5 Ways to Fix the Minecraft Exit Code 1 Error on a Windows PC

Lots of players have reported an Exit Code 1 error occurs when they try to launch Minecraft. When that issue arises, variable crash error messages can appear that include the same Exit Code 1 at the end of them. For example, some Exit Code 1 error messages say, “An unexpected issue occurred and the game has crashed.” The Exit Code 1 error messages result in Minecraft crashing at launch. This is how you can fix the Minecraft Exit Code 1 error on a Windows 11/10 PC.

Select to Repair and Reset the Minecraft Launcher UWP App

First, try repairing and resetting the Minecraft Launcher app. Windows 11/10 has Repair and Reset troubleshooting options for apps that have helped some players fix the Minecraft Exit Code 1 error. You can select to repair and reset the Minecraft Launcher app like this.

1. Activate the search box for finding files by pressing the Windows logo + S hotkey.
2. Type Minecraft Launcher in the search box.
3. Right-click the Minecraft Launcher search result and select App settings.
   
   

   The App settings option

4. Next, click the App settings option.
5. First, press the Repair button for the Minecraft Launcher app in Settings.
   
   

   The Repair and Reset options

6. Click Reset to clear the Minecraft Launcher data.
7. It’s also recommended to repair and reset the Xbox app pre-installed on Windows PCs. To do that, go through the steps above to repeat the above instructions for the Xbox app.

Clear the Mods and Versions Folders

Clearing data in the Mods and Versions folders is a widely confirmed way to fix Minecraft Exit Code 1. This potential resolution resolves the issue when caused by corrupted game mods. This is how you can clear the Mods and Versions folders for Minecraft.

1. First, bring up Run by right-clicking Start on the taskbar and selecting the shortcut for opening that app on the Power User menu.
2. Type %appdata% into Run and click OK to bring up a Roaming folder.
3. Open the .minecraft folder in the Roaming directory.
4. Next, click the versions folder in the .minecraft directory to open it.
   
   

   The Roaming folder

5. Press Ctrl + A to select all files inside the versions folder.
6. Right-click and select Delete on the context menu to erase selected files.
7. Return to the .minecraft directory and open the mods folder from there.
   
   

   The mods folder

8. Select all files in the mods folder and click the Delete option.

Modify the Minecraft Path

Sometimes the Minecraft Exit Code 1 error can arise due to special characters in Windows account usernames. You can remedy this potential cause by modifying the Minecraft path as follows.

1. Right-click the Windows desktop shortcut for your Minecraft Launcher and select Properties.
2. Click inside the Target box on the Shortcut tab.
3. Input –workDir %ProgramData%.minecraft at the end of the path in the target box. Then the path in the target box should look something like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft Launcher\MinecraftLauncher.exe” –workDir %ProgramData%.minecraft.
4. Click on the Apply > OK buttons.

Reinstall Java

A corrupted Java installation on your PC could be causing the Minecraft Exit Code 1 error. You can fix a corrupted Java installation by reinstalling Java, which will also ensure you have the latest version. This is how you can reinstall Java:

1. Bring up Run and type appwiz.cpl into the Open box.
2. Click OK to view the Programs and Features Control Panel window.
3. Select Java in the programs list.
   
   

   The Programs and Features applet

4. Click Uninstall to remove Java.
5. Reinstall Java by following the installation instructions on this Java help page. You can download the Java installer by clicking Windows Online on this webpage.

Reinstall the Minecraft Game

Finally, try reinstalling the Minecraft Launcher for the game if nothing else works for you. Reinstalling that launcher will likely fix missing or corrupted game files. You can uninstall the Minecraft Launcher via Settings, as covered in this Microsoft help page for removing programs. Then click Download for Windows 11/10 on the Minecraft Launcher page and reinstall the software by double-clicking the MinecraftInstaller.exe file.

Those are the most widely confirmed methods for fixing the Minecraft Exit Code 1 error on Windows 11/10 PCs. So, there’s a decent chance one of those troubleshooting methods will resolve the Exit Code 1 issue on your PC. If they’re not enough though, you can contact the Minecraft Help Center from this webpage for further potential solutions.