Unable to update the Minecraft Native Launcher

Are you unable to update the Minecraft Native Launcher? If yes, this post is sure to help you fix it. This is an error message that most users are receiving while downloading the latest Minecraft updates via the Minecraft Launcher. Some users have also retried installing the updates but they received the same error message every time.

Unable to update Minecraft Native Launcher

When you receive this error message, restart your Windows 11/10 computer and install the updates again. Sometimes, an error occurs due to a minor glitch which can be fixed only by restarting the device. Minecraft JAVA Edition users are advised to install the latest version of JAVA and then install the update.

If you are still unable to update Minecraft Native Launcher, try the following fixes:

Run Minecraft Launcher as an administrator
Disable your antivirus temporarily
Repair Minecraft Launcher
End the processes running in the background (solution for Minecraft Dungeons Native Launcher)
Rename the launcher_profiles_microsoft_store.json file
Check permissions
Change the Xbox Game Pass game installation location to C drive
Uninstall Minecraft and download the latest version from the official website

Let’s see these solutions in detail.

1] Run Minecraft Launcher as an administrator

If the error was occurring due to administrative rights, running the Minecraft Native Launcher as an administrator can fix the problem. For this, simply right-click on the Minecraft Launcher and select the Run as administrator option. After running it as an administrator, try installing the updates and see if it works.

2] Disable your antivirus temporarily

Sometimes antivirus software generates false-positive flags and blocks the legit programs from running. Such types of false-positive flags can be avoided. This might be the case with you. Therefore, we suggest you temporarily disable your antivirus and try installing the updates. If it works, let the updates get installed completely.

Whether this solution works or not, don’t forget to enable your antivirus again.

3] Repair Minecraft Launcher

One possible cause of this error is the corrupted files. With the passage of time, some files may get corrupted and it is a very common issue. That’s why in Windows operating system, there is an option to repair the installed programs. This option is available in the Control Panel. If you are experiencing the error due to this reason, repairing the Minecraft Launcher will fix it.

The steps to repair the Minecraft Launcher are straightforward.

Open the Control Panel.
Make sure that you have selected the Large icons option in the View by mode.
Click Programs and features.
Scroll down the list of installed programs and locate Minecraft Launcher.
Once you find it, right-click on it and select Repair.
Follow the on-screen instructions to repair the Launcher.

After repairing the Launcher, check if the issue persists.

Read: Minecraft keeps crashing or freezing on Windows 11/10 PC.

4] End the processes running in the background (solution for Minecraft Dungeons Native Launcher)

End all the Minecraft processes running in the background and then try to install the update. It should work. We have listed the steps below:

Launch the Run command box by pressing Win + R keys.
Type taskmgr and click OK. This will launch the Task Manager.
Select the Processes tab and locate the Minecraft processes under the Background processes section.
Right-click on each process and select End task.

After terminating all the instances of Minecraft, run the Minecraft Native Launcher and install the update.

5] Rename the launcher_profiles_microsoft_store.json file

The launcher_profiles_microsoft_store.json is a JSON file that contains all the Minecraft Launcher settings, profiles, and cached user data. This file helps update the older Launcher versions to the newer builds. Renaming the launcher_profiles_microsoft_store.json file to the launcher_profiles.json file can fix the issue.

You will find the launcher_profiles_microsoft_store.json file at the following location on your computer:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft

Copy the above path and paste it into the address bar of your File Explorer. After that, hit Enter. In the above path, replace the username with your user name.

6] Check permissions

The Minecraft Launcher should have permission to read, write to, and modify the Minecraft Launcher folder in the C drive. To check this, go to “C:\Program Files (x86).” Now, right-click on the Minecraft Launcher folder and select Properties. Click on the Security tab and check which permissions are allowed for the Minecraft Launcher folder.

Allow the Read, Write, and Modify permissions by clicking on the Edit button next to the “To change permissions, click Edit” and check if you can install the update via the Minecraft Native Launcher. If this does not work, grant all the permissions and check again if you are able to install the update.

If this trick works, revert the changes after installing the update.

7] Change the Xbox Game Pass game installation location to C drive

This solution is for the users who have installed the Minecraft Launcher from Xbox. Change the Xbox Game Pass game installation location and then reinstall the latest version of the Minecraft Launcher from Xbox.

The steps to change the Xbox Game Pass game installation location are listed below:

First, uninstall the Minecraft game.
Now, open the Xbox Game Pass app and click on your profile icon on the top right side.
Click Settings and select the General category from the left pane.
Click on the drop-down menu under the “Change where this app installs games by default” section and select the C drive.
Now, install the latest version of the Minecraft Launcher from Xbox.

8] Uninstall Minecraft and download the latest version from the official website

If none of the above solutions fix your issue, uninstall Minecraft from your computer and download the latest version from the Minecraft official website. If you have more than one drive (whether SSD or HDD), install Minecraft on your primary drive.

It should help.

Read: Where are Minecraft Worlds saved on Windows PC?

Why can’t I update my Minecraft?

If your internet connection speed is slow, you may experience issues while updating Minecraft. Another reason why Minecraft does not update is antivirus software. It is possible that your antivirus is blocking Minecraft due to which you are not able to update it. To get this issue resolved, simply disable your antivirus temporarily and then update Minecraft.

How do I update my Minecraft Launcher on PC?

To update Minecraft Launcher on a Windows 10 PC, open Microsoft Store and click on the three horizontal dots on the top right side. Select Downloads and Updates. Now, click on the Get Updates button. After that, Windows will scan all the installed apps for updates. If the update is available for any app (including Minecraft), it starts installing the updates.

If you are a Windows 11 user, open Microsoft Store and click Library from the left side and then click on the Get updates button.

If you have Minecraft JAVA Edition on your PC, open the Minecraft Launcher and it will automatically download the latest release (if available). If not, click on the arrow to the right of the play button and then click Latest Release.

That’s it.