How to Download Minecraft on PC: Java and Bedrock in One

On Windows, buy Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC once, download the Minecraft Launcher from minecraft.net, sign in with your Microsoft account and choose which edition to play. One purchase covers both. In the US store the standard edition was $29.99 when we checked in November 2026, and a Deluxe Collection with extra Marketplace content was $39.99.

Install it in five steps

1. Get a Microsoft account if you don’t have one. It’s free, and it becomes your Minecraft account. Use an email you’ll still own in five years.
2. Buy the game on minecraft.net or the Microsoft Store. Check which account you’re signed into before you pay, because the license can’t be moved later.
3. Download the Minecraft Launcher from minecraft.net/download. It also comes from the Microsoft Store; both are official.
4. Sign in and pick an edition. In the left sidebar, choose “Minecraft: Java Edition” or “Minecraft for Windows” (Bedrock), then press Install or Play.
5. Wait out the first launch. The launcher downloads the game files on the first run. After that it starts quickly.

Which one to open

Both installs sit in the same launcher, so you don’t have to choose for good. Open Java for mods, shaders, and big community servers like Hypixel. Open Bedrock to join a friend on a phone, Xbox, PlayStation or Switch, or if your PC is weak. Bedrock runs better on low-end hardware. The full comparison is in Java vs Bedrock.

Will my PC run it?

Bedrock runs on most Windows 10/11 laptops from the last several years. Java is the heavier one, and Mojang raised its minimum specs in July 2026 (a 4-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM with a dedicated GPU, and a GPU that supports Vulkan 1.3). Check the full list in Minecraft system requirements before buying for an older machine. The free Java demo in the launcher is the easiest way to test.

When the first launch goes wrong

• Stuck on “Installing” or “Downloading”: pause your antivirus scan briefly and check you have a few GB free on the drive.
• “You need to own the game”: you’re signed into a different Microsoft account from the one that bought it.
• Crashes before the title screen: update your graphics driver from Nvidia, AMD or Intel. Windows Update drivers are often too old.

More fixes are in Minecraft won’t launch. Once you’re in, the Minecraft Launcher guide explains installations, RAM and old versions. If you’d rather compare platforms before paying, how much Minecraft costs lists them side by side.