Editing Config Files by Hand (YAML, JSON, and Properties)

Where the Files Live

Configuration API stores each mod's settings in a file whose format the mod author chose: YAML, JSON, or Properties. These files sit in the mod's config directory inside your game instance. The in-game screen is just a friendly editor for the same file, so anything you change in-game is written there.

Editing Safely

Close Minecraft before editing by hand, or your changes may be overwritten when the game saves.

1. Locate the config file for the mod you want to change.

2. Open it in a plain text editor — not a word processor.

3. Change only the values, keeping the keys and structure exactly as they are.

4. Respect the format: JSON needs quotes and commas, YAML needs correct indentation, Properties uses key=value lines.

5. Save the file, then launch the game.

If the game fails to load the config, it usually regenerates a default file and logs an error. Check the log to see which line broke.

When to Prefer the GUI

Use the in-game screen for anything with a slider or dropdown, since it enforces valid ranges and formats for you. Hand-editing is best for bulk changes, copying settings between instances, or editing a server config you cannot reach through a GUI.