How to Download Minecraft

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

This article teaches you how to download Minecraft onto your computer, mobile device, or console.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

On Desktop

1
Open the Minecraft site. Go to https://minecraft.net/. This opens the Minecraft home page.
2
Click Download. It's in the top-left side of the page. Doing so will take you to an account creation page.

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3
Log into your account. Click the log in link in the paragraph at the top of the page, then enter your email address and password and click LOG IN.
- If you don't have a Minecraft account, create a Minecraft account on this page before continuing.
4
Click BUY MINECRAFT. This green button is in the middle of the page. Doing so will take you to the purchase page.
- Minecraft costs $26.95 USD.
5
Select a payment type. You can use a credit or debit card by default, or you can select PayPal to pay through PayPal.
6
Scroll down and enter your payment details. Type in your card's name, number, expiration date, and security code.
- If you're paying with PayPal, you'll instead enter your PayPal email address and password.
7
Click PURCHASE. It's at the bottom of the page.
8
Click DOWNLOAD FOR WINDOWS or DOWNLOAD FOR MAC. The button you see here will correlate with your operating system. Doing so will prompt the Minecraft setup file to download to your computer, after which point you can begin installing it.
9
Double-click the Minecraft setup file. On a PC, this is an EXE file; on a Mac, it's a DMG file.
- Your computer may give you a standard warning that the file can damage your computer. This is only because malware is common in these files, but Minecraft is safe to open.
10
Follow the on-screen setup instructions. These will vary depending on the version of Minecraft you're installing.
- On a Mac, you'll first need to verify the download before you can proceed with the setup.
11
Wait for the setup to finish. Once the Minecraft setup completes, you will be able to open Minecraft by double-clicking on its icon.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

On iPhone

1
Open your iPhone's App Store. Tap the App Store icon, which is a light-blue app with an "A" made of writing utensils on it.
2
Open the "Search" feature. Tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
- On an iPad, tap instead the search bar in the top-right corner of the screen.
3
Type minecraft into the search bar. Make sure you spell it correctly.
4
Tap Search. It's a blue button in the bottom-right corner of the keyboard.
5
Tap $6.99. This button is to the right of the "Minecraft: Pocket Edition" heading.
6
Tap INSTALL when prompted. It will appear in the same place as the $6.99 icon did.
7
Enter your Apple ID password when prompted. Doing so will grant the App Store access to your payment information, which will complete the payment and prompt Minecraft to begin downloading.
- If you have Touch ID on your iPhone, you can scan your fingerprint instead.
- Once Minecraft finishes downloading, you can tap OPEN where the price was to open Minecraft.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

On Android

1
Open your Android's Play Store
. It's in your Android's App Drawer.
2
Tap the search bar. You'll find this field at the top of the screen.
3
Type minecraft into the search bar. As you type, you'll see suggestions appear below the search bar.
4
Tap the Minecraft icon. It's a brown block with a green top below the search bar. Doing so opens the Minecraft app page.
5
Tap $6.99. This option is on the far-right side of the page. As evidenced by this button, Minecraft will cost you $6.99 to download.
6
Tap ACCEPT when prompted. Doing so will purchase Minecraft and begin downloading the app onto your Android.
- Depending on your Android's settings, you may be prompted to enter payment information (e.g., card details) before Minecraft will download.
- Once Minecraft finishes downloading, you can tap OPEN to open it.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

On Xbox One

1
Select the Store tab. While on the home screen, press your controller's RB button four times.
2
Select Search and press A. The search option is a magnifying glass near the middle of the page.
3
Type minecraft into the search bar. Use the on-screen keyboard to do so.
4
Press your controller's ☰ button. It's to the right of the "Guide" button. This will search for Minecraft.
5
Select Minecraft and press A. Doing so opens the Minecraft page.
6
Select Buy and press A. This button is in the middle of the game's page. Doing so will bring up a payment window.
7
Select Continue and press A. The purchase window will open.
8
Select Confirm Purchase and press A. This will confirm your purchase and begin downloading Minecraft onto your Xbox One.
- If you don't have a payment option available, you'll have to add your credit, debit, or PayPal information first.
- If you have a Minecraft download code, select the Redeem Code option here instead and enter the code.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

On PlayStation 4

1
Open the Store. Scroll left to select the Store tab, then press X.
2
Select Search and press X. It's at the top of the screen.
3
Search for Minecraft. Select M and scroll right, select I and scroll right, and repeat until you've spelled out "Minecraft".
4
Scroll down to select Minecraft PlayStation 4 Edition and press X. It's about two-thirds of the way down the page, as there are several add-ons for Minecraft listed before it.
5
Select Add to Cart and press X. This option is at the bottom of the screen.
6
Select Proceed to Checkout again and press X. Doing so will take you to the payment method page.
7
Select a payment method and press X. If you don't have a payment method, you must instead select Add a Payment Method and enter the method's details (e.g., a card number or your PayPal login information).
8
Select Confirm Purchase and press X. Doing so will purchase Minecraft and prompt it to begin downloading to your PS4.

Community Q&A
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Question

How do I reinstall my Minecraft?

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The answer to this depends on what device you are using; while for starters it is suggested that you read the instructions suited for your platform and device, for specific details on reinstalling Minecraft on Windows or Mac, see How to Reinstall Minecraft.
Question

Is Minecraft Java Edition free?

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No, Minecraft Java edition is not free, you must pay for it. Maybe ask someone to give you gift codes for the program as a birthday or other special occasion gift if you cannot afford it yourself.
Question

Can I get Minecraft for free?

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Originally it was possible to get a very basic demo version of Minecraft for free but nowadays it must be paid for. It might be possible to get gift codes for Minecraft from some sites but if you download Minecraft from the official site or an app store, it requires payment.