Minecraft: Java Edition runs on Linux and on a Mac. Mojang lists 64-bit Linux and macOS 12 or newer, and offers launchers for both. Bedrock Edition's PC requirements list only Windows 10, so on Linux or Mac you play Java, which is also the edition that takes mods and shaders.
Which edition runs on Linux and Mac
Mojang's download page lists a Mac launcher, one for Arch and Arch-based systems, one for Debian and Debian-based systems, and one for other distributions. Its comparison table gives Java cross-play with Windows, Mac and Linux, while Bedrock cross-play is listed with Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and mobile. For the full split between the two editions, see Minecraft Java vs Bedrock Edition.
What Mojang lists for Java Edition
| Item | Minimum (1080p at 30 FPS, Fast preset) | Higher target (1080p at 60 FPS, Fancy preset) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS 12+ or Linux 64-bit (also Windows 10 64-bit or Windows on ARM) | macOS 14+ or Linux 64-bit (also Windows 11 64-bit) |
| Architecture | x64 or ARM64 | x64 or ARM64 |
| Memory | 8 GB with a discrete GPU, 12 GB with an integrated GPU | 16 GB |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-10100, AMD Ryzen 3 3100, Qualcomm Snapdragon X or Apple M1 (4 physical cores minimum) | Intel Core i5-12400, AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Apple M2 Pro |
| Graphics | Vulkan 1.3 capable GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, Intel Arc A580 or Apple M2 Pro, with 6 GB VRAM |
Mojang published these figures in an article dated 21 July 2026. It says older graphics cards, some older integrated graphics and older Intel-based Macs may now sit below the minimum. Java should still launch there, but performance and visual quality are no longer guaranteed, and it may fail to launch in the future. The wider Windows picture is on Minecraft System Requirements for Java and Bedrock on PC.
Why Vulkan matters on both systems
Java Edition has rendered with OpenGL since the start. Mojang says OpenGL stopped receiving updates 9 years ago and is deprecated on macOS, and that it will eventually not run at all there. Its answer is a move to Vulkan: supported directly on modern Linux and Windows devices, and on macOS through a translation layer, which Mojang says carries no performance penalty. Players with GPUs ten years old or more may find Vulkan unsupported.
Mojang plans a period in snapshots where players can switch between OpenGL and Vulkan, and says players will be told before OpenGL is removed. No removal date has been announced in these pages.
What Bedrock Edition offers on Linux and Mac
The Bedrock requirements on Mojang's store page name Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher, on ARM or x64, and nothing for Linux or macOS. The one Linux Bedrock item Mojang lists is the Bedrock Dedicated Server, which hosts a world for Bedrock players. It requires Ubuntu 22.04 (LTS) or later, and Mojang states other distributions are not supported. It lets you host Bedrock on Linux, not play it there.
What it means for mods and loaders
Mods are Java Edition only, so Linux and Mac players are on the mod-capable edition by default. A mod runs only with the loader its file was made for, set up for the same game release. Fabric publishes a Linux install page that notes Java may need installing first. Pick a loader with Fabric vs Forge vs NeoForge, then follow How to Install Minecraft Mods on Java Edition.
The trade-off is the renderer change. Mojang expects mods that use OpenGL for rendering to need more effort to update to Vulkan than a normal release update, and asks players to be patient with authors. Mods that only touch game logic are not named in that warning. Distant Horizons says on its Modrinth page that it uses OpenGL or Vulkan.
Distant Horizons
Java Mod by jeseibel
What it means for shaders
Shader packs are Java Edition files and need a loader. Iris loads them on Fabric or NeoForge, and its newest builds on Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt require Sodium. It is a client-side mod, and the server does not support it.
Iris Shaders
Java Mod by coderbot
Pack steps are in How to Install Minecraft Shaders, and every pack we list is under Minecraft Shaders. Shaders add GPU work on top of the requirements above, and no source here measures that cost on Linux or Mac.
What it means for add-ons
Add-ons are Bedrock content, and Mojang's comparison table lists DLC add-ons as Bedrock only. With no Bedrock player listed for Linux or Mac, add-ons are not an option on those systems. What Minecraft Add-Ons Are on Bedrock Edition explains the format.
Limits of this page
We read Mojang's pages and the Fabric documentation on 11 October 2026. We did not run Minecraft on Linux or a Mac, and we did not test any mod or shader there. The sources do not say which Linux distributions beyond Arch and Debian families get launcher support, nor whether Bedrock will ever arrive on these systems.
Sources
- 1.Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC store page, system requirements (minecraft.net, read 11 October 2026)
- 2.Download Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition (minecraft.net, read 11 October 2026)
- 3.Minecraft Java Edition System Requirements (minecraft.net, 21 July 2026)
- 4.Another step towards Vibrant Visuals for Java Edition (minecraft.net)
- 5.Minecraft Bedrock Server Download (minecraft.net, read 11 October 2026)
- 6.Installing Fabric on Linux (Fabric Documentation)
