Location of Minecraft save files on Android

Losing progress in your favorite sandbox is a real nightmare for any player, especially when it comes to large-scale projects that have been under construction for months. On the operating system Android the file access policy has changed several times, which often leads to confusion when trying to find a specific folder with data. If you have upgraded to a new version of the system or simply want to make a backup, understanding the directory structure becomes a critical skill.

In this article, we will look in detail at where the files of your worlds are physically located, how to access them, taking into account the security restrictions of modern OS versions, and how to properly transfer them to another device. You will learn not only standard paths, but also the nuances of working with the file system after updating to Android 11 and higher.

Physical location of the save folder

Starting with certain updates to the game and operating system, the developers have changed the standard path to application data. Previously, files were located in the root of the internal memory, which was convenient, but unsafe. Now all data is strictly isolated in the system directory. The main path where worlds are stored in Minecraft Pocket Edition on modern smartphones looks like this: Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/files/games/com.mojang/minecraftWorlds.

Exactly inside the folder minecraftWorlds there are subdirectories with unique identifiers, each of which corresponds to a separate world. The names of these folders are a set of random characters, so you need to navigate not by name, but by the date of modification or the contents of the level file. Access to this directory on new versions of Android may be limited without the use of special file managers with access rights to system folders.

For users who have not yet updated to the latest versions of the OS or are using custom firmware, the old path is sometimes saved. It is located directly in the root of the internal memory at address games/com.mojang/minecraftWorlds. However, you should not count on this option in 2026-2026, since Google is consistently closing direct access to the root directory for third-party applications for security reasons.

⚠️ Attention: On Android 11 and later, the standard Explorer may not show the contents of the folder. Android/data. To view files, you will need a specialized manager, for example, Files by Google with special rights or MT Manager.

The structure of world files and their purpose

Each world in the game is not one file, but a whole collection of data, divided into several components. Understanding what each file does inside the world folder will help you avoid mistakes when manually editing or restoring. The main file that stores information about landscape generation and world parameters is level.dat.

In addition to the main data file, inside the folder you will find a directory dbwhere chunks are stored - pieces of the game world that you have already explored. It is this catalog that takes up the most space and contains all the geometry of your construction. There may also be files levelname.txt (the name of the world, visible in the menu) and a folder resource_packsif you applied specific textures only to this save.

If you plan to transfer the world manually, you need to copy the entire folder with a unique identifier. Partial copying of a file only level.dat will cause the world to load, but will be completely empty, since the block data will remain on the old device. The structure of the files is sensitive to any changes in names or extensions.

• 📁 level.dat —the main configuration file containing data about the player, time of day and world seed.
• 📂 db —a database of chunks where all the terrain and objects you have built are physically stored.
• 📝 levelname.txt —a text file that specifies the display name of the save in the list games.
• 🖼️ level.png —a miniature of the world that is generated automatically when saving.

Technical details of the storage format

In modern versions of Minecraft PE, chunks are stored in the LevelDB format. This means that you can't just open the chunk file in a text editor. To edit the contents of the world at a deep level, special utilities such as the Universal Minecraft Editor or third-party modules for working with SQLite/LevelDB databases are required.

Access features on Android 11, 12, 13 and 14

With the release of Android 11, Google implemented the Scoped Storage policy, which significantly limited application access to shared storage. This change directly affected Minecraft players, since standard file managers can no longer just open a folder Android/data. When you try to navigate, you may see an empty directory or an access error message.

To bypass this restriction and access game files, you must grant special permissions to the file manager. In some explorers, when you navigate to this folder, a pop-up window will appear with a “Allow access to data” button. Clicking on it will take you to the system menu, where you need to confirm the granting of rights to manage all files in this directory. Without this step, copying worlds is impossible.

An alternative solution is to use a computer. By connecting your smartphone to your PC via a USB cable in file transfer mode (MTP), you often get greater access to system folders than through the interface of the phone itself. In the Explorer window on the computer, the path Internal memory/Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/... usually opens without additional dances with a tambourine.

