Quickstart Guide

Get started with Prism Launcher in minutes - from installation to launching your first Minecraft instance

Welcome to Prism Launcher! This guide will help you set up and launch your first Minecraft instance in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A valid Minecraft account (Java Edition)
• Java installed on your system (8 or higher recommended)
• Prism Launcher installed on your computer

If you haven’t installed Prism Launcher yet, check out our Installation Guide first.

First Launch Setup

1. Launch Prism Launcher

   Open Prism Launcher for the first time. You’ll be greeted with a setup wizard that helps configure initial settings.

   The wizard will guide you through:

   • Language selection - Choose your preferred language
   • Data folder location - Where Prism Launcher stores its data
   • Analytics preferences - Optional usage statistics
2. Add Your Minecraft Account

   To play Minecraft, you need to add your account:

   1. Click Profiles in the top menu
   2. Select Manage Accounts
   3. Click Add Microsoft (for post-2020 accounts) or Add Offline (for offline play)

   Microsoft Account

   1. Click Add Microsoft
   2. A browser window will open for Microsoft login
   3. Sign in with your Microsoft account
   4. Grant Prism Launcher the necessary permissions
   5. Your account will appear in the accounts list

   Microsoft accounts are required for all Minecraft purchases made after 2020. If you migrated your Mojang account, use Microsoft login.

   Offline Account

   1. Click Add Offline
   2. Enter a username (can be anything)
   3. Click OK

   Offline accounts cannot connect to online multiplayer servers that require authentication.

3. Configure Java (Optional)

   Prism Launcher can automatically download and manage Java versions for you.

   Go to Settings → Java to:

   • Set memory allocation (recommended: 2-4 GB for vanilla, 4-8 GB for modded)
   • Select Java version (auto-detected or manually specified)
   • Configure Java arguments

   Prism Launcher includes automatic Java download functionality on most platforms. It will suggest downloading the appropriate Java version if needed.

Create Your First Instance

An “instance” is a separate Minecraft installation with its own version, mods, and settings.

1. Open Instance Creation

   Click Add Instance in the top-left corner or press Ctrl+N (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+N (macOS).

2. Choose Your Minecraft Version

   You have several options:

   Vanilla Minecraft

   1. Select Vanilla from the left sidebar
   2. Choose your Minecraft version from the list
   3. Give your instance a name (e.g., “Minecraft 1.20.1”)
   4. Click OK

   Latest release and latest snapshot are shown at the top. Scroll down to see all versions.

   Modded Minecraft

   1. Select a mod loader from the left sidebar:
      • Fabric - Lightweight, fast, modern mod loader
      • Forge - Established loader with wide mod compatibility
      • Quilt - Fork of Fabric with additional features
      • NeoForge - Modern fork of Forge (1.20.1+)
   2. Select the Minecraft version
   3. Choose the mod loader version (usually “Latest” is recommended)
   4. Name your instance
   5. Click OK

   Modpack

   1. Select CurseForge, Modrinth, or another platform
   2. Search for the modpack you want
   3. Select the modpack and choose a version
   4. Name your instance
   5. Click OK

   Prism Launcher will automatically download all required mods and configure everything for you.

3. Wait for Download

   Prism Launcher will download the necessary files:

   • Minecraft game files
   • Required libraries
   • Mod loader (if selected)
   • Assets and resources

   A progress window shows the download status.

Launch Minecraft

1. Select Your Instance

   In the main window, click on the instance you just created to select it.

2. Launch the Game

   Click the Launch button on the right side or press Enter.

   The first launch may take longer as Minecraft sets up additional files. Subsequent launches will be faster.

3. Play Minecraft!

   Minecraft will open in a separate window. You can now:

   • Create a new world
   • Join multiplayer servers
   • Adjust in-game settings

   When you close Minecraft, Prism Launcher will remain open so you can manage your instances.

Add Mods to Your Instance

If you created a modded instance, here’s how to add mods:

1. Open Instance Folder

   Right-click your instance and select Edit Instance, then click Mods in the left sidebar.

