When you buy Minecraft for a computer today, you get Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC, one purchase that includes both editions of the game. Mojang has sold them together since June 7, 2022. This post covers what is in the bundle, which edition runs on which system, how the two differ, and how Java and Bedrock players can end up on the same server.
What the Bundle Includes
Every version of the PC bundle contains the same three things:
- Minecraft: Java Edition
- Minecraft: Bedrock Edition
- The Minecraft Launcher, which installs and starts both
The minecraft.net store sells it in three versions. These are the prices on the US store when we checked on 26 September 2026, so check the store for your own region before you buy.
| Version | Price (US store) | Extras on top of both editions |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $29.99 | None |
| Deluxe Collection | $39.99 | 700 Minecoins, 3 add-ons, 3 Character Creator items |
| Ultimate Collection | $49.99 | 1000 Minecoins, 5 add-ons, 5 Character Creator items |
All the extras in the Deluxe and Ultimate versions are Bedrock content. The store page says add-ons, Minecoins and Character Creator items need Bedrock Edition and are not supported in Java Edition. If you mainly want Java, for example to play modpacks, the Standard Edition already gives you everything you will use. The store page also lists the game as available in Game Pass.
Already own one edition?
If you already own one edition on PC, you do not need to buy again. From June 7, 2022, players who owned Java Edition, or Bedrock Edition on Windows (then called Minecraft for Windows), received the other PC edition for free in the Minecraft Launcher. This only covers PC: a copy of Bedrock on a console or phone does not include Java Edition.
To check what you own, open the launcher, sign in with the Microsoft account you bought the game with and select an edition on the left. Play or Install means you own it. Buy Now means you do not.
If your game is called "Minecraft for Windows", that is Bedrock Edition. You can still play Java Edition on the same PC.
Which Edition Runs Where
Only Windows runs both editions. On macOS and Linux you can play Java Edition only.
| Java Edition | Bedrock Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Yes | Yes (Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher) |
| macOS | Yes (macOS 12 or newer) | No |
| Linux | Yes (64-bit) | No |
| Minimum memory | 8 GB with a discrete GPU, 12 GB with integrated graphics | 4 GB |
| Minimum storage | 2 GB | 4 GB |
You can download the Minecraft Launcher from the Microsoft Store or from minecraft.net/download. On a Mac or Linux machine, minecraft.net is where you get it. In the launcher you select Minecraft: Java Edition or Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on the left, then install and play from there.
If you plan to play Java on an older laptop, check its graphics card first. The Java requirements on minecraft.net list a Vulkan 1.3 capable GPU with at least 2 GB of VRAM. Mojang's own comparison also says Java needs a stronger computer to run smoothly, while Bedrock runs well on less powerful devices.
Java vs Bedrock in Practice
The two editions are separate games that happen to share one purchase. These are the differences you notice first:
- Mods: only Java Edition supports mods. Bedrock has add-ons instead, many of them sold on the Minecraft Marketplace.
- Marketplace and Minecoins: Bedrock only.
- Controllers and touch: Bedrock supports both. Java Edition has no native controller support.
- Crossplay: Java players play with other Java players on Windows, Mac and Linux. Bedrock players play with Bedrock players on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Online multiplayer on a console needs that platform's own subscription.
- Realms: both editions have Realms, which let you play with up to 10 friends at a time. Realms Plus, with its library of Marketplace content, is Bedrock only.
- Worlds: worlds and saves from Java Edition are not compatible with Bedrock Edition.
For the server side of this comparison, see our Java vs Bedrock server differences guide.
Which Edition to Use for Servers and Mods
Pick Java if you want mods or plugins. Modpacks, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge mods and Paper plugins all run on Java Edition. If your group wants anything beyond vanilla gameplay and add-ons, this is the edition to start from.
Pick Bedrock if everyone plays on consoles or phones and vanilla is enough. Mojang offers the free Bedrock Dedicated Server for Windows and Ubuntu. Players on Windows and mobile join it with the server address and port. Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch have no Add Server button, so console players can only connect through a custom DNS or a LAN connection.
Pick Java with Geyser if your group is mixed. That is how you get PC players on Java and console or phone players on Bedrock into the same world, which brings us to crossplay.
Can Java and Bedrock Players Play Together?
Not by default. Minecraft's store page puts it plainly: Java Edition users can only play with other Java users. Owning both editions on PC lets you join friends on either side, but you play one edition at a time.
The workaround is Geyser, a free, open source proxy that translates between the two games so Bedrock players can join a Java server. It runs as a plugin on Paper or Spigot, as a mod on Fabric or NeoForge, or on a Velocity or BungeeCord proxy. Its companion Floodgate lets Bedrock players join without owning a paid Java Edition account.
A few limits to know before you promise crossplay to your group:
- Bedrock players connect over UDP, by default on port 19132. Other services that use UDP, such as voice chat mods, cannot share that port with Geyser.
- Geyser connects to your server as one specific Java version. On 26 September 2026 its README listed Java 26.2 and Bedrock 26.30 to 26.51. A server on an older Java version needs ViaVersion. Geyser-Fabric and Geyser-NeoForge only run on that one Java version, not on older or newer ones, so on 26 September they did not run on Java 26.3, the newest release. Check the supported versions page before you update the server.
- Console players need a workaround. Xbox, PlayStation and Switch players join a Geyser server the same way they join any custom Bedrock server: through a custom DNS or a LAN connection.
- Client-side mods lock Bedrock players out. Geyser only works with server-side mods, so a modpack that every player has to install on their own PC will not work for Bedrock players.
- Some things never translate. Geyser's limitations page lists clickable links in chat, the glowing effect and tab completion in chat among the features it cannot support.
Our Geyser and Floodgate setup guide walks through the install, the port settings and the console connection workaround step by step.
Quick Answers
Do I have to buy Minecraft twice to get Java and Bedrock on PC? No. One purchase of Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC includes both, and PC owners of one edition got the other for free in 2022.
Can I play Bedrock Edition on a Mac? No. Mac and Linux run Java Edition only.
Run one server for both editions. Minecraft server hosting on Space-Node supports Java Edition and Bedrock (via Geyser), with one-click installs for Paper, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge on both the Standard and Premium plans.