Minecraft launcher opens and then softlocks trying to open files

Hi and thanks for reaching Microsoft Xbox gamer's community. My name is Josef.
I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft Xbox user like you.

Hope you're doing great today despite this Justin

May I know if you tried installing the launcher directly from the Microsoft store / Xbox app?
If not, please give that a try.

If yes, do you know if your windows system received an update recently?
Or please double check the opposite:

Open Settings, click Update and Security and then Windows Update;

Click Check for Updates;

Click the Download and Install Now option, if available (Install optional updates as well)

Also, check the Microsoft Store for any updates on the Xbox apps and its services and update everything too.
After that try again

If the issue persists, please tell me. Where are you experiencing this!
On windows 10 or 11?

In the meantime, try creating a new local administrator user in your PC and try from there
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cre...

You are right clicking the shortcut to the launcher, not the launcher itself.

On the shortcut, please right click on it, then choose "Open file location".

You will then be shown the actual Minecraft Launcher program.

I'm trying to play the Java edition throught the Windows 10/11 launcher (I'm on Win11).

When I launch whether minecraft.exe of minecraft-launcher.exe, this opens the launcher, I haven't found other executable files.

Hello Cellou,my name is Marvina, I will be happy to help you.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through, here are some steps you can take to try to fix this issue:

Check your Internet connection. Make sure your MacBook Air is connected to the Internet and has a stable connection.

Try downloading the Minecraft launcher again. You can download the launcher from the Minecraft website.

Try launching the launcher from the downloads folder. Once you have downloaded the launcher, locate the Downloads folder on your MacBook Air.

Open the folder and double-click the "Minecraft Launcher" file.

Try launching the launcher from the Finder app. Open the Finder app and locate the "Minecraft Launcher" file. Double click the file to start it.

Sign in to your Minecraft account. If you are not already signed in to your Minecraft account, click the "Sign In" button in the launcher.

Check your version of Minecraft. Make sure your MacBook Air has the latest version of Minecraft. You can check your version of Minecraft by clicking the "Help" button in the launcher and selecting "About Minecraft."

I hope I have answered your question correctly, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Sincerely,
Marvina.

Hi there Hayden Y.

I am Lumie and I would love to assist you today.

I am so sorry you are having issues logging into your account.

Clear Cached Credentials

Clearing the cached credentials can stop the automatic sign-in process.

Windows:

Open Credential Manager:

Press Windows Key + S and type "Credential Manager".
Open Credential Manager.

Remove Minecraft Credentials:

Select "Windows Credentials".
Look for any entries related to Minecraft or the Minecraft Launcher.
Click on them and select "Remove".

MacOS:

Open Keychain Access:

Use Spotlight (Command + Space) and type "Keychain Access".
Open Keychain Access.
Delete Minecraft Entries:

In the left pane, select "Login" and "All Items".
Search for any entries related to Minecraft or the Minecraft Launcher.
Right-click and delete them.

Reset Minecraft Launcher
Resetting the Minecraft Launcher can sometimes clear out any problematic settings or cached data.

Windows:
Reset Minecraft Launcher:
Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
Go to "Apps" and find Minecraft Launcher.
Click on it and select "Advanced options".
Scroll down and click "Reset".

MacOS:
Delete Preference Files:
Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G.
Type ~/Library/Application Support and press Enter.
Find the Minecraft folder and delete it or move it to a backup location.

Modify the Launcher Profile Manually
Manually editing or deleting the profile used by the launcher might force it to prompt for new credentials.

Windows:

Access Minecraft Directory:

Press Windows Key + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft, and press Enter.
Edit or Delete Profiles:

Find the launcher_profiles.json file.
Open it with a text editor like Notepad.
Look for the account details and either modify or delete the relevant sections.
Alternatively, you can delete the entire launcher_profiles.json file (the launcher will recreate it).

MacOS:
Access Minecraft Directory:

Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G, and go to ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft.

Edit or Delete Profiles:

Locate the launcher_profiles.json file.
Open it with a text editor.
Modify or delete the relevant account sections.
Or delete the launcher_profiles.json file.

Reinstall Minecraft Launcher
If the above steps do not work, reinstalling the Minecraft Launcher can resolve many issues.

Windows:
Uninstall Minecraft Launcher:

Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
Go to "Apps" and uninstall Minecraft Launcher.
Reinstall Minecraft Launcher:

Download the latest version of the Minecraft Launcher from the official Minecraft website and install it.
MacOS:
Uninstall Minecraft Launcher:

Open Finder, go to Applications, and drag the Minecraft Launcher to the Trash.
Empty the Trash.

Reinstall Minecraft Launcher:

Download the latest version of the Minecraft Launcher from the official Minecraft website and install it.

Create a New Windows User Profile
Sometimes, user-specific data can cause issues. Creating a new Windows user profile can help bypass these problems.

Windows:
Create a New User:

Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
Go to "Accounts" > "Family & other users".
Click "Add someone else to this PC".
Follow the prompts to create a new user.
Log in with the New User:

Log out of your current account and log in with the new user account.
Install and run the Minecraft Launcher from the new account.

I hope this helps!

Let me know if I can be of any further assistance. -Lumie