PojavLauncher APK (Minecraft Java Edition Launcher)

The description of PojavLauncher APK (Minecraft Java Edition Launcher)

PojavLauncher APK is a free, open-source launcher that runs Minecraft: Java Edition on your Android phone. It is not a game and not a mod. It boots the real Java version through a portable OpenJDK runtime, so you get the desktop game, mods and all, on a touchscreen. One thing up front: you need your own paid Minecraft account to log in. The file on this page is scanned for malware and installed on a real Android device by our editors before publishing, we have done this since 2018.

Java Edition was a PC-only game for years. This launcher is how you carry it around in your pocket.

What is PojavLauncher?

PojavLauncher is a community project built by the PojavLauncherTeam and released under the open-source GPLv3 license. The Android package is net.kdt.pojavlaunch. Instead of copying a single fixed build of the game, it works like the desktop launcher: you pick a Minecraft version, it downloads that version's files, and it runs them inside a sandboxed Java virtual machine on your device.

Because it uses a real OpenJDK runtime, the game behaves like it does on a computer. Forge, Fabric, OptiFine and thousands of Java mods run the same way they would on a PC. There is an iOS build too, but this page covers the Android APK.

You need your own Minecraft Java account

Let's be clear about this, since a lot of pages skip it. PojavLauncher does not hand you Minecraft for free. To log in, download game assets and join servers, you sign in with a Microsoft account that owns Minecraft: Java Edition. If you don't own the game yet, buy it first from Minecraft.net.

This is exactly why the launcher is legal. It ships no pirated game files of its own. It is a launcher and a runtime, nothing more, so it only does anything once you point it at a real, paid account. Think of it as the same tool the PC launcher gives you, moved onto Android.

Key features

The render and runtime settings matter more than they sound. A weaker phone often runs much better once you match the right renderer to its GPU.

Requirements and performance

You need Android 5.0 or newer, and the APK is around 135 MB before it pulls the game files. After that, the actual Minecraft version, plus any mods and resource packs, takes extra space, so keep a few gigabytes free.

Performance depends a lot on your device. A recent phone with plenty of RAM can run vanilla and light mod packs smoothly. On older or budget hardware, expect frame drops, and heavy mod packs like big shader or tech collections can be rough. That is the honest picture. Tweaking the Java runtime and render backend usually claws back a good chunk of the lost frames.

How to download and install PojavLauncher APK

The download is a plain APK. No registration, no SMS.

1. Tap the green Download APK button at the top of this page and grab the latest foxglove build.
2. Allow installation from unknown sources for your browser or file manager (Settings → Security).
3. Open the file and tap Install.
4. Launch the app and sign in with your Microsoft account that owns Minecraft: Java Edition.
5. Pick a Minecraft version and a Java runtime, let it download the game files, and play.

First time sideloading an app? Our APK install guide walks through the same steps with screenshots.

Installing mods (Forge, Fabric, OptiFine)

Modding here is the normal Java process, not a cheat and not a hack. Pick the mod loader that matches your Minecraft version, install it through the launcher, then drop your mod files into the mods folder for that profile.

• Install Forge or Fabric for the version you want to play.
• Download mods built for that same loader and version.
• Place the files in the mods folder, then launch that profile.
• Add OptiFine or a shader pack the same way for better visuals.

Everything you would do on a PC works here, mismatched versions being the usual reason a mod refuses to load.

Is PojavLauncher legal and safe?

Yes on both counts. The project is open-source, its code is public, and it carries none of the game's paid files, you bring those with your own account. That is what keeps it on the right side of the line: it is a launcher, not a way to get Minecraft for free.

The APK on this page is the original build straight from the project, scanned and tested by our editors before it went up. Want more launchers and Android utilities like this one? Browse the rest of our tools catalog.