Why do I keep getting JNI error?

Few errors can be as frustrating as the “JNI error has occurred” in Minecraft. Thankfully, there are a few solutions that should help you fix the Minecraft JNI error.

What Kind of Error Is the Minecraft JNI Error?

Minecraft JNI Error

The “a JNI error has occurred” in Minecraft is only found in the Java versions of the game. It basically means that the game or the server you’re trying to join has a Java-related issue.  

How to Fix the Minecraft JNI Error

Unfortunately, fixing the Minecraft JNI error doesn’t have a simple fix. While you should try restarting the game and restarting your computer, it’ll most likely not resolve the issue as it would with exit code 1 or error code 502.

That said, there are a couple of more advanced solutions that shouldn’t take too much time and will surely fix the Minecraft JNI error.

Install the Latest Java Version

The first thing you should do is install the latest Java version. While you could download the JRE version, it’s better to download the JDK one, especially if you’re running a server or mods.

All you need to do is choose your desired version (I’d suggest you pick the latest one), and download the installer. Then, follow the instructions on the installation tab, and you should be able to play Minecraft again.

Update your Minecraft mods

The JNI error can sometimes be related to your Minecraft mods. So, make sure that each mod is updated, especially if you’re running on a new Minecraft version.

Delete Broken Java System Variables

If none of the above has helped you fix the Minecraft JNI error, you’ll need to check your “System Variables”. There are a few steps that you’ll have to follow for this, though:

1. Press the Windows+R key, type “sysdm.cpl” on the Run window, and press Enter.

Using the Run command to find the System variables

1. Click on the “Advanced” tab and select “Environment Variables”.

Selecting the Environment Variables

1. Find the following on “System variables”:

Finding the javapath issue

1. Delete the variables that end in ”/javapath”.

Deleting the javapath variables

1. Restart your computer.

After that, the JNI error should be fixed!

Conclusion

Hopefully, this has helped you fix the Minecraft JNI error, and you can hop on your favorite server again. If you need additional help, you can take a look at this thread or check out Minecraft Forum.

Some Minecraft users are seeing an error whenever they attempt to launch the client (the game) or the server (.jar). The error message that comes up is: “A JNI error has occurred, please check your installation and try again”. This problem is mostly reported to occur with version Minecraft version 21w19a and newer and it’s confirmed to appear on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

As it turns out, there are multiple causes that might trigger this error when certain users attempt to launch Minecraft and almost each of them is related to the Java installation.

Here’s a list of possible culprits that are most likely responsible for causing the “A JNI error has occurred, please check your installation and try again”:

• Java 16 JDK is missing – If you get this error while attempting to launch Minecraft build 21w19 or newer, the first thing you should do is check if the Java 16 JDK installation is missing from your PC. This is the most popular reason why this error is encountered when launching Minecraft on PC. If the Java 16 JDK is missing from your computer installation, download and install it from the official channels.
• Broken System Path for Java – As it turns out, another reason why you can expect to see this error is a scenario in which the system variable path for java is broken and tricks the Minecraft launcher into believing that Java is not installed on your PC when it actually is. If this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the issue by removing the broken system PATH variable from the Environment variables.

Install the latest Java JDK version

In most documented cases, this particular error happens when you attempt to launch Minecraft or a Minecraft server on a PC that doesn’t have Java 16 or newer installed. Keep in mind that starting with Minecraft build 21w19, you will need to have Java’s 16 JDK version installed on your PC, otherwise, the game will not launch.

To fix this issue, you will simply need to update your current Java JDK to the most recent version available using the official channels.

If you’re looking for step by step instructions on how to do this, follow the guide below:

1. Ensure that the Minecraft launcher (Tlauncher or any other) is completely closed before moving to the next step below.
2. Open your default browser and visit the download page of the Java 15 Development kit.
3. Once you’re inside, make sure the Windows tab is selected, then scroll all the way down to the Windows x64 Compressed archive and click on the associate Download hyperlink.
   
   Downloading the x65 compressed archive of the Java 16 JDK
4. At the confirmation prompt, check the box associated with I reviewed and accept the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement for Oracle Java SE, then click on the Download button below.
5. Wait until the download is complete, then unpack the zip archive with WinZip, WinRar, 7Zip or the built-in equivalent and wait for the operation to complete.
   
   Unzip the Java JDK
6. Once the extraction process is complete, navigate to the location where you extracted the JDK and copy it on your clipboard by right-clicking on it and choosing Copy from the context menu.
7. Next, use File Explorer (My Computer) to navigate to the following location and paste the JDK 16 folder that you previously copied:

   C:\Program Files\Java

8. Wait until the copying operation is complete, then close the window and double-click on your Minecraft launcher once again (TLauncher or other).
9. Once you’re inside the launcher, click on the settings icon, then click on Settings from the context menu.
   
   Accessing the Settings menu of the Minecraft launcher
10. Inside the Settings menu, ensure that the Minecraft Settings is selected at the top, then click the Browse button associated with Java path.
11. Next, use the browse window to navigate to the following location:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-16.0.2\bin

12. Once inside, make sure that javaw.exe is selected before clicking the Open button.
13. Finally, click on the Save button to successfully save the java path in your Minecraft launcher.
14. Launch the game normally and you should see the issue fixed.

If the problem is still not resolved, move down to the next potential fix below.

Remove the broken System Path variable for Java

If the first method was not effective in your case, the next thing you should investigate is a potentially broken system variable used by Java.

A broken variable can be the determining factor in ‘tricking’ your Minecraft launcher into believing that the Java JDK requirement for the game is not installed when it actually is.

In this case, you can get the issue resolved by accessing the System Properties screen and modifying the Environment variables in a way that the Java PATH environment is removed.

This fix has been confirmed to be effective for a lot of Minecraft users that we’re encountering the “A JNI error has occurred, please check your installation and try again” when attempting to launch the game from a dedicated launcher.

Follow the instructions below for a step-by-step guide that will guide you through the process of removing the corrupted Java JDK path variable:

Note: The instructions below should work on every recent Windows version including Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

Why am I getting a JNI error?

How to fix JNI error in Eclipse?

What version of Java does Minecraft 1.18 use?

What version of Java is needed for Minecraft 1.17 server?