5 Ways to Fix Minecraft Exit Code 1 Error

Frustrated by Minecraft crashing continuously and displaying the exit code 1 error? In this guide, we describe 5 solutions to fix the issue.

Minecraft has been around for over a decade now, with its customer base continuing to expand monthly. The game records an estimated 140 million monthly unique players, the largest of any video game in the world. This record is amazing for players like you who strive to improve in achievements as you play.

However, the pros of being part of such a large community come with cons too. The large user base of the video game makes the developers sometimes struggle to maintain the website. As a player, you may experience some difficulties, such as the exit code 1 error. When this error pops up on your screen, you can fix it by following the solutions we have provided in this guide.

We also have guides on fixing other problems, such as the exit code 0 and server connection timed-out errors.

What does the Minecraft Exit Code 1 Mean?

When you receive the error code Game Ended with Bad State: Exit Code 1, it means that there is a problem with either Java, your Minecraft configuration, or your PC. To fix it, you have to edit the Java Executable Path, correct the Minecraft launcher path, reinstall Java, disable mods, or update your graphics card driver.

1. Edit the Java Executable Path
2. Fix the Minecraft Launcher Path
3. Reinstall Java
4. Disable Mods
5. Update Graphics Card Drivers

5 Ways to Fix the Exit Code 1 Error

1. Change the Java Executable Path

In most instances, when you receive the code 1 error, the problem is with the working directory of Java. More specifically, the problem is caused by a single character in the Java path used by Minecraft.

To fix this, you have to edit the Java executable path in Minecraft’s settings:

• First, open the Minecraft launcher on your PC and click on Launch Options.
• Next, turn on the Java executable toggle.
• You can now edit the Java executable path. The original path shows the Java filename as javaw.exe and this is where the problem lies. You have to remove the ‘w’ character from the Java path such that it becomes java.exe. Here’s an example (only change the Java name as shown below, don’t change the entire path):
  • Old: C:Program Files (x86)Minecraftruntimejre-x641.8.0 25binjavaw.exe
  • New: C:Program Files (x86)Minecraftruntimejre-x641.8.0 25binjava.exe
• Click the Save button.

Relaunch the game and that should fix the problem. If it hasn’t, you can move on to other solutions explained in this guide.

2. Fix the Minecraft Launcher Path

If you’re playing Minecraft on Windows, one of the causes of the issue is when the Windows account username contains special characters, such as an exclamation mark or a hashtag.

If that is the case, you should change the Minecraft launcher path on your PC to a path that does not have a special character. Here is how to go about it:

• Close Minecraft.
• Right-click on the Minecraft shortcut on your desktop and select Properties.
  • If there’s no shortcut on your desktop, then go to the installation directory of Minecraft, right-click on Minecraft.exe, and create a shortcut.
• From the Properties window, go to the Shortcut tab.
• Edit the Target input by adding the following to the end of the path:-workDir %ProgramData%.minecraft
• Click on OK.
• Open the Minecraft Launcher again and see if it works. If it does not, you will have to create another Windows account with no special characters.

3. Reinstall Java

If, after trying the two fixes above, the problem persists, you can go ahead and remove all versions of Java from your computer entirely, including old versions, and then reinstall it.

• Search for and open Apps & Features.
• From the list, find Java. Right-click on it and select Uninstall.
• Once you have successfully uninstalled Java, go to this page to download the latest version of Java and install it.
• Check to see if you can start playing Minecraft without getting an exit code 1 error.

4. Disable Mods

Mods make playing Minecraft fun, but if they develop a problem, it affects your game and can cause problems such as the one that you’re facing now. Also, whenever Minecraft releases a new version, some mods become incompatible with the new version.

To know if your mods are the problem, you should try disabling any mod you may have installed on your computer. You can also remove it totally, to be sure. If you do not want to go to such an extent, you can check the error logs to see if a particular mod is causing the problem. Here is how to check the error logs for unstable mods:

• Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows + R keys.
• Type %AppData% and click on Enter.
• Open the .minecraft folder.
• Click on the logs folder.
• Open the file titled latest.txt.
• Look over the log files carefully to see if there is any problem with any mod. If there is any such mod, remove it from Minecraft.

5. Update Graphics Card Drivers

The reason Minecraft is displaying an error may be because your graphics card driver is outdated. So what you have to do is update the graphics card driver to the latest version available. You can do this by following the simple steps explained below:

• Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows + R keys.
• Next, type dxdiag in the box and press Enter.
• Go to the Display tab to see the graphics card driver information. There, you will see the version of the card driver you are using.
• Go to the website of the driver manufacturer and look for the latest version available. If yours is not the same, you should download the latest version and install it on your PC.

Open Minecraft and see if the error has been fixed.

Wrapping Up

When you receive an error in Minecraft stating that the “Game ended with bad state (exit code 1)”, you do not need to panic. What you should do, instead, is go through each of the solutions provided in this guide and see which works for the problem.