Do you have to buy Minecraft again on a new device

Usually not. Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition purchases follow the store and the account that bought them, so a new device on the same platform needs no second purchase. A different platform, such as a console after a phone, uses a different store, and Minecraft Help describes no transfer between stores.

The short answer depends on the edition and the store

Minecraft Help's page on new devices (text last edited 2026-01-05) says you can install and play on a new device if you previously bought Minecraft for that platform and sign in with the same account. Its example is a new Windows PC: install Minecraft, then sign in with the Microsoft account that owns it. We read the help pages on 24 October 2026. We did not buy, move or test a purchase on any device.

Which editions share a licence

On PC, one purchase covers two editions. Buying from the Microsoft store or Minecraft.net gives you Bedrock Edition for Windows and Java Edition for macOS and Linux in the same bundle, and Windows players can use either (Minecraft Help, text last edited 2025-12-01). What the bundle contains is covered in what the Java and Bedrock bundle includes, so this page does not repeat it.

Consoles can offer a one-off upgrade. When Minecraft launched on PS5 (Minecraft.net, 22 October 2024), owners of Bedrock Edition for PS4 could claim the PS5 release for free through the PlayStation Store. Disc owners must keep the PS4 disc inserted to play on PS5. That is a PlayStation arrangement, and the pages we read name no equivalent for other stores. See Minecraft on PS5 for how the two differ.

Which purchases are bound to one platform

Minecraft Help lists a separate store for each platform. For a console or phone, its advice is to install from the store you originally bought from.

Classic, Education, the China release and the Raspberry Pi edition each have their own site, so they are not covered by a Bedrock or Java purchase. The Switch also has the Super Mario Mash-Up, which Minecraft Help says is exclusive to that platform. For prices, see how much Minecraft costs on PC.

What a Microsoft account moves and what it does not

On PC, the Microsoft account is the key. Signing in at Minecraft.net and opening My Games shows cards for the titles that account owns, and a Buy Now button appears under any it does not. What a Minecraft Microsoft account links covers the rest of what hangs off it.

It does not move your worlds. Minecraft Help says worlds travel by cloud, physical storage or Realms, and points to its Backup and Restore section. Our world backup guide covers the Java and Bedrock locations.

Old Mojang accounts are the other case. The migration to Microsoft accounts ended on 18 December 2023. Java single-player worlds on your drive stay unplayable until Java Edition is bought on a Microsoft account, and capes and skins tied to old accounts are not recoverable. Support no longer handles migration questions.

Moving to a new PC or console

The sequence on Minecraft Help is short: save your credentials, install from the right store and sign in, then move your worlds. For sharing a purchase inside a household, see what each store allows for family sharing.

What this means if you use mods or add-ons

The store list above shows Java Edition only on Windows, macOS and Linux, and every console and phone entry is Bedrock. A purchase on a console therefore cannot bring Java mods with it. Java mods need Java Edition, while Bedrock add-ons need Bedrock Edition. The PC bundle is the one purchase that covers both.

What to check if the game asks you to pay again

• Whether you are signed in with the account that made the purchase, not a second one.
• Whether the new device is on the same platform and store as the original purchase.
• Whether the title is the edition you own. Minecraft Help lists Java Edition only for Windows, Mac and Linux.
• Whether you can still recover the sign-in details of the buying account.

The pages we read do not say whether a console purchase unlocks the same game on a different brand of console or a phone, so treat each store as separate unless that store says otherwise. If a charge was a mistake, read whether you can get a Minecraft refund. Account sales and swaps are covered in whether you can transfer a Minecraft account or its licence.