FeatherLaunch

A Minecraft launcher for older PCs

FeatherLaunch runs Minecraft: Java Edition with mods and modpacks from Modrinth, and stays out of the game's way: about 50 MB of memory and almost no CPU while it waits. Free, for Windows and Linux.

Download for Windows Linux and other options

Version 0.1.0 · 6.7 MB · no installer

The FeatherLaunch library: a Continue playing banner for the Fabulously Optimized modpack with a Play button, and the instance card below

What it does

Instances
Separate game folders, each with its own Minecraft version, memory, Java and icon. Group them, search, duplicate, and see your play time.
Mod loaders
Fabric, Quilt, Forge and NeoForge are installed for you. Vanilla works too.
Modrinth
Search mods, resource packs and shaders. Required dependencies install with them, and updates are one click.
Modpacks
Install a Modrinth modpack from inside the launcher, or import a .mrpack file.
Microsoft sign-in
Sign in once and stay signed in. Your skin shows in the launcher, and you can change it there.
Java
The right Java for each Minecraft version is found on your PC or downloaded automatically.
Game log
Live log with a filter, a stop button and the latest crash report, on the instance page.
Portable
One file, no installer. Put an empty portable.txt next to it to keep everything in one folder, for example on a USB stick.

Mods, with names and icons

Each instance has a page for its settings, mods, resource packs, shaders, worlds and log. Mods show their real names and icons, even ones you copied in by hand, and you can switch one off without deleting it.

The instance page for Fabulously Optimized, listing 46 installed mods with icons and on/off switches

Why it's light

Measured on Windows with an Intel Core i7-4790S and Intel HD 4600 graphics:

Memoryabout 50 MB
CPU while idlenear 0%
Download6.7 MB on Windows, 6.3 MB on Linux

It only redraws when something changes, uses OpenGL that old integrated graphics handle, and shares game files between instances so nothing downloads twice. While you play, it minimizes itself, and its default Java settings are tuned for slower CPUs.

Download

Version 0.1.0. You need a Microsoft account that owns Minecraft: Java Edition. Once it has signed in, you can also play offline.

Windows

Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.

featherlaunch.exe

Run it from any folder. The program isn't code-signed yet, so Windows may show a SmartScreen warning: choose More info, then Run anyway.

Linux

64-bit, glibc 2.35 or newer (Ubuntu 22.04, Fedora 36, Debian 12 and later), X11 or Wayland.

featherlaunch-linux-x64.tar.gz

Extract it anywhere and run featherlaunch/featherlaunch. It adds itself to your app menu. To stay signed in it needs a keyring such as GNOME Keyring or KWallet.

SHA-256 checksums: SHA256SUMS.txt · All releases

Sign-in and privacy

You sign in on Microsoft's own website with a short code, so FeatherLaunch never sees your password. Minecraft only lets reviewed apps use its sign-in, and FeatherLaunch passed Mojang's review for access to the Minecraft services API. Your sign-in is kept in Windows Credential Manager or your Linux keyring. The launcher has no servers, accounts, analytics or telemetry; it only talks to Microsoft, Mojang, Modrinth and the Java and mod loader download sites. Read the privacy policy.

Help

Questions, bugs or something not working: email support@mahmoudalnakeeb.com.

For a bug, please include your Windows or Linux version, what you were doing, and the file launcher.log from the launcher's data folder (in the launcher: Settings, then the folder button). The log holds error messages only, no passwords or sign-in tokens.