How To Play Minecraft On Your Chromebook
Chris Hoffman
Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He’s written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times and Reader’s Digest, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami’s NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read nearly one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek. Read more…
Chromebooks arent the ideal Minecraft laptops, thats for sure. Theres no web-based or Chrome app version of Minecraft, which is written in Java. But Chromebook owners arent completely out-of-luck if they want to play Minecraft.
If youre a big Minecraft player and you dont want to tinker, you probably wont want to play Minecraft on your Chromebook. But, if youre willing to tinker, heres how you can.
Install Minecraft Education Edition On Chromebook
Minecraft has introduced an Education Edition for Chromebook users to promote creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. The game is primarily aimed at students who want to play Minecraft on their Chromebooks. However, the game is available on the Play Store as an Android app, so you still have to contact your school administrator to enable Google Play from their side. With all that said, here is how to begin.
1. First off, open the Settings page and turn on Google Play Store. It will allow you to use the Play Store on your Chromebook and install Android apps.
2. Open the Play Store, search for Minecraft: Education Edition and install the game. Thats it.
3. Keep in mind that students have 10 free logins. Post that, you will have to buy a subscription using the link here. Moreover, you will have to use your school account to log in to Minecraft.
Installing Minecraft For Android
This is for the players who have ARM chipsets and cannot install Java Edition. In order to make it work, players will need to install a program called PoJavLauncher to enable the Chromebook to run the Android-based version. Here is how players can download and install the Android edition:
- Players should open settings and verify their OS is the most recent version.
- Head to the Google Play Store.
- Once in the Google Play Store, players should search for PoJavLauncher.
- Once installed, it will download the things players need to get started and will launch the game.
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Q: How To Speed Up Minecraft And Enable Mouse Lock On Chromebook
If Minecraft is still running slow on your Chromebook, you can enable Hardware and GPU acceleration on Linux in Chromebook to speed it up. To do so, enable the following Chrome flag.
chrome://flags/#crostini-gpu-support
To enable Mouse lock for Minecraft in Chromebook, enable the following Chrome flags.
chrome://flags/#exo-pointer-lockchrome://flags/#enable-pointer-lock-options
How To Download Minecraft On Chromebook
Before you start reading further, one thing that I need to make clear is, you can play Minecraft on a Chromebook OS without having to enable developer mode on Chromebook. The only prerequisite is that your Chromebook must have is support for Linux OS. Let us begin with our steps to download Minecraft on a Chromebook in 2022.
sudo apt-get update & & sudo apt-get upgrade -y
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Installing Minecraft: Education Edition From Google Play Store
Many Chromebooks support running Android apps through the Google Play Store. Chromebooks released in and after 2017 support Android apps directly. Some older Chromebooks have also got the feature via updates. We have a complete guide to running Android apps on a Chromebook, but we will include the basic steps in the instructions below.
As of now, the Android version of the full Minecraft game isnt available for Chromebooks. However, you can download and install Minecraft: Education Edition on your Chromebook from the Play Store. Its not the same, but it is a more student-centric version of the game. You will need to have a subscription through the education email address to run this version post-installation.
Before you start, make sure your Chromebook has the latest version of Chrome OS. Open the Settings app by clicking the time at the right bottom corner of the screen, on the status bar, and clicking the Settings cog.
Select the Apps option. If your Chromebook supports Google Play Store, you will see the option listed on the Apps screen. Click the Turn on button next to the Google Play Store option.
Open the Google Play Store from the dock/taskbar or via search. Look for Minecraft: Education Edition by searching for it. Click on the Install button.
Itll take some time, but Minecraft: Education Edition will eventually finish installing. Launch it by clicking the Open button on the Play Store screen. You can also open it by looking for it in search.
Option : Minecraft On Chromebook
Unfortunately, there is no official version of Minecraft on Chromebook available, even though it seems like such an ideal combination. However, there is a simple solution available for anyone who would like to use Minecraft on Chromebook. All you need is the Android application.
