Gaming · Minecraft Bedrock and Java Edition on Windows
How to Import a Minecraft World on Windows
Source-checked · About 10 minutes
Answer
For Minecraft Bedrock on Windows, open a trusted.mcworld file with Minecraft and wait for the import to finish. For Java Edition, close Minecraft and copy the complete world folder, including level.dat, into the Java saves folder. Bedrock and Java worlds use different formats, so convert a copy instead of moving one format into the other edition.
Bedrock .mcworldOpen the file with Minecraft, then check Play > Worlds.
Java world folderCopy the complete folder containing level.dat into the Java saves folder.
Different editionConvert a backup copy first; the two formats are not directly interchangeable.
In Minecraft Launcher, check whether the source world is for Bedrock Edition or Java Edition. A Bedrock export normally ends in .mcworld. A Java world is a folder whose top level contains level.dat. Do not put one format directly into the other edition.
2
Protect the original
Duplicate the .mcworld file or complete Java world folder before importing or upgrading it. Keep the backup outside Minecraft's active world folders so a failed conversion or version upgrade cannot change the only copy.
3
Close Minecraft
Save and quit the current world, close Minecraft and Minecraft Launcher, and wait for any cloud or Realms transfer to finish before moving files.
4
Import a Bedrock .mcworld file
Double-click the trusted .mcworld file and choose Minecraft if Windows asks which app should open it. Wait for the import confirmation, then open Minecraft > Play > Worlds and find the world by its saved name.
5
Import a Java world folder
Press Windows key + R, enter %appdata%\.minecraft\saves, and press Enter. Copy the complete world folder into saves. Open that folder once and confirm level.dat is directly inside it, not inside a second folder with the same name.
6
Open the copy and check it
Start the matching edition and open the imported world. Check the spawn point, inventory, dimensions, and required add-ons or mods. If Minecraft offers to upgrade an older world, upgrade only the copy and keep the untouched backup.
If a Bedrock world does not appear, confirm the file actually ends in .mcworld and came from a trusted export; renaming an unrelated ZIP file does not make it a valid world.
If a Java world does not appear, open its folder and check that level.dat is at the top level. For edition conversion, use a backup and review Chunker's limits because some entities or player inventories may not convert.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Minecraft Bedrock and Java Edition on Windows.
The steps below follow current publisher or platform documentation and explain technical terms where they first appear.
