How to Play an Old Version of Minecraft for Free on Java

On Java Edition, you can play almost any version ever released, for free, from the official Minecraft Launcher. Create a new installation, pick the version you want from the list, and press Play. The launcher downloads that exact build, back to the earliest 2009 builds. Bedrock Edition has no official way to do this.

Step by step (Java)

1. Open the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft: Java Edition.
2. Go to the Installations tab.
3. Tick Historical (shown as “historical versions”) if you want alpha and beta builds. Leave it off if you only need release versions like 1.8.9 or 1.12.2.
4. Click New installation, give it a name, and choose the version from the Version dropdown.
5. Under Game directory, point it at a new folder. This keeps the old version’s worlds, settings and resource packs separate from your main game.
6. Click Create, then Play on the new installation.

The first launch downloads the files, so give it a minute.

The versions people go back to

• 1.8.9: the last version before the 1.9 combat cooldown. PvP servers and players still use it.
• 1.12.2: the most famous modded version, with thousands of mods and modpacks. Our Forge vs Fabric page explains the loaders; 1.12.2 is Forge territory.
• Beta 1.7.3: the last version before hunger, villages and enchanting. Quiet and nostalgic.
• 1.7.10: another long-lived modding version.
• Any version an old map needs. Many adventure maps built before 1.13 break in later versions because of the command rewrite.

The version history lists what each update added, so you can work out which version a map, mod or memory needs.

Things that can go wrong

Opening a world in an older version than it was last played in. This can corrupt or wipe parts of the world. Only move worlds forward to newer versions, never back. If you must, copy the world folder first.

Opening an old world in a new version. This usually works, but it upgrades the world permanently. Make a backup if you might want to go back.

Servers. A server only accepts players on its version unless it runs a plugin that allows older clients. Your launcher installation has to match the server.

Java runtime. The launcher handles this automatically. You don’t need to install Java separately for any version.

Security. Old versions don’t get security fixes. They’re fine for single-player and trusted servers; avoid joining random public servers on very old versions.

What about Bedrock?

Bedrock doesn’t give you a version picker. Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, phones and tablets always install the current release, and the old builds aren’t available. The best you can do is keep backups of your worlds before each big update, so you have a copy if something changes in a way you don’t like. To go the other way and try upcoming versions early, see snapshots and previews.

Want the newest version instead? The latest Minecraft version page lists what’s current.