Exit code -1 (displayed as 255 in some launchers due to unsigned byte conversion) means the Java process was killed externally or crashed hard at the JVM level. Unlike exit code 1 (Java error) or 0 (clean exit), this indicates the process could not exit normally.
Usually client-sideLast verified: 2026-08-19
OS out-of-memory kill
Windows and Linux will forcibly kill processes when system RAM is completely exhausted. If Minecraft was using all available RAM, the OS terminated it with a kill signal. Reduce RAM usage: lower allocated heap, reduce mods, or add more physical RAM.
Forced termination
If you or another application killed the Minecraft process (Task Manager, system monitoring tools, etc.), the launcher reports exit code 255/-1. Ensure no other application is terminating the Java process.
How to fix step by step
- 1Check Task Manager when Minecraft is running — verify system RAM is not at 100% capacity
- 2Reduce allocated RAM in launcher settings if close to total system memory
- 3Reduce Render Distance and graphic settings to lower RAM consumption
- 4Check if antivirus or system monitoring tools are terminating Java processes
How EXIT-CODE-255 differs from related codes
- Error EXIT-CODE-1: The Java Virtual Machine running Minecraft crashed and exited with code 1, indicating a fatal error. This is typically a Java or mod compatibility issue. (user-side)
- Error JAVA-HEAP-SPACE: Minecraft ran out of allocated Java heap memory. The JVM cannot allocate more objects because all configured RAM is used. This causes an immediate crash. (usually client-side)
- Error OUT-OF-MEMORY: Minecraft's Java process ran out of allocated memory (heap space). The game crashed because it could not allocate more RAM. (user-side)