Minecraft Education Edition

What is Minecraft Education Edition?

Minecraft Education Edition (Minecraft: Education or MCE for short) is a special version of Minecraft designed from the ground up for use in schools and universities. Mojang Studios (owned by Microsoft) released it in 2016, and since then it has become one of the most popular educational tools in the world, used in more than 115 countries by millions of students and teachers. In 2026, Minecraft Education turns ten, as mentioned in our recap of the September 26, 2026 Minecraft Live.

Unlike the standard version of Minecraft, Education Edition has built-in tools for running lessons, managing a class and coding. The game is integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and Active Directory, which means students sign in with their school accounts and the teacher has full control over the gameplay.

Minecraft Education Edition runs on the Bedrock Edition engine, so it works smoothly on Windows and macOS computers, Chromebooks, iPads and mobile devices. The interface is identical to regular Minecraft: students who know the game from home (for example after working through our first steps guide) feel comfortable right away. The difference lies in the extra learning tools that you won't find in any other version.

Differences from Java Edition and Bedrock Edition

Many teachers ask: "Why can't I just use regular Minecraft?" It's a fair question. Here are the key differences between the three main editions of Minecraft, and the reasons why Education Edition is the best choice for teaching.

Comparison table

Key learning features

Minecraft Education Edition stands out for a set of tools that turn the game into a teaching platform. These are the most important ones:

Chemistry Lab

Chemistry Lab is an extension that adds a realistic chemistry system to Minecraft. Students can build molecules from atoms, combine elements into compounds and run experiments, all in a safe, virtual environment. The tools include:

• Element Constructor: creates atoms from protons, neutrons and electrons. The student sets the number of subatomic particles and gets the matching element from the periodic table.
• Compound Creator: combines elements into chemical compounds (for example NaCl, H₂O, C₆H₁₂O₆). The game checks that the formula is correct.
• Lab Table: a lab bench for running experiments and mixing substances. You can create substances that aren't available in the standard game (for example latex, luminol, glue).
• Material Reducer: breaks Minecraft blocks down into chemical elements. It shows what blocks are made of (for example, stone is silicon, oxygen and other elements).

Code Builder

Code Builder is an integrated coding environment that lets students write code to control gameplay in Minecraft. You open it with the C key, and it supports three levels:

• MakeCode (blocks): Scratch-style visual programming. Ideal for grades 1-6. Students drag code blocks, snap them together and watch the results in the game in real time.
• MakeCode (JavaScript): the step from blocks to text-based JavaScript. The code is generated automatically from the blocks or written by hand. A great intermediate step for grades 5-8.
• MakeCode (Python): text-based Python programming in the same MakeCode editor. Students write scripts that build structures and use loops, conditions and functions. For grades 7+ and secondary schools. The separate Python Notebooks environment was removed from Code Builder in version 1.21.132 in February 2026.

Code Builder talks to the game in real time: the code you write runs in the Minecraft world immediately. A student can write a loop that builds a wall of 100 stone blocks, or a function that creates a house with given dimensions (just like in our redstone guide, logic is key). It's learning to code through instant, visual feedback.

Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is a Microsoft tool built into Education Edition that helps students with dyslexia and reading difficulties. Any text in the game (NPC dialogue, books, descriptions) can be read aloud with word highlighting. Immersive Reader supports translation into more than 60 languages, splitting words into syllables, and adjusting the text size and background. It's a powerful tool for inclusion.

Camera and Portfolio

Students can use a virtual camera to take photos of their builds and projects. The photos go into the Portfolio, a personal album tied to the student's account. The Portfolio can be exported as a PDF file, which makes grading and documenting progress easier. The teacher can see the portfolio of every student in the class.

NPC guides

Non-Player Characters (NPCs) in Education Edition act as virtual guides. The teacher creates an NPC and gives it text with instructions, links to websites and tasks. Students walk up to the NPC, click it and read the instructions. It's a great way to lead students through the stages of a lesson without having to keep explaining everything out loud.

Boards and signs

Education Edition extends what information boards can do. The teacher can place information boards in the world with longer text, formatting and links. Together with NPCs, this creates a navigation system for the lesson inside the Minecraft world: students know where to go, what to do and what the end result should look like.

Classroom Mode: managing your class

Classroom Mode is a separate companion app that the teacher runs alongside Minecraft Education Edition. It gives the teacher full control over the lesson without having to be in the game world. Classroom Mode shows a map of the world with every student's position in real time.

What can a teacher do with Classroom Mode?

• Track student positions: a 2D map shows where every student is. You can see who's working on the task and who's "sightseeing" instead of building.
• Teleport: move a student or a group of students to a specific place on the map with one click.
• Change the time of day: set day or night to control the conditions in the world.
• Mute chat: block text chat when you need the class's attention.
• Block destruction: turn on a "don't break" mode so students can't accidentally (or deliberately) destroy other people's builds.
• Control the weather: turn off rain and thunderstorms, which can be distracting.
• Manage permissions: decide who can build, who can use chat and who can enter specific zones.

Getting started: school account and installation

Getting started with Minecraft Education Edition takes a few organizational steps. Below you'll find step-by-step instructions for both teachers and school IT coordinators.

