To preserve a copy of your Java Edition world that you can store or transfer, you must create a manual backup. Backups are stored in a folder on your device, which you can easily navigate to either through your Java Edition game or the Minecraft Launcher. See Save a Backup of Your Minecraft: Java Edition World to learn how to save your worlds.
Find your Java Edition backups folder in the game
- Open Minecraft: Java Edition.
- Select Singleplayer.
- Select your world.
- Select Edit.
- Select Open Backups Folder.
Find your Java Edition backups folder with the Minecraft Launcher
- Open the Minecraft launcher and sign in.
- Select the Minecraft: Java Edition tab on the sidebar.
- Select the Installations tab on the top of the screen.
- Highlight the Minecraft installation you used to back up your world.
- Select the folder icon to open the installations folder on your computer.
- Select the backups folder.
You can move this backup to an external hard drive for safekeeping or transfer it to another device running Minecraft: Java Edition.