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Minecraft / YouTube
It’s been months in testing, but it’s finally here: Minecraft has officially launched for Chromebooks and eager players can get in on starting now, with the newly-launched Trails & Tales expansion. If you’re looking to get started, we’ll give you everything you need to know.
Is Minecraft available on Chromebooks?
Chromebook users have long been tied down on apps and games. Most of them had to suffice using web apps and Android apps from the Google Play Store. They got you far, but not far enough in some cases. When it came to all things blocky, Minecraft: Pocket Edition from the Play Store was the only real option for most people. Some were able to go a bit further with Minecraft: Education Edition if they had a Microsoft 365 Education account. And, yes, there are workarounds if you were adventurous enough to have set up the Linux development environment on your machine. That said, a lot of players ended up using a different device to explore caves and mess around with redstone if they could.
That all changed in February 2023, when Minecraft publisher Mojang officially released a Minecraft trial for Chromebooks. Players only had access to Survival Mode and sessions were limited to 90 minutes, but it was an encouraging sign that there was willingness from the company to invest more into an underserved audience. A month later, and Mojang came out with an early-access program for a full-fledged Minecraft on Chromebook experience. Users didn’t have to wait long before the official release on 7 June 2023.
How to install Minecraft on your Chromebook
Head to the Google Play Store listing page for Minecraft and purchase both versions for Android and ChromeOS for $19.99. If you already own Minecraft: Pocket Edition for Android, the price is $13 – discounting the $6.99 you’ve paid for the app already. Once you’ve done that, you’re free to install the game and log in with your Mojang (through 19 September 2023) or Microsoft account. You also have the option to refund your game purchase within two days.
In-app purchases are made entirely through Google Play and the payment methods you’ve registered with the service, whether it’s the direct purchase of items or picking up Minecoins. If you play Minecraft with the same account on another device, your current Minecoin wallet should be reflected on this version as well.
How does Minecraft work on Chromebook?
Chromebook users now have access to Minecraft: Bedrock Edition with cross-play support for pretty much any device also on Bedrock. It comes with the latest Trails & Tales update where players can explore unique adventuring stories by wearing new armor trims, take a look around the new Cherry Grove biome, customize mob sounds, dig for artifacts, and so much more. Buying Minecraft: Bedrock Edition for Chromebook means you also get access to Minecraft: Pocket Edition for Android – the Play Store does not sell the Chromebook version by itself.
Are there any Chromebook requirements to run Minecraft?
The game has been designed to run on all sorts of hardware. Here are the spec requirements that Mojang lists out:
- ChromeOS 111
- 64-bit architecture
- Processors:
- Intel: Celeron N4000, 3865U, Core i3-7130U, Core m3-8100Y
- Others: AMD A4-9120C, MediaTek Kompanio 500 (MT8183), Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 (SC7180)
- 4GB RAM
- 1GB storage
Mojang suggests those with an AMD Ryzen 3 3250C or an Intel Celeron N4500 will have a more optimal experience than those who have older or less capable processors in those categories. The company even has a warning guide for N4000 and N4100 users.