How to Download Minecraft

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Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 Tested

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

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

On Desktop

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Go to https://www.minecraft.net/. This opens the Minecraft home page.
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.
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.
It's at the bottom of the page.
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.
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

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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.
Make sure you spell it correctly.
It's a blue button in the bottom-right corner of the keyboard.
This button is to the right of the "Minecraft: Pocket Edition" heading.
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

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It's in your Android's App Drawer.
You'll find this field at the top of the screen.
As you type, you'll see suggestions appear below the search bar.
It's a brown block with a green top below the search bar. Doing so opens the Minecraft app page.
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

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While on the home screen, press your controller's RB button four times.
The search option is a magnifying glass near the middle of the page.
Use the on-screen keyboard to do so.
It's to the right of the "Guide" button. This will search for Minecraft.
Doing so opens the Minecraft page.
This button is in the middle of the game's page. Doing so will bring up a payment window.
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

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Scroll left to select the Store tab, then press X.
It's at the top of the screen.
Select M and scroll right, select I and scroll right, and repeat until you've spelled out "Minecraft".
It's about two-thirds of the way down the page, as there are several add-ons for Minecraft listed before it.
This option is at the bottom of the screen.
Doing so will take you to the payment method page.
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).
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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Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Staff Answer

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.

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Is Minecraft Java Edition free?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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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.

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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.

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Minecraft on consoles is $19.99, while the mobile version is $6.99 and the desktop version is $26.95.

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Of all of the versions of Minecraft, the console version is the easiest to figure out for a beginner.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Make sure you check your security setting for your web browser, and set the cookies security setting to low if a window pops up and states that a corruption is not allowing the software to be downloaded. Once it's downloaded, you can always move your cookies' security setting back to the level you want (since this is just for the download).
Put your computer with Minecraft on it closest to your home's router, or wherever the internet is the strongest in your house.

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