The Minecraft EULA is the legal agreement between you and Mojang AB and Microsoft that covers Minecraft software and services. It lets you play, mod Java Edition and host Java servers. It does not let you distribute what Mojang made, or try to make money from it, without permission. A second document, the Usage Guidelines, adds extra permissions.
What the EULA and the Usage Guidelines are
The EULA applies to all Minecraft websites, software, experiences and services, with two exceptions: the Minecraft Shop and Minecraft Education, which have their own terms. It works together with the Microsoft Services Agreement. Mojang's EULA summary says you may develop tools, plug-ins and services "as long as they do not seem official or approved by us, such as by using our logos."
The Minecraft Usage Guidelines are a separate document, linked from the EULA at aka.ms/MCUsageGuidelines. The EULA calls them "extra permissions that we give to the community" and says Mojang can change them or withdraw the permissions, and that they "often change". Mojang's announcement says it merged its older commercial and brand guidelines into one document and added sections on music, in-person events and technology that creates artificial scarcity.
What the rules say about mods and player-made content
The mod clause starts with Java Edition: if you have bought it, you may modify it by adding modifications, tools or plugins, which the EULA calls "Mods". A Mod is "something original" that does not contain a substantial part of Mojang's copyrightable code or content. Mojang says it has "the final say" on what counts as a Mod.
The line the EULA draws is between a Mod and a "Modded Version", which is your Mod combined with the game. In its words, "Mods are okay to distribute; hacked versions or Modded Versions of the game client or server software are not okay to distribute." A Mod you create from scratch belongs to you, as long as you do not sell it or try to make money from it and do not distribute Modded Versions.
Content follows the same split. Under the EULA, a single block with its textures and look and feel belongs to Mojang, while a Gothic cathedral with a rollercoaster through it does not. Mojang also states that it may take down Mods or other software that break the Usage Guidelines.
| Topic | What the EULA says | EULA section |
|---|---|---|
| Playing | Buying the games means you can download, install and play them | What you can and can't do |
| Java server software | You can install it on a server and host online play | What you can and can't do |
| Distributing Mojang's work | Not allowed unless Mojang specifically agrees | What you can and can't do |
| Your own Mods | They are yours, but you may not sell them or try to make money from them | Using mods |
| Modded Versions | Not okay to distribute | Using mods |
| Realms access | You cannot sell, lease, rent, transfer or give away access, or get benefits for letting others play | Realms |
What the rules say about running a server
The EULA gives one plain permission: for the server software of Java Edition, "you can install it on a server and host online play." Hosting is allowed. The same section then bars distributing anything Mojang made, and it defines that to include making commercial use of it, trying to make money from it, or letting others access it "in a way that is unfair or unreasonable."
The EULA text does not spell out which server income is acceptable. That detail sits in the Usage Guidelines, which we did not read in full, so we state no rule about donations, ranks or paid perks. If you run plugins, our plugins, mods and data packs comparison explains what each one is, and the modded server hosting guide covers setup.
What the rules say about making money
The EULA's default is no. Do not "make commercial use of anything we've made" or "try to make money from anything we've made" without permission. "What we have made" is defined broadly: it includes updates, patches, downloadable or Marketplace content, add-ons, modified versions of a game, and merchandise. The Usage Guidelines are where Mojang sets out what it allows, and they can be withdrawn without notice.
What players commonly get wrong
- Treating a mod and a modded game as the same thing. The EULA allows distributing Mods and forbids distributing Modded Versions.
- Assuming your own mod can be sold. The EULA says you own it, but not if you try to make money from it.
- Treating the Usage Guidelines as fixed. Mojang says it can change them or withdraw permissions at any time without notice.
- Selling Realms access. The EULA names this as something you cannot do.
- Using Mojang's logos on a tool. The summary says tools and services should not seem official or approved.
- Expecting Mojang to fix broken mods. The EULA says it takes no responsibility when updates break Mods, and suggests trying an older version.
What this means if you use mods or run a server
For most players the EULA changes nothing day to day. The mod clause is written for Java Edition, so see Minecraft Java vs Bedrock for how the editions differ, and what a Minecraft mod is for the term. The EULA also says all game downloads and updates should come from a source Mojang authorises, which is a reason to check where mods are downloaded from. If you plan to publish a pack of your own, read the Usage Guidelines first, then our modpack guide for the practical side.
Limits of this reading
We quote the EULA and Mojang's announcement, and nothing more. The announcement's lists of updated and added points were not in the text we read, and we have not read the full guidelines. Where a rule depends on them, the answer is to read the current guidelines page, because Mojang says it changes often.