Before you can install Android apps on your Chromebook, you need to check if the is supported. To do that, go to settings and scroll through on this page until you see the heading Google Play Store. Simply configure that feature, and youve come a long way.
Please note that if you would like to play Minecraft, you do need an Office 365 Education or Office 365 Commercial account. Otherwise, unfortunately, you wont be able to sign up, and then you wont get into the game either. So you have to jump through quite a few hoops to get this settled, but afterwards youll have a fun game in return.
If this method doesnt work for you, or you dont meet the requirements to install Minecraft on your Chromebook, there is still another alternative. However, it will be a lot more complicated.
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Installing Minecraft Using Pojavlauncher
If your Chromebook has an ARM chipset, i.e., it runs on a CPU not from Intel or AMD, the Linux method will not work for you. In that case, you will need to install PojavLauncher, which helps run the Android version of Minecraft on ARM-based and x86-based Chromebooks.
Open the Settings app on your Chromebook by clicking on the time at the right bottom corner of the screen, on the status bar, and clicking the Settings icon.
Click on the Apps tab. If your Chromebook supports Google Play Store, you will see the option listed on the Apps screen. Click the Turn on button next to the Google Play Store option.
Open the Google Play Store from the dock/taskbar or via search. Search for PojavLauncher, and open it in the Play Store by clicking on the search result. Click the Install button.
Once installed, run PojavLauncher. Grant it storage permission when prompted.
It will download and install the files needed to run Minecraft and then give you the option to log in to Minecraft.
Install Linux On The Chromebook
Now you can install the Linux distro with Crouton. Follow the steps:
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Play Education Edition On Chrome Os
The easiest to install the Minecraft edition on Chromebook is Education Edition. The Education Edition is specially made for classrooms and online learning where you can learn chemistry, mathematics, architecture, agriculture, and a lot more things from the friendly worlds of Minecraft to boost creativity.
It is education-centric so many things from Full Minecraft versions are absent in it. But if you want to get a taste of Minecraft on your Chromebook, the simplest way is to use the Education Edition.
The Minecraft Education Edition is on the Play Store as a free app. If youre asking, why are we referring to an Android app that is only available on Google Play Store to run on a Chromebook? Its because Chrome OS allows the installation of Android apps. The only hurdle is that you need an education email to log in to this Minecraft version.
For Individual Chromebook Users
If you bought a Chromebook yourself, you can install and play Minecraft by getting an education email address or school account from a friend or relative. Follow these steps:
- From the left pane at the left, select Apps.
- Youll see the Google Play Store option if your Chromebook supports it. If you can see it, press the Turn On button.
- Open Google Play Store and install Minecraft Education Edition.
- Find a valid education email address or school account from a friend, log in and play Minecraft.
For Students Who Have School Chromebooks
How To Fix Minecraft Running Slow On Chromebooks
If you have a lower-end Chromecast device and you find that Minecraft still runs pretty slow even after updating the settings above, you can install OptiFine for Minecraft. This app optimizes your framerate for lower-end Chromebooks. Just download the latest version of Optifine, place it in your Linux files folder, and in the Terminal window type:
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Best Solutions To Install Minecraft On Chromebook
Minecraft is the bestseller game in the world at the time of this writing. You can mine, craft, and build with limitless possibilities. You have the freedom to buy and install Minecraft on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux. But perhaps the only operating system that doesnt support Minecraft is Chrome OS. So, how to play Minecraft on your Chromebook? If you want to know, keep reading.
Installing Minecraft: Java Edition On A Chromebook
First and foremost, youre going to need a Chromebook that supports Linux applications. You can find the Linux setting under the Developers tab of your Chromebooks settings menu. It will be nested under the Advanced tab right above About Chrome OS. Once youve enabled Linux, you can click here to learn more about setting up Linux on your device. Ready? Awesome. Lets go.
