Get started¶
This section takes you from the installer to the Minecraft title screen. Xol is in closed development, so the first thing you need is an invitation.
Before you begin¶
You need three things.
- An invitation. Builds are invite-only. Write to contact@xol.dev with your operating system. Testers receive an installer and an Xol access key.
- Your own copy of Minecraft: Java Edition. Xol signs you in with the Microsoft account that owns the game and checks the licence before it launches anything. It does not include, redistribute or unlock the game.
- A supported computer. See the table below.
Microsoft sign-in is not live yet
Sign-in is implemented, but Mojang has not yet approved Xol's application ID. Until it does, signing in stops at the Minecraft Services step with the message "Minecraft services rejected this launcher's application ID", and the launcher cannot start the game. Everything else (installing, settings, the access key, updates) works. See Sign-in and accounts.
Requirements¶
| Requirement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, x64 | Standard installer. Installs for the current user; no administrator rights needed. |
| macOS, Apple Silicon | macOS 12 or later | Minecraft 1.8.9 and 1.7.10 run Mojang's x64 Java 8 through Rosetta 2, the same way Mojang's own launcher does. Rosetta 2 must be installed; see Troubleshooting. |
| macOS, Intel | macOS 12 or later, x64 | Same features, separate download. |
| Linux | No build | Development testing happens on Linux, but no Linux installer is published. |
| Java | Nothing to install | Xol downloads the exact Java runtime Mojang ships for each Minecraft version. You can point it at your own Java instead; see Launch options. |
| Internet | Needed for the first install and for sign-in | Versions that are already installed still launch when the Xol service or your connection is down. See Offline behaviour. |
| Secure storage | Keychain on macOS, DPAPI on Windows | Xol stores your sign-in and your access key only through the operating system's secure store. If none is available it refuses to save them rather than writing them to disk in plain text. |
The minimum operating system versions are the planned ones. They have not been verified on hardware yet; see Supported versions.
The source material does not give a total download size for the game files, so none is quoted here. The launcher shows file counts and bytes while it installs. The sizes that are known are on What gets downloaded.
The steps¶
- Install Xol. Follow Install on macOS or Install on Windows. Both pages explain the one-time operating system warning that unsigned builds trigger.
- Enter your access key. In the launcher, open Settings ▸ Service and paste the key you were given. See First launch.
- Sign in with Microsoft. Press Sign in with Microsoft. The sign-in page opens in your own browser on Microsoft's site. See First launch.
- Pick a profile and a preset. Xol 1.8.9 is selected by default. See Profiles and Performance presets.
- Press Play. The first launch downloads and verifies the game, Java and Forge. See What gets downloaded.
- Open the client settings in game. Press Right Shift. See The client.