Bedrock setup playbook, one device at a time

Install on Windows PC

1. Sign in on the Windows machine with the Microsoft account that will own the game. Open account.microsoft.com and confirm you are signed in with the intended email address.
2. Open the Microsoft Store or the Xbox app. Sign in with the same Microsoft account if prompted.
3. Search for “Minecraft” or open the Java & Bedrock for PC listing on minecraft.net/en-us/get-minecraft/pc. That listing delivers both editions in one purchase on Windows.
4. Complete checkout. The Store queues the download to that account's library. Wait for it to finish before launching.
5. Launch Minecraft. Choose Bedrock (or Java) from the launcher, sign into your Microsoft account inside the game if prompted, and complete the first launch. The game will confirm entitlement and download the current Bedrock version.

Reference: Microsoft Store: Minecraft for Windows lists the current PC requirements (Windows 10 version 19041.0 or higher, ARM64 or x64, 4 GB memory minimum at the time of writing).

Install on Nintendo Switch

1. Sign into the Nintendo Account that will play. Open the Nintendo eShop and search for Minecraft. Buy it on that account.
2. Wait for the download to finish, then launch Minecraft. On first launch, sign into a Microsoft account inside the game — this is required on Switch as on every Bedrock device, and it controls friends and cross-play.
3. For online multiplayer, ensure the Nintendo Account has active Nintendo Switch Online.
4. For a child, adjust Nintendo's parental controls (screen time, restricted content, in-game purchases) before the child first launches.

Reference: the Nintendo Switch 2 version has been announced with a 27 October release, per Nintendo; as of 28 August 2026 that release has not shipped, so plan around the current Nintendo Switch version.

Microsoft account & family setup

Every Bedrock device signs into a Microsoft account inside the game. That account decides friends, Realm invites, Marketplace library, and cross-play permission. For a child, set up the account inside a Microsoft Family group before first launch so the multiplayer button is not greyed out on day one.

1. Create the child's Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com with a birth date that matches the child. That birth date is what Microsoft uses to apply child protections.
2. Add the child to a Microsoft Family group as a child member from an adult's account.
3. Open the Xbox family hub or the equivalent in Microsoft Family. Allow multiplayer, add friends, and chat permissions per your judgement.
4. Set spending limits before Minecoins can reach the wallet — refunds after purchase depend on the store's policy and are not guaranteed.
5. Sign the child out and back in on any device already signed in with that account, so the setting change takes effect.

Reference: Microsoft, Family Safety spending limits and Xbox family hub.

Buy Again escalation chain

“Buy Again” almost always means the store is signed in with a different Microsoft account than the one that owns the license. Walk this chain top-to-bottom before contacting support.

1. Confirm order in your Microsoft account order history at account.microsoft.com/billing/orders. Note the exact email address and order date.
2. Confirm the same Microsoft account is signed into the Microsoft Store on Windows and into the Xbox app.
3. Confirm the game appears in that account's library — Xbox app > Library or the Store website.
4. Sign out of the Store and Xbox app completely, restart the machine, sign back in with the owning account. Give the entitlement 15 minutes to sync.
5. If the mismatch persists, open a ticket at aka.ms/Minecraft-Support with the order ID, the exact error text, and the account email. Provide screenshots of Settings > About inside the game if it launches.

Reference: Microsoft, help with Store purchases.