Minecraft Bedrock Edition

What is Bedrock Edition?

Minecraft Bedrock Edition is the cross-platform version of Minecraft, written in C++. It runs on Windows 10/11, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices with iOS and Android. It is the most widely available version of the game. According to Xbox figures from September 2026, Minecraft as a whole has sold over 425 million copies across all versions.

The name "Bedrock" comes from the internal name of the engine (Bedrock Engine), which Mojang developed as the successor to the original Pocket Edition code from 2011. Unlike Java Edition, Bedrock is optimized for lower-end hardware and uses much less RAM. On a phone with 3 GB of RAM the game runs smoothly at 60 FPS, which is practically out of reach on Java Edition.

Since June 2022, buying Minecraft on PC (through the Microsoft Store or minecraft.net) gives you both versions: Java and Bedrock. You do not have to choose. On consoles and phones, only Bedrock Edition is available.

Platforms and hardware requirements

Bedrock Edition runs on six categories of devices. Every platform has identical game content: the same updates, the same mobs, the same biomes. The differences are in the interface (controller vs. touchscreen vs. keyboard) and performance.

For more on how to download and install the game on each of these platforms, see our detailed guide, how to download Bedrock Edition.

Crossplay: play with anyone, on anything

Crossplay is the biggest advantage of Bedrock Edition over Java Edition. A player on an iPhone can join the same world as players on Xbox, PS5 and PC, all at once. You need no extra tools or servers. A free Microsoft account and friends added by gamertag are enough.

How crossplay works

1. Sign in with a Microsoft account. You use the same account on every platform. On PlayStation you also have to link your PSN account to your Microsoft account.
2. Add friends. Search for your friend's gamertag and send an invite. They show up in your friends list regardless of platform.
3. Invite them to your world. The host creates a world, and friends join through the "Friends" tab in the game menu.

One limitation: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition are not compatible with each other. A Java player cannot join a Bedrock world and vice versa. If your friends play on different versions, check the key differences between Java and Bedrock to decide which version to meet on.

Minecraft Marketplace

The Marketplace is a built-in store for content made by official Mojang partners and independent creators (the so-called Marketplace Partners). You will find skin packs, texture packs, maps, mash-up packs and world templates here. Everything is bought with Minecoins, Minecraft's virtual currency.

Minecoin prices (as of October 2026)

Prices in the table are in US dollars, before taxes and local fees. The price in your local currency depends on the platform and store, so check it before you buy. On PlayStation the same bundles are called Tokens and cost the same. From October 27, 2026, Minecoins bought on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 work only on Nintendo consoles, and Minecoins bought on other devices will not work in the Marketplace on Switch. Minecoins owned before that date go to the Legacy Wallet, keep working on compatible platforms and do not expire (details of the change).

Typical content prices: a skin pack is 300-500 MC, an adventure map 600-1,500 MC, a texture pack 300-800 MC. Purchased content is tied to your Microsoft account and available on all platforms.

An important difference from Java Edition: on Java you can download all skins, texture packs and maps for free from community sites (for example Planet Minecraft and CurseForge). Free add-ons exist on Bedrock too, but you have to install them manually as add-ons. The Marketplace is a convenient but paid alternative.

Realms: private servers from Mojang

Realms is Mojang's official Minecraft server hosting service. On Bedrock Edition you can choose between two separate plans: the basic Realms and Realms Plus, which is available only on Bedrock and adds a library of Marketplace content. Your world runs 24/7 in the Microsoft cloud: you do not have to keep a computer on, and you do not need to configure ports or DNS. You invite friends and play whenever you want.

What Realms Plus includes

• 24/7 server: the world is available all the time, even when the owner is offline
• Up to 10 players at once: you can invite up to 10 friends (more can be on the list in total, but at most 10 play at the same time)
• Automatic backups: Realms creates backups of the world that you can roll back to if something goes wrong
• Marketplace content included: Realms Plus includes the same rotating library of worlds, add-ons, textures, skins and Character Creator items as Marketplace Pass (a separate subscription at $3.99 per month), at no extra cost
• Crossplay: players from different platforms join the same Realm

Realms plans (March 2026)

Realms Plus costs roughly twice as much per month as basic Realms. Check the current price in your platform's store.

An alternative: if you need more control (plugins, custom settings, more players), you can set up your own Bedrock server. It is more technical, but free. Check out our guide to server software and the guide to setting up a server.

Bedrock Edition add-ons and modding

Modding in Bedrock Edition works very differently from Java Edition. Instead of .jar files loaded through Forge or Fabric, Bedrock uses a system of add-ons made of two types of packs:

• Resource Packs change how the game looks: block textures, mob models, sounds, the interface. The equivalent of Java's texture packs.
• Behavior Packs change how the game works: mob behavior, new crafting recipes, new items, altered mechanics. The closest equivalent of Java "mods", though with fewer capabilities.

You install add-ons manually (download a .mcpack or .mcaddon file and open it in the game) or buy ready-made ones through the Marketplace. For a detailed guide to creating and installing add-ons, see Bedrock add-ons.

If you want more ways to modify the game (thousands of mods, shaders, full control over the code), consider Java Edition. On Java you will find mod loaders such as Forge and Fabric, with thousands of free mods on CurseForge and Modrinth.

Updates and version numbers

Bedrock Edition receives the same major updates as Java Edition, usually in the same week. Since 2017, Mojang has maintained content parity between the two editions. New biomes, mobs, blocks and mechanics arrive on both platforms at the same time.

Since 2026, the version number starts with the release year (26 means 2026), but the two editions still count differently. Java numbers its drops 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3, while Bedrock jumps in tens (26.0, 26.10, 26.20 and so on) and increases the last digit for hotfixes, for example 26.51 and 26.52. So the same update has a different number on each edition: the Wilderness Bound drop from September 15, 2026 is Java 26.3 and Bedrock 26.50. Before that, Java used the format 1.21.4 and Bedrock 1.21.50.

Beta and preview versions

On Bedrock you can test upcoming features in two ways:

• Minecraft Preview is a separate app with features from upcoming updates, with its own world list. It runs on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and on iPhone and iPad through TestFlight (with a limited number of spots). It is the equivalent of snapshots in Java Edition.
• Beta program (Android and ChromeOS): on Android you sign up for the beta program in Google Play. The beta replaces your standard version of the game in the same app.

We cover installation on each platform and the closed beta on Nintendo Switch 2 in our guide to Minecraft Preview on Bedrock.

Frequently asked questions about Bedrock Edition