The switch over process is as close to painless as it gets it won’t change where your user data is stored so your there’s no worry about fussing with changing your profile or creating a new one, or any changes with your world saves.
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How to Switch to the New Launcher on Windows Before we proceed, huge thanks to HTG forum member adancom for bringing the new launcher to our attention. Let’s take a look at how to update to the new launcher and a peek at the kind of performance benefits you’ll likely reap.
Right now the new Minecraft launcher for Windows PCs is live on the Minecraft website but the majority of players are still using the old launcher.
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All this and you’ll never be prompted to install the Ask Toolbar again. Better yet, the Minecraft launcher automatically downloads the correct version for your system (all those players inadvertently using Java 32-bit on their 64-bit machines should see significant performance boosts thanks to this) and automatically updates it. The Java executable used by Minecraft stays with Minecraft and is as good as invisible and inaccessible to the rest of the system. If Minecraft is the only reason you have Java installed, you now have no reason to open up your system to Java vulnerabilities. You still technically need Java, but it is now downloaded by the Minecraft launcher and stored with the launcher instead of installed across the entire system. This new Minecraft development changes the game, however, so that we no longer need a full system-wide Java installation to play the game. Because of this, millions of people around the world who love Minecraft also have to love-hate Java and keep it installed on their system in order to play the game. We’ve written extensively about Java and the problems with the platform over the years if you need a solid primer on why exactly Java is such a problem we’d strongly suggest reading over Java Is Awful and Insecure, It’s Time to Disable It, Here’s How.Īs awful as Java is and as prone to zero day exploits as it may be, it’s also the magic that drives Minecraft, for better or worse. Why does that matter and why should you care? Java is notorious for zero day exploits and vulnerabilities. RELATED: Oracle Can't Secure the Java Plug-in, So Why Is It Still Enabled By Default?
The primary (and newsworthy) change in the launcher is that it now downloads a stand alone version of Java that is independent of the general local installation of Java on the host machine. Over the last few months Mojang has been testing a new launcher for the Windows PC Edition of Minecraft (an OS X launcher is in the works and expected by the end of the year).