Is MCreator safe? The program is made by a company called Pylo, it's open source, and as long as you get it from mcreator.net you're installing the real thing. Antivirus pop-ups do happen, and the maintainer's advice when they do is to report a false positive. The bigger risk for most people isn't the app. It's the mods and plugins other people hand you.
It's also free. No price on the download page, no account needed to use the software.
What MCreator is, and who makes it
MCreator is software for making Minecraft Java Edition mods, Bedrock Edition add-ons, resource packs and data packs. You can click your way through it with an easy interface or write code in its built-in editor. The developer is Pylo, and the footer is blunt that MCreator is not an official Minecraft product and isn't approved by Mojang or Microsoft. If you're a beginner curious about mods in general, my guide to whether Minecraft mods are safe covers the basics.
Where to download it
Use mcreator.net/download. That's the official page for Windows, Mac and Linux. The GitHub repo is the source code, and its README says it's for contributors and sends everyone else back to the download page.
The download page lists a stable release and an early-access build. It calls snapshot builds "not intended for production use", with bugs and untested changes, and says older releases might not be supported. If you just want to make a mod, take the stable one. And since the README says custom rebuilds shouldn't carry the MCreator name, a download from some random "MCreator" site isn't the real thing.
Is MCreator a virus? Why antivirus programs flag it
It isn't, but you can find people on the official forum who got a scary warning. One long-running thread started in 2021 after someone's Malwarebytes said it blocked ransomware. The maintainer's reply was short: report a false positive. A longtime user in the same thread said the warning showed up whenever a new Java version came along, because the antivirus didn't know that version yet, and told people to mark the file as okay in their security tool. That's a user's explanation, not an official statement, so take it as a likely cause rather than a fact.
My guess is it's not surprising either way. MCreator is a full development tool that compiles and launches Java code, not a simple app. The thread also has a 2025 post claiming a friend's PC got locked after installing it. Another user answered that it sounded like a problem with that computer, and nobody showed evidence either way.
For what it's worth, Pylo's terms say MCreator contains no malicious code, but also admit any file can get infected on the way to you. Hence the one rule that matters: official download only. If your antivirus complains about a copy you got there, report it the way the maintainer suggests instead of hunting for a workaround.
Is MCreator free?
Yes. It's open source under GPL-3.0 (with some exceptions the project lists under section 7 of the licence), and the download page doesn't ask for money or an account. There's a donate page for people who want to support the maintainers, and it's optional.
You only need an mcreator.net account for the community site, like publishing a mod there. The software itself works without one, and the education page says mods are created, stored and compiled locally.
Is MCreator safe for kids?
The software is pitched at kids. The homepage calls it a great tool for kids to learn programming, and there's a whole education page with workshops and worksheets. Since the app needs no account, a child can use it without handing over an email address.
The age line is about the website. Pylo's terms say anyone is welcome, but under 16 you should use the site with a parent or legal supervisor, or with their consent. The privacy policy backs that up: it says they don't intentionally collect personal information from under-16s without verifiable parental consent.
What to keep an eye on:
- The community site. It has a public forum, comments and user-uploaded mods. The terms say Pylo doesn't control user content. Look over it before a younger kid signs up.
- Usage data. The desktop app sends anonymous usage data (feature use, device specs, app version) through Google Analytics, with no names or emails. Modern versions have a setting to turn it off.
For the Minecraft side of the same question, I've written about whether Minecraft is safe for kids and how to set up parental controls.
The "MCreator mods are bad" argument
Search around and you'll hit this fast. Modders have argued for years that MCreator limits what you can do, oversimplifies the code, and floods the world with samey mods, the "obsidian tools" kind. That's opinion, and it has counterpoints. Its defenders compare it to Scratch: a gateway that got them into real programming. One says its limits are exactly what pushed them to learn proper mod development. MCreator itself also lets you drop into custom code and export a standard mod file.
My take: it's a fine way to start, and a bad reason to feel stuck. If you hit the wall, that's the signal to go learn Java, not a sign you did it wrong. None of this has anything to do with whether the program is safe, which is a separate question.
Are mods made with MCreator safe to download?
MCreator doesn't make a mod safe or unsafe. A mod you export is a normal Minecraft mod file, and a mod someone else made with it carries the same risk as any other download: who uploaded it, and where you got it. Pylo's terms ban malicious uploads on its own mod site, and the privacy policy says downloadable content gets scanned. That's a rule and a check, not a guarantee.
The same caution goes for plugins, which extend MCreator itself. Treat them like any other software you install, and stick to ones you trust from the official plugin page. For where to get mods, see is CurseForge safe and is Modrinth safe, and if you're loading mods through Forge, is Forge safe.
So, is MCreator safe?
Yes, from mcreator.net. It's free, open source and made by a named company, and the maintainer treats the antivirus flags that turn up on the forum as false positives. Under 16, use the community website with a parent. Be careful with mods and plugins from strangers, same as anywhere.
Want to build more than a mod?
If making things is the appeal, my guide to making a multiplayer game goes further. Folly, a standalone voxel game that's coming soon in early access, plans to roll out creator tools during early access. They aren't something you can use yet, and the details are on the creator page.