Minecraft Guidance

How to add Bedrock Addons

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Updated September 16, 2026·356 views

How to Add Bedrock Addons to Your World Folder

If you want to keep your Minecraft Bedrock add-ons locked to a specific world rather than loading them globally across the entire server, you can install them directly into that world's folder. This method keeps your root files clean, isolates modifications to a single save, and ensures the packs stay permanently bound to that specific save file even if you move the world later.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • Unique UUIDs and Versions: The precise identifiers for every add-on (found inside each pack's manifest.json file, under header).
  • Server Status: Your server must be completely turned OFF before changing any files to prevent data corruption or changes being ignored.
  • Archive Utility: A tool to unzip .mcpack/.mcaddon files (rename to .zip first if your panel can't extract them directly).
  • Correct world folder: Confirm the level-name value in server.properties matches your world folder name exactly, including spaces and capitalization. A mismatch here is one of the most common reasons a server appears to "ignore" your packs — it's actually loading a different (blank) world.

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. Place the Pack Folders

  1. Open your server's File Manager.
  2. Navigate to the worlds directory and open your specific active world folder (e.g., worlds/MyBedrockWorld/).
  3. Inside your specific world folder, look for or create two new subdirectories named exactly:
    • behavior_packs
    • resource_packs
  4. Upload your add-on folders into their matching directories.
    • Behavior packs (scripts, functions, components) go into /worlds/YOUR_WORLD/behavior_packs/.
    • Resource packs (textures, models, sounds) go into /worlds/YOUR_WORLD/resource_packs/.
  5. Ensure the files are unzipped. The final structure inside the world folder must show individual pack folders (e.g., behavior_packs/MoreToolsBP/manifest.json), not raw .mcpack, .mcaddon, or .zip files. Each pack folder should contain manifest.json directly — not nested another level deeper.

2. Retrieve Identifiers from the Manifest

Every add-on requires registration via its unique ID, which Minecraft reads from the manifest.

  1. Open the folder of the add-on you just uploaded.
  2. Locate and open the manifest.json file using a standard text editor.
  3. Find the header section and take note of two specific fields:
    • "uuid": A long string of numbers and letters separated by dashes (e.g., "12345678-abcd-1234-abcd-123456789abc").
    • "version": An array of three numbers (e.g., [1, 0, 0]).
  4. Important: Use the UUID and version from the header section only. Do not use any UUID found under modules further down in the same file — those identify internal pack components, not the pack itself, and using them will cause the pack to fail silently.
  5. Keep these values copied or written down. You will need them for the next step.

3. Register Multiple Behavior Packs

  1. Navigate back to the root of your active world folder (e.g., worlds/MyBedrockWorld/).
  2. Look for a file named world_behavior_packs.json. If it does not exist, create a new file with that exact name (all lowercase, no leading underscore).
  3. Open the file and list your behavior packs separated by a comma. Use this precise array format:
[
  {
    "pack_id": "FIRST_BEHAVIOR_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  },
  {
    "pack_id": "SECOND_BEHAVIOR_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [2, 1, 0]
  }
]

If you have no behavior packs yet, the file should just contain an empty array: [].

3A. Adding One Behavior Pack (Singular)

If you're adding only a single behavior pack, the world_behavior_packs.json file should contain:

[
  {
    "pack_id": "YOUR_BEHAVIOR_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  }
]

Note that even with a single pack, the outer square brackets [ ] are still required — it's an array with one element, not an object.

4. Register Multiple Resource Packs

  1. In the same active world folder, look for or create a file named world_resource_packs.json.
  2. Open the file and use the exact same array structure to list all your accompanying resource packs:
[
  {
    "pack_id": "FIRST_RESOURCE_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  },
  {
    "pack_id": "SECOND_RESOURCE_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [1, 5, 2]
  }
]

4A. Adding One Resource Pack (Singular)

If you're adding only a single resource pack, the world_resource_packs.json file should contain:

[
  {
    "pack_id": "YOUR_RESOURCE_PACK_UUID_HERE",
    "version": [1, 0, 0]
  }
]

Like behavior packs, the array brackets [ ] are mandatory even for a single resource pack.

5. Restart and Verify

  1. Save both files and start (or restart) your server.
  2. Watch the console startup log. If a pack fails to load, you'll typically see a warning similar to: 
    [WARN] Configured pack (id: 84fd7a26-4576-331f-9878-bb19a055fa44, version: 1.2.20) was not found and was ignored
    This confirms the JSON entry was read, but the UUID/version didn't match an actual pack folder — double check for typos or a version mismatch against the pack's manifest.json.
  3. Join the world and confirm the new mechanics, textures, or features are active.

Important Troubleshooting & Structural Notes

  • Comma Placement Is Strict: JSON requires a comma between every pair of objects in the array — i.e., after each closing } except the very last one. Do not put a trailing comma after the final closing curly bracket. A single misplaced or missing comma will cause the entire file to fail parsing, and Minecraft will silently ignore all packs in that file.

  • UUID Rules: The pack_id field must use the exact UUID string found inside that pack's manifest.json header section. Never use the folder name, the display name, or any UUID found under modules or dependencies lower in the manifest file.

  • World Folder Name Must Match Exactly: If level-name in server.properties doesn't exactly match your world folder name (including spaces/capitalization), the server will generate or load a different, blank world — making it look like your packs aren't installed when really they're just not being loaded into the world you edited.

  • Experimental Gameplay Toggles: If your add-ons rely on experimental features (like Holiday Creator Features, Custom Components, Beta APIs, or Upcoming Creator Features), they cannot be turned on via basic text configs. You must enable these toggles locally on your device within Minecraft's world settings, enter the world once to initialize the settings, export the world file (.mcworld), and then upload that pre-configured world directory to your server.

  • Dependency Matching: Many modern Bedrock add-ons link a behavior pack directly to a resource pack. If a pack requires its counterpart to function, ensure both corresponding JSON files (world_behavior_packs.json and world_resource_packs.json) contain their respective UUID entries. Missing one side of the pair can result in invisible textures, missing UI elements, or instant server crashes upon player join.

  • Always Stop the Server First: Editing these files while the server is running can lead to changes being ignored on the next restart, or in rare cases, data corruption. Stop the server, make your edits, then start it again.

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