Guide · Add-Ons · iOS

How to Install Add-Ons for Minecraft on iPhone and iPad

To install an add-on on iPhone or iPad, download it in JoyTellect Addon Hub, tap Import so the .mcaddon file opens in Minecraft, then activate the pack in your world's behavior and resource pack settings. The whole process takes a few minutes and needs no computer. Add-ons work in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition — the edition that runs on iOS — while "mods" are a different, Java Edition–oriented concept that does not install this way.

By JoyTellect Editorial Team Reviewed by Product Team Updated August 13, 2026

Prerequisites

• An iPhone or iPad on a recent iOS or iPadOS release — this guide was tested on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
• Minecraft: Bedrock Edition installed from the App Store and opened at least once.
• JoyTellect Addon Hub installed — listed on the App Store as "Addons, Skins & Textures Packs". Free to download with optional in-app purchases.
• A world where you can change pack settings — ideally a copy of your world, so your main save stays untouched while you experiment.

Install an add-on in six steps

1. Open JoyTellect Addon Hub Launch the app and switch to the Add-Ons section. You can scroll the categories or use search if you already know what kind of content you want — new creatures, tools, vehicles or game mechanics.
2. Browse and preview an add-on Tap any listing to open its detail page. Read the description and flip through the preview images so you know exactly what the pack adds or changes before you import anything.
3. Check the compatibility notes Each listing includes compatibility notes: which Minecraft: Bedrock versions the pack targets and whether it expects experimental toggles. Compare that with your installed game version — it is shown on Minecraft's main screen.
4. Import the file into Minecraft Tap the import button on the detail page. The .mcaddon (or .mcpack) file opens directly in Minecraft, which unpacks it and adds it to your pack library automatically. You can return to Addon Hub afterwards for more packs.
5. Activate it in your world settings In Minecraft, create a new world or edit an existing one. Under Behavior Packs and Resource Packs, find the imported pack and activate it. Many add-ons ship both parts — activate both so models and behaviors stay in sync.
6. Play Load the world and look for the new content. If the add-on adds creatures or items, they usually appear in newly generated areas or in the creative inventory first.

Troubleshooting

The pack doesn't open in Minecraft

Make sure Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is installed and has been launched at least once, so iOS knows which app handles .mcaddon files. Then go back to Addon Hub and start the import again — an interrupted download can leave a broken file behind.

The import finished, but nothing shows up in the game

Importing only adds the pack to your library — it is not applied anywhere yet. Open your world's settings, then activate the pack under both Behavior Packs and Resource Packs. If the add-on has two parts, activating only one of them can make it look like nothing happened.

The add-on is active but behaves oddly

This is usually a version mismatch. Recheck the compatibility notes in Addon Hub against your installed Minecraft version, and deactivate other behavior packs to rule out conflicts. If the pack calls for experimental toggles, enable them on a copy of your world rather than the original.

Limitations & compatibility

• Add-ons apply to Minecraft: Bedrock Edition — the version distributed on the App Store. Java Edition mods use a different system and cannot be imported on iOS.
• Packs target specific Bedrock versions; a pack built for an older release may misbehave after a major game update until its author updates it.
• Several behavior packs active in one world can conflict with each other — add packs one at a time so you can tell which one causes a problem.
• Some add-ons require experimental world toggles. These change how the world is saved, so keep a copy of any world you care about before enabling them.
• On multiplayer servers and Realms, the world owner's pack settings apply — you cannot force your local add-ons onto a server world.

Official sources

For platform-level questions about how Bedrock add-ons work and what you are allowed to do with Minecraft content, check the official documentation:

• Minecraft Add-Ons for Bedrock Versions FAQ — Minecraft Help Center
• Minecraft Usage Guidelines — minecraft.net