2. Download Mods

   Click Download mods to browse mods from CurseForge or Modrinth:

   1. Search for the mod you want
   2. Click on the mod to see details
   3. Select a version compatible with your Minecraft version
   4. Click Select mod for download
   5. Click Review and confirm to install

   Prism Launcher automatically checks mod compatibility with your Minecraft version and mod loader.

3. Enable/Disable Mods

   In the Mods tab, you can:

   • Check/uncheck mods to enable or disable them
   • Drag and drop .jar files to install mods manually
   • Right-click mods to remove or view information

Customize Your Instance

Change Memory Allocation

Right-click your instance → Edit Instance → Settings → Java

• Check Memory override
• Adjust minimum and maximum memory (in MB)
• Recommended: 2048-4096 MB for vanilla, 4096-8192 MB for modded

Don’t allocate more than 80% of your total system RAM.

Add Resource Packs

Right-click your instance → Edit Instance → Resource packs

• Click Download packs to browse online
• Or drag and drop .zip files into the window
• Enable packs in-game from Video Settings → Resource Packs

Install Shader Packs

Requires OptiFine (Forge) or Iris (Fabric/Quilt):

1. Install the shader mod first
2. Right-click instance → Edit Instance → Shader packs
3. Click Download packs or drag and drop shader .zip files
4. Enable shaders in-game

Custom Java Arguments

Right-click instance → Edit Instance → Settings → Java

Common performance arguments:

-XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:G1NewSizePercent=20 -XX:G1ReservePercent=20 -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=50 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=32M

Only modify Java arguments if you know what you’re doing. Default settings work well for most users.

Managing Multiple Instances

Create Instance Groups

Organize instances by right-clicking → Instance Groups → Add to group

Create groups like “Vanilla”, “Modded”, “Servers” to keep things organized.

Duplicate Instances

Right-click an instance → Copy Instance

Useful for testing different mod configurations without affecting your main instance.

Export Instances

Right-click → Export Instance

Share your modpack with friends or back up your configuration.

Import Instances

Add Instance → Import from zip

Import instances you exported or downloaded from others.

Troubleshooting

Game won't launch

Common fixes:

• Check that you have the correct Java version installed
• Increase memory allocation if getting “out of memory” errors
• Verify your account is logged in (Profiles → Manage Accounts)
• Check the game log for specific errors (right-click instance → View Instance Log)

Mods not working

• Ensure mods are for the correct Minecraft version
• Verify mod loader is installed (Fabric, Forge, etc.)
• Check for mod conflicts in the log
• Some mods require additional dependencies

Low performance

• Allocate more RAM (but not too much)
• Use modern Java versions (17+ for Minecraft 1.18+)
• Remove unnecessary mods
• Consider performance mods like Sodium (Fabric) or OptiFine (Forge)

Can't download mods from CurseForge

CurseForge requires an API key that’s included with Prism Launcher. If downloads fail:

• Check your internet connection
• Try Modrinth as an alternative
• Manually download from the website and drag into the mods folder

Next Steps

Now that you have Prism Launcher set up, explore more features:

User Guide

Learn advanced instance management techniques

Mod Platforms

Discover how to use different mod platforms

Advanced Settings

Customize Prism Launcher to your preferences

Get Help

Join our community for support and discussion

Quick Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl/Cmd + N - Create new instance
• Enter - Launch selected instance
• Ctrl/Cmd + E - Edit selected instance
• Delete - Delete selected instance (moves to trash)

Important Folders

• Instance folder: Right-click → Folder → Instance folder
• Minecraft folder: Right-click → Folder → Minecraft folder (.minecraft)
• Mods folder: Right-click → Folder → Mods folder

Getting Help

If you need assistance:

• Check our FAQ for common questions
• Join our Discord or Matrix communities
• Search or create an issue on GitHub
• Visit the Prism Launcher Wiki for detailed guides

Happy gaming! 🎮