Minecraft updates itself on most platforms by default. Opening the official Java launcher, the Bedrock app on Windows, or Minecraft on mobile or console usually hands you the current release without any extra steps, as long as you are signed in and online. The one edition that does not update on its own is a self-hosted Java server, which keeps whatever version it was installed with until someone swaps the server jar by hand.
This guide covers getting onto the current release on each platform, plus a self-hosted server jar swap. Moving to an older version on purpose, for example to match a mod that has not caught up yet, is a different task with its own risks; see how to change your Minecraft version for that.
Update Minecraft Java Edition through the official launcher
The default installation in the official launcher is named Latest release, and it always points at whatever Mojang currently ships as the current version. Opening the launcher while signed in and online, then pressing Play, already gets you the current release. There is no separate download step.
If the launcher looks stuck on an older build, quit it completely, including from the system tray, then reopen it. The launcher fetches the current version list on launch, so a full restart forces the check.
A launcher stuck on an old version more often means the active installation is pinned to a specific release or snapshot instead of Latest release. Switch it back with these steps:
- 1.Open the official launcher and sign in.
- 2.Select the Installations tab.
- 3.Open the installation you play from.
- 4.Under Version, change the selection to Latest release.
- 5.Save the installation, then press Play.
Update Minecraft Bedrock Edition on Windows
Bedrock Edition on Windows installs and updates through the Microsoft Store, not the game itself. The Store keeps apps current automatically when Windows Update is on, so most players never see an explicit update prompt inside Minecraft.
- 1.Open the Microsoft Store app.
- 2.Select Library from the left sidebar.
- 3.Click Get updates.
- 4.Let Minecraft update if it appears in the list, then launch it from the Store or the Start menu.
Update Minecraft Bedrock Edition on mobile and console
On phones and tablets, Minecraft updates through the platform's own app store, the same as any other app.
- iOS and iPadOS: open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and update Minecraft if it is listed.
- Android: open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, go to Manage apps and device, and update Minecraft if it is listed.
Console versions of Bedrock Edition on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch update automatically while the console stays connected online, usually as a background download the next time the game closes or the console goes into standby. If an update seems to be missing, check the pending downloads queue in that console's own store, or highlight Minecraft in your library and look for an update option there.
Update a self-hosted Minecraft server
A self-hosted Java server never updates itself. It keeps running whatever version its server.jar file was built from until someone replaces that file by hand.
- 1.Stop the server completely and confirm the process has exited.
- 2.Back up the world folder and server configuration files.
- 3.Download the current server jar for Java Edition from Minecraft's own server jar page.
- 4.Replace the old server.jar in the server's root folder with the new one, keeping the same filename your start script expects.
- 5.Start the server and watch the console log for the world to load without errors.
The server's Java runtime has to support the version you are moving to, the same requirement as any Java install: 1.20.4 and earlier needs Java 17, 1.20.5 through 1.21.11 needs Java 21, and 26.1 onward needs Java 25. A host still running an older Java runtime fails to start the new jar rather than falling back to it quietly.
Third-party server software such as Paper follows its own build and update process instead of Mojang's server jar, so the steps above are for a vanilla server. See how to install plugins on a Minecraft server if you are running Paper or Spigot instead.
If some players are still on an older client right after you update, a compatibility plugin like ViaVersion lets a newer or older client connect without forcing everyone to update at the same moment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I update Minecraft on PC?
It depends on which edition you own. Java Edition updates through the official launcher: open it, make sure your installation is set to Latest release, and press Play. Bedrock Edition on Windows updates through the Microsoft Store's Library and Get updates option. The two editions use separate accounts, separate installs, and separate update paths, and owning one does not carry over to the other.
Why didn't Minecraft update automatically?
On Java Edition, the most common cause is an installation pinned to a specific release or snapshot instead of Latest release. On Bedrock, it is usually the Microsoft Store or your phone's app store not having checked recently, or automatic updates turned off in that store's settings. Reopening the launcher or manually checking for updates in the relevant store resolves most cases.
Do I need to update Java myself when Minecraft updates?
Not if you use the official launcher. It bundles and manages its own Java runtime and switches to whichever version the current release needs automatically. You only manage Java yourself for a third-party launcher that does not bundle a runtime, or for a self-hosted server, where the host machine needs a Java version that matches the release it is running.
Will updating break my mods or shaders?
It can. Mods, shaders, and resource packs are built against specific Minecraft versions, and an update can outpace them before their creators release a compatible build. If you rely on a modded setup, hold off on updating that installation until you have confirmed your mods support the new version, or keep it on its current version deliberately with a separate installation.
How do I check what version I'm running?
On Java Edition, the version is printed in the bottom-left corner of the title screen. On Bedrock, open Settings from the main menu and look under the About or General section. Either one tells you whether you are already on the current release before you go looking for an update.
