Since you can play on PC, consoles, and mobile devices, you get a range of control options and varying levels of portability. Minecraft Bedrock Edition is the most accessible version of Minecraft as it's available on so many platforms - it's on Windows PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android mobile devices.

Realms Plus: A personal server for up to ten additional players and a catalogue of Minecraft Marketplace content.

Realms: A personal server that allows you to play with up to two additional players.

Realms – Yes, you can pay for a Minecraft Realms subscription on any Bedrock Edition device, although you must have a relevant online service subscription if you're playing on a console - for example, setting up a Realm on a PS5 requires a PS Plus subscription too.

Skins – Yes, premium skins are available via the in-game store and skin packs.

Here's what you need to know about every available Minecraft download and edition. Regardless of how you play Minecraft, you need to start by making a Microsoft account (opens in new tab), and then you can see which version will be best for you, based on what you want out of the game, or what platforms are available to you.

For example, Java is solely for PCs but benefits from extensive modding capabilities, while Bedrock is more widely available and friendlier to use for most players, but does not have mods. Annoyingly, they're also not all compatible with each other, so you'll need to make sure that you and your friends have versions that work for your chosen platform. With so many versions, the experiences they offer vary too, with some having very limited features and others having completely unique content. By our count, we've got six Minecraft Editions listed below, from the two main ones - Bedrock and Java - to more niche ones, such as Education Edition. There are many Minecraft Editions available to download, and they're available on lots of different platforms, so let us break them down for you.

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