How to Change Your Minecraft Skin

Before you start

You need a skin file: a PNG picture 64×64 pixels (old 64×32 skins work too). You can make your own skin, start from one of our skin bases or download a player's skin by name. Also remember whether the skin has classic or slim arms, because the game will ask.

Java Edition (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Open the Minecraft Launcher and sign in.
Select Minecraft: Java Edition on the left and open the “Skins” tab.
Press “New skin” (the button with a plus).
Give the skin a name and choose the player model: Classic or Slim.
Press “Browse”, choose your PNG file and press “Save & Use”.

The new skin is used the next time you join a world or a server. You can also change the skin on the Minecraft website: sign in, open your profile and choose to change your skin.

Bedrock Edition (Windows, Android, iPhone and iPad)

Save the PNG file on the device where you play. On iPhone and iPad, save it to Files or Photos.
Start Minecraft and press “Dressing Room” under your character on the main screen.
Open the Classic Skins tab and select the empty “Import” slot in the Owned section.
Press “Choose New Skin” and pick your file.
Choose the arm type that matches your skin, and the skin is ready.

Menus can look slightly different after updates, but the import button is always in the classic skins section of the Dressing Room.

Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch

Consoles can't import skin files. On consoles you can only use skins from the Dressing Room and the Marketplace, or build a character with the Character Creator. A custom PNG skin imported on another device is not shown on your console.

If something goes wrong

Black spots on the skin: the base layer has transparent pixels. Fill them in with the skin editor.
A gap or a strip next to the arms: the model is wrong. Upload the skin again with the other arm type, or switch it with the skin converter.
Other players don't see the new skin: leave the server and join again. Servers in offline mode often show default skins.
The game says the file is invalid: the picture must be a PNG exactly 64×64 or 64×32 pixels.