How to Restart Minecraft Launcher

The Minecraft Launcher can sometimes be a pesky gate that blocks you from playing the game. Since it is its own software separate from Minecraft, oftentimes, there will be updates made to the launcher that need to be installed before you will be allowed to play. You will then need to restart the launcher in order to use the new version. Here is how to restart the Minecraft Launcher.

How to restart the Minecraft Launcher after an update

Shortly after the Minecraft Launcher is updated, you will no doubt see a message in the top-right corner that states that a new Launcher update is ready and you should restart the Launcher to use the latest version. If you try to play Minecraft, you will get an Outdated Client error. There are really only two viable options to restart the Launcher and apply updates. One is by closing it completely, and the other is a last resort doomsday option.

Restarting the Minecraft Launcher by closing it completely

The simplest way to restart the Minecraft Launcher is by closing the software and reopening it. However, more often than not, this will prove unsuccessful, and you will still see the restart notice in the top-right corner. To restart the Minecraft Launcher, you need to entirely close down the program before reopening it. You can do this by pressing Alt+F4, utilizing the Task Manager, or restarting your computer entirely.

This will close the program completely, and when you reopen the Launcher, it should be the latest version. The restart notice should no longer appear in the top-right corner. This method will work 95 percent of the time if not more. However, if you still don't have the latest version, you will need to delete and reinstall your Minecraft folder.

Related: All New Biomes in Minecraft The Wild Update (1.19)

Restarting the Minecraft Launcher by deleting the Minecraft folder

We do not recommend this option unless there is no other alternative and you are unable to play Minecraft. This method will delete your .minecraft folder and, at the same time, delete all of your world saves, player data, texture packs, and shaders. You will be starting completely fresh with a new Minecraft installation. This is an unfortunate method. However, it more often than not can fix any problem you are having with the Minecraft Launcher and the game itself.

To delete your Minecraft folder, head down to your PC's search bar. In this search bar, type %appdata%. This will take you to your App Data folder where you will likely see the .minecraft folder right at the top. Simply delete this folder and its contents to completely wipe Minecraft from your PC. Then, all you need to do is reinstall it all to get your Minecraft Launcher working again like new.

As mentioned, the first option will work nearly all of the time, but the uninstall option can be helpful if all else fails. If only the Minecraft Launcher could restart itself when a new update is installed.

For more Minecraft guides, check out How to locate a Pillager Outpost in Minecraft right here on Pro Game Guides.