The short version
- Download Luanti from the official site for your system. The current release is 5.17.0 (20 August 2026), which fixed security issues, so update if you're on an older version.
- On first launch, install a game from the built-in content browser. VoxeLibre or Mineclonia are the easiest starts if you know Minecraft.
- Create a world, choose the game, and play. Mods and texture packs come from the same content browser.
What Luanti actually is
Luanti began in 2010 as Minetest, a hobby project by Perttu Ahola exploring Minecraft-style block mechanics. Over the years it grew into something different: a voxel game engine that runs games other people make. On 13 October 2024 the project was renamed Luanti, a mix of Lua, the scripting language its games are written in, and luonti, Finnish for "creation".
That history explains the thing that trips up new players. Luanti is closer to a console than a game. It provides the world, physics, multiplayer and modding, and you choose what to play on it from a catalogue of community-made games called ContentDB.
Installing Luanti
Luanti is free on every major platform. Get it from the official downloads page rather than third-party mirrors.
- Windows: use the 64-bit installer, or a portable build if you'd rather not install anything.
- macOS: there are separate builds for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
- Linux: install it through Flatpak, Snap or the project's Ubuntu PPA. Distribution repositories often lag behind.
- Android: available on Google Play, on F-Droid, and as an APK from the official site. The Play listing was briefly removed in August 2026 after a copyright notice that was later withdrawn, so the other two routes are worth knowing about.
If you used Minetest before, your settings carry over. The settings file is still called minetest.conf, and on Linux the user folder is still ~/.minetest/.
Choosing your first game
The first time you open Luanti, it asks you to install a game and opens the content browser. You can also browse games on ContentDB in your web browser first. These are some of the highest-rated games there, grouped by what you might be looking for.
| Game | Good for | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| VoxeLibre | Minecraft players | Survival, farming, building and exploring, inspired by Minecraft. Formerly called MineClone2. |
| Mineclonia | Minecraft players | Another Minecraft-inspired survival sandbox, developed separately from VoxeLibre. |
| Minetest Game | Modders and calm building | The classic, deliberately bare game: peaceful, no built-in enemies, best with mods. |
| NodeCore | Puzzle lovers | A strange world of cubes where you discover how things work by experimenting. |
| Exile | Hard survival fans | Brutal wilderness survival with simple technology. |
| Tutorial | Total beginners | An interactive introduction to the controls and common mechanics. |
If you're unsure, start with VoxeLibre or Mineclonia. They'll feel familiar, and it's easy to try something stranger later. Games install side by side, and each world is tied to the game you created it with.
Creating a world and basic controls
Pick a game at the bottom of the main menu, press New to create a world, give it a name, and press Play Game. The default controls are what you'd expect from a block game:
- W, A, S, D to move, Space to jump, Shift to sneak or climb down ladders
- Left click to dig or hit, right click to use or place
- I for inventory, T for chat, Q to drop an item
- Mouse wheel or 0 to 9 to pick a hotbar slot
You can change any of these in the key settings. Recent releases have also added basic gamepad support for in-game actions.
Installing mods and texture packs
In Luanti, a game is a bundle of mods, and mods are how you change almost anything. To add one:
- Open the Content tab and choose Browse online content.
- Find the mod and press Install. If it asks about dependencies, make sure the base game matches the game you play.
- Back in the menu, select your world, press Select Mods, and switch the mod on for that world.
Texture packs work the same way, except you turn them on in the Content tab instead of per world. Many mods only work with certain games, so check the "compatible games" list on a mod's page before installing.
Playing online
The Join Game tab lists public servers. You don't need to install anything to play on one: the server sends its mods, textures and sounds to you when you connect.
One thing is different from most games: accounts aren't central. Each server keeps its own list of players, so you register a name and password separately on every server you join. Use a different password for each, and don't leave it blank, or someone else can log in as you.
To play with friends privately, one person can host a world from the main menu, or you can run a dedicated server. The official documentation covers both.
Where to go next
Once you've found a game you like, the best part of Luanti is how far you can push it. Mods add machines, mobs and whole new systems, and because games are written in Lua, many players end up making a small mod of their own. The official getting started guide is the best reference for anything this article doesn't cover.
If you'd like to compare Luanti with paid alternatives first, our games like Minecraft guide puts it alongside Vintage Story, Teardown and Hytale.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luanti the same as Minetest?
Yes. Minetest was renamed Luanti on 13 October 2024. The engine, community and content database carried over, and some config files and folders still use the old name.
Is Luanti free?
Yes. Luanti is free and open-source software, and the games and mods on ContentDB are free to download.
Why does Luanti have no game when I open it?
Since version 5.8.0 in December 2023, Luanti no longer comes with a game installed. On first launch it sends you to the content browser so you can choose one.
Is Luanti on Android?
Yes. It is available on Google Play and F-Droid, and as an APK from the official website.
Facts in this article were checked against developer and store sources on 9 October 2026. Prices, versions and dates change, so confirm on the official page before you buy.
