 shaderpacks/      # Shared shader pack pool
 ├─ 📂 versions/         # Downloaded Minecraft versions (JAR, JSON)
 ├─ 📂 assets/           # Minecraft game assets & textures
 ├─ 📂 libraries/        # Shared Java libraries
 └─ 📂 modpacks/         # Saved and exported modpacks

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3. How XMCL Saves Storage Space (Hardlinks)

1. Each mod file is downloaded only once into the global mods/ pool.
2. Adding a mod to multiple instances creates a lightweight hardlink in that instance's folder.
3. Result: 10 instances using identical mods take up no extra disk space beyond a single instance!