Minecraft on Chromebook: how to play it on Chrome OS

We totally get that you wish to play Minecraft on Chromebook. It’s one of the most popular games ever, which thrives on accessibility. You are able to play the game on other mobile devices and laptops, so why not on your Chromebook? In this article, we’ll explain how you can make this happen.

What is Minecraft?

Perhaps you are not yet familiar with Minecraft, and therefore you could use an introduction. You may be a parent of a child asking for an explanation about Minecraft, or you may be clicking on this article simply out of interest. Whatever the case, you’ve come to the right place. Minecraft is a game that is very suitable for young players.

If we have to make a comparison – which is actually quite small – you can think of this as digital Lego. There already exist Lego games, of course, but rarely do we come across Lego adventures as big as Minecraft. In general, we encounter few games that spark creativity the way Minecraft does.

In Minecraft, you are able to do a lot of different things. You can create your own items, you can demolish buildings, you can play mini-games (that others have set up) and you can visit each other in your own world. Cooperation and creativity are key, which is why this is such a great game for children.

Minecraft Chromebook
Via: Microsoft

Chances are that your child has a Chromebook. As such, it is a nice and safe device on which they can study perfectly well, without too many distractions. Initially, a Chromebook is meant to work on, but recent models have excellent specifications for several games.

Minecraft is fortunately not an incredibly “heavy game”, as experts call it. Minecraft on Chromebook therefore requires relatively little from the hardware running (think for example of the processor and the working memory). But how do you get the game running on a Chromebook?

As a matter of fact, Minecraft is currently available on Android and iOS, as well as on Windows and Linux. There are also versions available for all the major and important game consoles these days. So, there are more than enough possibilities for your child to enjoy this imaginative game.

Minecraft Chromebook
Via: Microsoft

Option 1: 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 Google Play Store 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 you’ve come a long way.

Installing Minecraft on Chromebook
This is how you install Minecraft on Chromebook.
Now open the Google Play Store
Search for Minecraft. Be sure to check if the publisher of the game is called Mojang.
Choose Minecraft: Education Edition
In the Google Play Store, there are two apps: Minecraft and Minecraft: Education Edition. The page for Minecraft: Education Edition lists the requirements for use. Go through these carefully, since they might be useful for you. The regular version of the app does not work on Chromebook, though.
Download the game
Download and install the game. Children can log in for free no less than ten times. After that, you’ll need to purchase a subscription. You can read more about that on this page.

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 won’t be able to sign up, and then you won’t get into the game either. So you have to jump through quite a few hoops to get this settled, but afterwards you’ll have a fun game in return.

If this method doesn’t work for you, or you don’t meet the requirements to install Minecraft on your Chromebook, there is still another alternative. However, it will be a lot more complicated.

Via: Microsoft

Option 2: Minecraft on Chromebook via Linux

There is another way to run Minecraft on Chromebook, but this is a tough one. First, you need to activate Linux on the device. You can find that option under the advanced options within the settings. There, you will find the options for developers; please activate this mode.

Minecraft on Chromebook via Linux
This is how you install Minecraft on Chromebook via Linux.
After installing, you open the Linux Terminal.
Press the search button and look for ‘terminal’. Open that one.
Use the command below to update Linux.
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
Now download the Minecraft.deb file from the official website.
You can find the link here. Move this file to your Linux files within the Files app.
Double-click the installation file and press Install.
This takes a few minutes.
Press the search button again and search for ‘minecraft’.
Now open the Minecraft launcher.
Log in with your Minecraft or Mojang account.
If you don’t already have one, you can create one here.
Logged in? Then press the Demo button now.
The game downloads the most recent version and restarts itself. Does it not? Then restart Minecraft manually (see step five).
Press Play Demo World and you can get started.
If you wish to play the full version, you’ll need to buy the game. In the game, you will see the option to do so.

As you can see, getting Minecraft running on Chromebook can be quite tricky. But once you get it all done, it’ll be a breeze down the road.

Gaming on a Chromebook is therefore definitely among the possibilities. For example, you can also play games like Fortnite and Roblox, just on your Chromebook.

Do you ever run into problems on your Chromebook? Then simply reset it. Find out what the best Chromebooks are, here.

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