Prerequisites

• Your school needs a Microsoft 365 Education subscription (A1, A3 or A5), free or paid.
• The teacher and the students need school accounts in Azure Active Directory (for example firstname.lastname@yourschool.edu).
• Computers running Windows 10/11 or macOS 10.14+, an iPad (iOS 12+) or a Chromebook.
• An internet connection (to sign in; LAN play works offline once you're signed in).

Step-by-step installation

1. Check your license: contact your school's IT coordinator and confirm that the school has a Microsoft 365 Education license that covers Minecraft Education. A3 and A5 licenses include MCE. With an A1 license you have to buy it separately (about 22 PLN per user per year).
2. Download Minecraft Education: go to education.minecraft.net/get-started/download and download the installer for your operating system. On iPads, get it from the App Store, and on Chromebooks from Google Play.
3. Install the app: on Windows, run the downloaded .exe file or install it from the Microsoft Store. On macOS, drag it into the Applications folder. Installation takes 2-5 minutes.
4. Sign in with your school account: launch Minecraft Education and sign in with your school email address (for example teacher@yourschool.edu). The password is the same one you use for your school email and Microsoft 365.
5. Download Classroom Mode (optional): if you want to manage your class from a separate computer, download Classroom Mode from education.minecraft.net. It's a separate, lightweight app.
6. Create or download a world: in the main menu, choose "Library" to browse hundreds of ready-made lesson worlds. You can also build your own world from scratch by clicking "Create New".
7. Invite your students: once your world is running, click "Host". Students on computers in the same school network will see your world in the "Join" list. Alternatively, share the join code.

Price and licenses

One of the most common questions is: "How much does Minecraft Education Edition cost?" The answer depends on your Microsoft 365 license.

Minecraft Education included in your plan (free)

Schools with a Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 license (or Microsoft 365 Education with the right entitlements) get Minecraft Education Edition included in the subscription price, with no extra fees. This applies to teachers and students alike. In Poland, many schools have A3 licenses through agreements with their regional education authority or the body that runs the school.

Separate license

Schools with a Microsoft 365 A1 license (free) can buy Minecraft Education licenses for about $5.04 (about 22 PLN) per user per year. The license is assigned to the Azure AD account, not to a device, so a student can sign in on any computer at school.

Free trial

Every Microsoft 365 Education school account gets 25 free logins to Minecraft Education without buying a license. That lets you try the game in a few lessons before the school decides to buy it. Once the 25 logins are used up, you need a license.

Cost comparison

Ready-made lesson worlds

One of the biggest advantages of Minecraft Education Edition is the Library, with more than 500 ready-made lesson worlds created by Microsoft, NASA, the BBC, National Geographic and teachers from all over the world. Each world is a complete lesson with instructions, tasks and supporting materials.

Example worlds in the Library

• Hour of Code: a series of worlds for learning to code, from block basics to advanced Python. Ideal for the Hour of Code (an international Code.org initiative).
• International Space Station: a model of the International Space Station created together with NASA. Students explore the ISS modules and learn about life in space.
• Marine Biology: an underwater world for learning about marine biology, ocean ecosystems and the threats posed by ocean pollution. Get to know the Minecraft biomes to understand these environments better.
• Toki Greek Mythology: a world devoted to Greek mythology, with interactive tasks and quizzes.
• Sustainable City: build a sustainable city. Students learn about renewable energy, recycling and urban planning.
• Frozen Planet: made together with the BBC. Explore the Arctic and the Antarctic, climate change and how polar animals adapt.

Every world comes with a lesson plan that lists learning objectives, time requirements, a suggested grade level and instructions for the teacher. The lesson plans can be downloaded as PDF files. Most of these materials are in English, so on our lesson plans page we create Polish lesson plans adapted to the core curriculum of Poland's Ministry of Education.

Minecraft Education versions in 2026

Minecraft Education gets new Bedrock features later, in bigger batches. Three versions came out in 2026 (dates according to the Minecraft Wiki and the Minecraft Education release notes):

Version 26.32 is the first Minecraft Education release to use the year-based version numbers that Mojang announced in December 2025. The first number stands for the year, which is why 1.21.133 was followed directly by 26.32. The teacher and the students must be on the same Education version, so before a multiplayer lesson, check that every computer has the same update.

AI in Minecraft Education: Copilot Teach and Lesson Crafter

On April 14, 2026, the Minecraft Education team announced a Minecraft lesson planner in Teach, the Microsoft 365 Copilot module for teachers. You describe the topic of the lesson, choose the subject, grade level, language, standards and length, and Copilot drafts a plan built around in-game activities. The plan includes objectives, recommended blocks, items and tools, lesson stages with timings, world setup instructions for teachers with no Minecraft experience, and a link for students. You can save the finished plan to OneDrive or open it in Word.

Before that, Minecraft Education offered a separate tool called Lesson Crafter, a web app that generated lesson plans with Azure OpenAI language models. Its Responsible AI documentation warns that it only supports English content and only aligns lessons with the US Common Core standards. The aka.ms/lessoncrafter address now redirects to Teach in Microsoft 365.

Frequently asked questions