Is Minecraft Free? No, but These 4 Official Options Are

No, Minecraft isn’t free. The full game is a one-time purchase on every platform. But four things are free and official: a time-limited Bedrock trial (Windows, Android, PlayStation), the Java demo in the Minecraft Launcher, Minecraft Classic in a web browser, and Minecraft Education if your school provides it. Here’s how to start each one, and what you get.

The free options at a glance

Option	Devices	What you get	Limit
Bedrock free trial	Windows 10/11, Android, PlayStation	Single-player survival in the current game	90 minutes of play
Java demo	Windows, Mac, Linux	Survival in a demo world	5 in-game days (about 100 minutes)
Minecraft Classic	Any computer browser with a keyboard	The 2009 creative mode, with up to 9 friends	Creative only, no survival or mobs
Minecraft Education	Through a school license	A version built for lessons	Needs a school account

Start the Bedrock trial

1. Windows: search “Minecraft” in the Microsoft Store or open the Minecraft Launcher. If your account doesn’t own the game, you’ll be offered the trial.
2. Android: install Minecraft Trial from Google Play. Check that the developer is Mojang.
3. PlayStation: find Minecraft in the PlayStation Store and pick the trial.
4. Sign in if asked, start a world and play.

Minecraft’s help center says the trial gives 90 minutes of play, single-player survival only, with commands, multiplayer and Realms switched off. Free trials may not be offered in every country or on every device. iPhone, iPad, Xbox and Switch aren’t on the help center’s list.

Start the Java demo

1. Make a free Microsoft account if you don’t have one.
2. Download the Minecraft Launcher from minecraft.net and sign in.
3. The launcher offers Play Demo because your account doesn’t own the game.

The demo is the real Java Edition with a five-day timer, about 1 hour 40 minutes of play. After that the world becomes view-only. It’s the best way to check whether your PC runs Java before buying; see Minecraft system requirements. We go deeper into both trials in Minecraft demo and trial: what’s included.

Play Minecraft Classic

Go to classic.minecraft.net, type any name and click Start. Share the invite link and up to nine friends can join. It’s the 2009 creative mode with a short block list, no mobs and no survival, recreated by Mojang for the game’s tenth anniversary. Controls and limits are in Minecraft Classic in the browser.

Minecraft Education and Hour of Code

Minecraft Education is free for students whose school has licenses. You sign in with the school account, not a personal one. Ask your teacher or IT department, or read Minecraft Education download and licensing. Separately, the Minecraft Hour of Code lessons are free coding activities anyone can try.

What about Game Pass?

PC Game Pass and some Xbox Game Pass tiers have included Minecraft. It’s not free, though: you pay for the subscription and lose access when it ends. For most people who mainly play Minecraft, buying it is cheaper.

Why “free full version” sites are a bad deal

“Minecraft free download”, cracked launchers, free APKs and “Minecraft unblocked” sites all offer pirated copies. They’re often out of date, some contain malware or steal logins, and none of them can use Realms, the Marketplace or most servers. If the trial convinces you, how much Minecraft costs shows what each platform charges, and our download guides cover installing the real thing.