Minecraft is constantly being improved and with each new version a whole host of new features and changes have been added to the game. These make the game better and increase the fun. But what if you liked the game more the way it was? Fortunately, downgrading to an older version of Minecraft is now easier than ever, and you can still play online with others who have the same version. See below to learn how to do this.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Changing your profile
Step 1. Launch Minecraft
You can use the Minecraft Launcher to launch previous versions. You must have version 1.6 or later to use this option. You can use this method to play from the very latest version to Minecraft Classic. To access earlier versions, see the following directions.
Step 2. Click the Profile Editor tab
This will open a new window.
Step 3. Select your version
Click on “Use version” and select the version you want to load. Click on Save Profile.
Step 4. Restart the launcher and open the game
Now it is no longer possible to connect to servers that run a different version, but you can of course play a single player game or use servers that run the same version.
Method 2 of 3: Replacing the Minecraft file
Step 1. Download the file that corresponds to the version you are looking for
You can find the.jar files in various locations on the internet. Be sure to download from a reliable website, otherwise the.jar file may contain a virus or other malicious software.
Step 2. Open the AppData folder
You can open it via Start and then search for “%appdata%”. Press enter to open the folder. Now you are in the AppData\Roaming folder.
Step 3. Open the Minecraft folder
Then open the “bin” folder.
Step 4. Backup the original Minecraft file
Search for the Minecraft.jar file. Rename it and leave the file, in case you want to go back to the current version.
Step 5. Copy the downloaded Minecraft file
Place it in the “bin” folder that also contains the renamed original file. Make sure the name is equal to “Minecraft.jar”.
Step 6. Start Minecraft with the launcher
You can now play Minecraft with the new version you have chosen. It is now no longer possible to connect to servers running a different version, but you can of course play a single player game or use servers that run the same version.
Method 3 of 3: Using a version changer
Step 1. Download a Minecraft version changer
These programs have all the files for each version of Minecraft, giving you the choice of which version you want to play with. Make sure that you only download from a trusted source, because otherwise viruses or other nasty programs can end up on your computer. Popular are the following:
- Minecraft Version Changer
- MCNostalgia
Step 2. Backup your current version of Minecraft
This prevents you from losing savegames or other data, in case they are not compatible with the downgraded version. Do the following:
- Create a new folder on your desktop. Call it “Minecraft Backup” or something similar.
- In the search field or in the explorer, type %AppData%. Press Enter. In your AppData folder, open the Roaming folder. Here you will find the minecraft folder. This contains all Minecraft program files.
- Copy this entire “.minecraft” folder to your backup folder. Copy, not cut.
Step 3. Run the version changer
While each version changer may look different, they all essentially do the same thing. The program should be able to find the location of your Minecraft installation automatically, after which you can choose from a number of versions. This goes all the way back to the early alpha (a) and beta (b) versions.
Step 4. Choose the version you want to play from the list
The associated files are downloaded and installed. When the process is complete, close the version changer.
Step 5. Launch Minecraft
You can log in after this patch and continue playing Minecraft as usual. Now it is no longer possible to connect to servers running a different version, but you can play a single player game or use servers running the same version. Mods may not be compatible.