Minecraft on iPad is Bedrock Edition. It is sold in the App Store as "Minecraft: Play with Friends!" for $6.99 with in-app purchases (US listing, read 13 October 2026). Java Edition does not run on iPad, so Java mods do not either. Facts here come from Mojang's pages and the App Store listing. We did not play it on an iPad.
Which Minecraft edition runs on an iPad
Mojang's edition comparison says Java Edition is only available on Windows, Mac and Linux. Bedrock Edition covers Windows 10 and 11, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS. The App Store listing for the iPad app names Bedrock Edition directly when it describes cross-platform play. The same applies to an iPad mini, because the listing is one app and the sources we read name no model-specific edition.
Mojang's beginner page tells Apple users to search the app store for "Minecraft: Dream it, Build it!". The listing we read now carries the title "Minecraft: Play with Friends!", developer Mojang. Check the developer name, not the title.
How Minecraft is sold on the App Store
The US listing shows a price of $6.99, a 9+ age rating, a 1.3 GB size, controller support and 4.5 stars from 843K ratings. Its version history, read 13 October 2026, lists app version 26.52 dated Sep 28. That app number is separate from the Java numbering used on our latest version page.
The in-app purchases cover Minecraft Marketplace content and Realms. The listing offers a free 30-day in-app trial of Realms and Realms Plus, and says Realms Plus gives access to over 150 Marketplace items. Our Marketplace Pass explainer covers how that differs from Minecoins.
What the iPad version lacks compared with Java
| Feature | Java Edition | Bedrock Edition on iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on iPad | No, Windows, Mac and Linux only | Yes, from the App Store |
| Mods | Yes, from third-party sites | No Java mods, add-ons instead |
| Older release versions | Any release can be chosen in the launcher | Latest stable or beta/preview only |
| Content store | Third-party sites | Minecraft Marketplace |
| Private hosting | Realms | Realms Plus, up to 10 players |
The trade-off is plain. You get a curated store and add-ons, and you lose the open mod scene. Our Java vs Bedrock comparison goes deeper, and what a mod is explains why those files cannot load here.
Playing with friends on other devices
Mojang says crossplay works so long as everyone is on Bedrock Edition. Java and Bedrock players cannot join each other, because the two use different servers. An iPad player can therefore join friends on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and Android Bedrock, but not a friend on Java. The App Store listing says multiplayer servers allow up to 4 players online with a free Xbox Live account. Bedrock's featured servers need a Microsoft account, and splitscreen exists only on console versions. The app may also ask for Local Network permission to find devices on the same Wi-Fi. See which devices play together.
Add-ons, packs and skins on iPad
This is where iPad players customise. Add-ons change how things look and behave, and they are Bedrock only. A .mcaddon or .mcpack file imports when opened with Minecraft on a tablet, then packs are switched on per world. Our add-on install guide and iOS texture pack guide cover the steps, and what add-ons are defines them. Bedrock skins are imported from the Dressing Room's classic skins section, per our skins guide. Browse the Bedrock add-ons we list for what exists.
iPad models and updates
The listing points to a Mojang help page for device requirements. We could not read a model list from it, so we cannot say which iPad or iPad mini models are supported. Check that page before buying. Testing versions on iOS arrive through a separate app called Minecraft Preview, which leaves your main worlds alone (see what Preview is). For updating, see how to update Minecraft.
