v1.0.4 Minecraft Java Edition

The Minecraft launcher that gets out of your way.

Refract is a fast, modern launcher built with Electron and React — manage every instance, install mods from Modrinth and CurseForge, and jump straight into the game. Java handled for you.

Download for free See what's inside

Free & open source · Windows · macOS · Linux · No account required to browse

Works with Fabric Forge Quilt NeoForge Modrinth CurseForge

$The Refract launcher browsing mods from Modrinth$

61,868+

Mods to browse

Mod platforms

8·17·21

Java auto-installed

Desktop platforms

Everything in one place

A complete launcher, not a download button.

Refract handles the whole loop — instances, accounts, mods, Java and updates — so you spend your time playing, not configuring.

Instance management

Create, group, duplicate, export and delete instances. Drag cards between groups and set custom JVM args per instance.

Modrinth & CurseForge

Browse and install mods, resource packs, shaders, datapacks and modpacks from both platforms without leaving the app.

Java, handled

The right JRE — 8, 17 or 21 — is downloaded automatically for every Minecraft version. No PATH wrangling, ever.

Microsoft & offline

Full Microsoft device-code login, offline profiles, or any third-party Yggdrasil server — with live skin faces on the account page.

Mod update checker

Instances badge when mods fall behind. Review what's new on the Updates tab and update one mod — or all of them — in a click.

Import from MultiMC / Prism

Bring your existing setup across in one step — mods, configs and resource packs included. Nothing left behind.

Discord Rich Presence

Show the instance, version and elapsed playtime in Discord. Refract also tracks total time played in every instance.

Friends panel

NameMC links, copy-UUID, a whitelist helper and inline notes — a tidy roster for the people you actually play with.

Silent auto-updates

Refract updates itself in the background and surfaces a tidy "What's New" panel — with a Restart button right in the title bar.

Mod browser

Find a mod, hit install, play.

Search 60,000+ projects across Modrinth and CurseForge, filter by loader and version, and install straight into the right instance — dependencies resolved for you.

Filter the way you think

By category, loader (Fabric / Forge / Quilt / NeoForge) and Minecraft version, all at once.

Mod profiles per instance

Save named sets like "Survival" or "Performance" and batch-toggle mods on apply.

Add local jars too

Drop in a .jar straight from disk when a mod isn't on either platform.

$Refract mod browser$

refract · browse modsModrinth · 61,868 results

Get Refract

Download for your platform.

Free, open source and self-updating. Grab the latest release — version 1.0.4 — below.

Windows

Windows 10 / 11 · 64-bit

Refract-setup.exe

Download installer

macOS

Intel & Apple Silicon

Refract-arm64.dmgApple Silicon Refract-x64.dmgIntel

Download for Apple Silicon

Linux

AppImage · Debian / Ubuntu

Refract.AppImage Refract.deb

Download AppImage

Direct download · all versions & checksums

Free & open source

Built in the open, licensed for everyone.

Refract is GPL-3.0 and developed in public. Read the code, file an issue, translate the UI, or open a pull request — the whole launcher is yours to inspect and improve.

Star on GitHub Help translate

License: GPL-3.0-only · assets CC BY-SA 4.0

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Is Refract really free?

Yes. Refract is completely free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. There's no paid tier, no account wall and no telemetry-for-profit — download a build and play.

Which version of Minecraft does it support?

Minecraft: Java Edition. You pick any Minecraft version from a live version picker when you create an instance, and Refract sets everything up — including the matching Java runtime.

Do I need to install Java myself?

No. Refract auto-downloads the correct JRE — Java 8, 17 or 21 — for each Minecraft version, so you never have to manage installations or environment variables.

Do I need a Microsoft account?

You can sign in with a Microsoft account via the official device-code flow, use an offline profile, or connect any third-party Yggdrasil authentication server. Browsing mods needs no account at all.

Can I bring my instances from MultiMC or Prism?

Yes — Refract imports MultiMC and Prism instances directly, including their mods, configs and resource packs, in a single step.

Which platforms can I run it on?

Windows (installer), macOS (universal DMG for Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux (AppImage and .deb). The app keeps itself up to date silently in the background.