Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things.

It can also be about adventuring with friends or watching the sunrise over a blocky ocean. It's pretty. Brave players battle terrible things in The Nether, which is more scary than pretty. You can also visit a land of mushrooms if it sounds more like your cup of tea.

How do I update Minecraft?

Open the Minecraft Launcher. Click on "Options," next to the username text box, then press "Force update!" and login with your Minecraft credentials afterwards. Minecraft will start updating itself. This can also be used to get a fresh Minecraft installation, which will keep your saved games and texture packs, but not your mods.

What is the difference between Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft Bedrock Edition?

Java is, by and large, the more powerful and feature-rich version of Minecraft, but it lacks the compatibility and cross-play support of Bedrock. Furthermore, Bedrock Edition comes packaged with microtransactions, RTX support, and a handful of other exclusive functions (not to mention a broader set of supported devices).

Java Edition is PC only and players can only interact with other Java Edition players. Meanwhile, Bedrock Edition is multi-platform which means Bedrock players can interact with each other be it console, mobile or PC.

Gamers on the Java Edition have access to numerous communities and endless mods. These two combined make the multiplayer experience of the game a lot more malleable. The biggest con for Java Edition is that it requires higher spec machines to run smoothly.

Bedrock Edition does offer a few things that the Java Edition does not have. Mainly its marketplace, where you can acquire skins and add-ons, and the option to use controllers. Parental controls via Xbox services also provide peace of mind to parents.

How do I find other Minecraft players online?

To play Minecraft with other players, find a server first. Different servers offer different gameplay. Some are centered around building, others offer an MMO experience, and others are centered around survival.

There is a universe of possibilities, so your best bet is use any search engine to find Minecraft servers with the kind of gameplay style you're looking for. Such is the diversity that if you're looking for gameplay similar to GTA all you have to do is search "Grand Theft Auto Minecraft servers'' to get a list of options. Once you have found a server, open Minecraft, select Multiplayer, and choose "Add Server."

Note: To play Minecraft Java Edition please download and install Java first. (Minecraft 1.19+ requires Java 17)

What's New

Minecraft Java Edition 1.20.4 is a minor update to Java Edition, which fixes one bug. This version is not compatible with 1.20.2 servers.

  • MC-267185 – Decorated Pots could be deleted when reloading the world.