Android version	Access through standard explorer	Required actions	Risk of data loss
Android 9 and below	Full access	No	Low
Android 10	Limited	Verification of rights	Average
Android 11-14	Locked by default	Special. access or PC	High for errors
Android 15 (Beta)	Full isolation	Only via ADB or cloud	Critical

Ways to back up and transfer worlds

The most reliable way to save your creations is to regularly create backups. The game itself has an export function, but it is only useful for transferring one world at a time. For bulk backup, it is better to use a file manager. Copy the entire folder minecraftWorlds or individual subfolders of worlds to a safe location, such as cloud storage or an SD card (if supported and configured correctly).

When transferring a world to another device, make sure that the game versions are the same. Trying to open a world created in a newer version Minecrafton an older client may result in file corruption or application crash. The recovery process is simple: just paste the copied world folder into the appropriate directory on the new device, replacing existing files if necessary.

Using cloud services such as Google Drive or Yandex.Disk simplifies synchronization. You can set your save folder to automatically load so that if you lose your phone or reset your settings, your progress will remain safe. The main thing is to remember that synchronization should only occur when the game is completely closed, otherwise you may copy broken files that have not yet been written to disk.

Restoring deleted or damaged worlds

The situation when the world disappears from the list or stops loading happens quite often. The reasons may be different: from a failure during saving to accidental deletion of files. If you have a backup, the problem can be solved in a minute by simply replacing the files. If there is no backup, the chances of success depend on how badly damaged the file system is.

Sometimes renaming the world folder helps. Remove the suffix .mcworldif it appears, or vice versa, try changing the extension so that the game recognizes the format. It is also worth checking the file level.dat using third-party utilities for editing NBT tags - perhaps a broken tag is preventing the correct initialization of the level.

In cases of serious damage to chunks (when the world loads, but you fall into the void or see texture errors), you can try deleting the contents of the folder db, leaving only level.dat. This will reset the map to its original state, preserving the world settings and the player's inventory, but all buildings will be lost. This is an extreme measure that should be resorted to only if it is important to save statistics or achievements.

⚠️ Attention: Before any manipulations with files level.dat or folder db be sure to create a copy of the entire world folder. Unsuccessful editing can make the save completely unreadable without the ability to roll back.

Frequent problems and solutions

One ​​of the most common problems is the appearance of worlds with the name "Untitled World" or their complete disappearance from the menu. This is often due to the fact that the file levelname.txt is damaged or missing. Creating a new text file with this name and entering the desired name in English there often solves the display problem.

Another common error is “Not enough space,” even if there are gigabytes of free space on the disk. This may occur due to a file system that does not support large files, or due to a full application cache. Clearing the cache in the Android settings (Settings → Applications → Minecraft → Storage → Clear cache) can free up space for the correct recording of chunks.

Sometimes after updating the game, old worlds do not load due to storage format incompatibility. In such cases, the game will usually prompt you to refresh the world upon entry. Agree to this only if you have a copy of the old world, since the conversion process is irreversible. If the conversion freezes, check the availability of free space and the integrity of the files in the folder db.

Why don’t I see the Android/data folder in the file manager?

This is a security limitation introduced in Android 11. The system hides the contents of this folder from regular applications. To see the files, use an explorer that supports SAF (Storage Access Framework) or connect your phone to your computer.

Is it possible to transfer the world from iOS to Android?

Yes, it is possible, because of the folder structure minecraftWorlds is identical on both platforms. You need to extract the files from the iPhone (via iTunes or file managers like iMazing) and place them in the appropriate folder on your Android device.

What to do if the world is loading, but the buildings have disappeared?

Most likely, the chunk database (db folder) is damaged. Try restoring it from a backup. If there is no copy, you can try using utilities to restore LevelDB, but success is not guaranteed.

Where are skins and control settings stored?

Skins and global settings are stored not in the world folder, but in a shared directory games/com.mojang, in configuration files and folders skin_packs. They are tied to your Xbox Live account or stored locally in the root application data folder.

How to find the ID of a specific world so as not to copy unnecessary ones?

Open the file levelname.txt inside each folder with a character set. The text inside this file matches the name of the world that you see in the game menu. This is the fastest method of identification.