Note: Minecraft: Java Edition comes with a free demo version but you will need to purchase a license to access the full version of the game. It is a one-time purchase of $26.95. Alternatively, Minecraft: Java Edition is included with PC Game Pass that gives you access to hundreds of popular PC titles.
Installing Minecraft on Chrome OS is relatively straightforward thanks to the fact that Majong offers an official Linux version of the game specifically for Debian and Ubuntu Linux. It just so happens that Debian is the flavor of Linux that runs on supported Chromebooks. You can find the package on the Minecraft website here or you can download it directly from the link below. Once you have it, make sure to move it to your Linux folder in your Chrome OS Files App.
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Can I Play Minecraft On A Chromebook Which Editions Work
Minecraft is a sandbox construction video game developed by Mojang Studios. Players interact with a fully customizable three-dimensional environment made of blocks and entities. Its diverse gameplay lets players choose the way they play, with countless possibilities. There are currently three actively maintained editions of Minecraft Java Edition, Bedrock Edition, and Education Edition. If you recently switched to a Chromebook, you might be wondering if you can play Minecraft on your new device.
This question is a bit nuanced, as it depends on which edition of Minecraft youd like to play. Lets take a look at the options for playing each edition of Minecraft on a Chromebook or other Chrome OS device.
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How To Play Minecraft On Chromebook For Free
Before getting to the comprehensive guide, its worth noting that you can run the game on a Chromebook without switching to the Developer Mode and installing Crouton. Besides, you can get Minecraft running on the Stable channel. However, you must get Linux support on the computer.
With these 5 steps, you have completed the process of how to download Minecraft for Chromebook.
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Install Linux On Chromebook
Step 1: Open Settings and click on Advanced in the left pane.
Step 2: Click on Developers. If you have a school-issued Chromebook and the Developers menu is not available, contact your school administrator.
Step 3: In the Developers menu, click on the Turn on button corresponding to the Linux development environment section.
Enable The Developer Mode On A Chromebook
First, you need to enter the developer mode on your Chromebook so that you can install the Linux Distro. This isnt difficult as it sounds, especially if you follow these steps:
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Play Minecraft On Chrome Os Without A Hitch
So that was our guide on how to install and play the popular Minecraft game on Chromebook. The Android and Classic version is good for school students who want to get started with Minecraft on their Chromebooks. And if you want to play full-fledged Java Edition, then you will need Linux support. With the improved Linux , things seem much better now for Linux apps and Chrome OS games as a whole. You can, in fact, install Steam on Chromebook due to Linux support. Anyway, thats all from us. If you were able to play Minecraft on your Chromebook, comment below and let us know your gaming experience. Also, dont forget to read our Chrome OS tips and tricks article to learn some awesome tips for your Chromebook.
Get Minecraft: Bedrock Edition On Chromebook
The Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is explicitly designed to run on Android devices. Fortunately, Google already announced that Chrome OS is compitable with most Andorid App, which is why the Minecraft: Bedrock Edition can run on it, too! Here, you will be able to understand how to get Minecraft: Bedrock Edition
Previously, Mojangâs wildly popular Minecraft was blocked from being used on Chromebooks. Initially. There wasnât seem to be any reason for the sudden shutdown, but with time everything became clear. Microsoft announced their new educational edition of the game with enterprise features such as offline mode and multiplayer support, which was the reason why the game was discontinued.
However, thanks to Linux support on Chromebooks, and the Chrome OSâs ability to run Android app, it is quite possible to access the Minecraft: Bedrock Editon on the device. If you have purchased the Android version of Minecraft, you can easily play it on your Android.
Next, you need to download the Minecraft Bedrock Launcher on the device. It is third-party software that creates an environment where games can run well without any loss of quality. The Launcher has found a way to run native libraries from the Android version on your computer. Utilizing libc, they are able to fix any incompatibilities between this and other platforms such as Linux so that it can be utilized easily in programs written for those environments.
Method 2: Install Minecraft: Bedrock on Chromebook
9. Thatâs it!
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