Minecraft is undoubtedly one of the most popular games in the world. After its release, Minecraft created a new kind of gaming genre called sandbox games where players could create, modify, or destroy their environment. Eventually, the game got developed for a multitude of platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more. However, even after these many years, the game has not been developed for Chrome OS. But there is nothing to worry as Chrome OS has Linux support. Now you can install and play Minecraft and many other Linux games on your Chromebook without much friction. So, let’s go ahead and find out the steps for Minecraft installation on Chromebook using Linux.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook in 2021

Before we begin, there are a few things that I want to clarify. You can run Minecraft on Chromebook without moving to the Developer Mode and installing Crouton. Also, you can get it running on the Stable channel. The only thing you should keep in mind is that you need Linux support on your Chromebook.

School-issued Chromebooks will not able to run Minecraft unless your administrator has enabled Linux support for your system. Keep in mind, recently Google brought the ability to use Linux apps even for school Chromebooks, but again, it will depend on your school administrator.

1. Before moving ahead, make sure you have set up Linux on your Chromebook. To explain briefly, open the Settings page and click on “Linux (Beta)” on the left pane. Now, click on “Turn on”. Try to allot more space to Linux during the setup.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook (January 2021)

2. Once Linux is installed, open the Linux Terminal. Just press the search key on the keyboard and search for “terminal“. Now open it. You can also open the App Drawer and look for “Linux apps”. There, you will find “Terminal”.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook (January 2021)

3. Now, run the below command. This will update your Linux to the latest build. 

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook (January 2021)

4. After updating the Linux build, download the Minecraft.deb file (Debian/Ubuntu) from the official website. After that, move the file to the “Linux files” section inside the Files app.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook 3

5. Now, double-click on the downloaded file and click on the “Install” button. Within a few minutes, Minecraft will be installed on your Chromebook.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook 3

6. Now to access Minecraft, press the Search key on the keyboard and search for “minecraft”. Finally, open “Minecraft Launcher”. You can also navigate to Linux apps in the App Drawer and open “Minecraft Launcher”.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook (January 2021)

7. Next, log in with your Mojang or Microsoft account.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook 3

8. After that, click on “Play Demo” at the bottom and it will start downloading the latest release and install the update itself. The app will close after the installation and will automatically reopen. In case, that does not happen, open “Minecraft Launcher” from the App Drawer manually.

minecraft

9. Finally, Minecraft will open up on your Chromebook and will be ready to play. Simply click on “Play Demo World” and off you go to the gameplay.

minecraft

10. The game runs fine with WASD key controls, and now mouse sensitivity is also quite good. However, if you want to adjust the sensitivity then open Options -> Mouse Settings and change the sensitivity to “Hyperspeed”. Now, you can play Minecraft on Chromebook smoothly and without any jitter.

Install and Play Minecraft on Chromebook 2

11. Apart from that, make sure to enable the below flag if you want to lock the mouse pointer while playing Minecraft on Chromebook. Just copy it and paste it on the address bar of Chrome and hit enter. Now, enable it and restart your Chromebook. 

chrome://flags/#exo-pointer-lock

exo pointer lock

12. In case you face any installation error then open the Terminal app from the App Drawer. After that, run the below Linux command to install the Java Development Kit. Finally, install the Minecraft.deb file normally from the Files app. 

sudo apt-get install default-jdk -y

install JDK

Enjoy Minecraft on Chromebook Without a Hitch

So that was our guide on how to install and play the popular Minecraft game on Chromebook. With the improved Linux (Beta), things seem to be much better now for Linux apps and Chrome OS games as a whole. And the best part is that you don’t need to make any changes to your Chromebook. Everything including the packages and dependencies is built into the Linux system.

Anyway, that is all from us. If you were able to play Minecraft on your Chromebook, do comment down below and let us know your gaming experience. Also, don’t forget to check out Chrome OS tips and tricks article to learn some awesome tips for your Chromebook.

241 COMMENTS

  4. I got to the minecraft home page and i cant do anything, when i try to buy it it says that its not compattible. What do I do?

  5. I already had Minecraft downloaded on my Chromebook but today when I went on the launcher it said “Launcher update: A new version of the Launcher is available. Please click here for more details.” I’m not sure how to download the update on Linux though. Could anyone help?

  6. this article is bs, it will not run on all linux beta supported chromebooks. the 11 a for example will not install the app even after using all the commands in the article and even some “fixes” i found on other sites. it just doesnt work

  7. Hey so on my Chromebook on step 4 I couldn’t move my download to the Linux (beta) folder…. how do I fix that? Please I need some help. It’s just a block game but why is this so frustrating!!?? I’ve tried many other methods so I hope this one works. Phew sorry just needed to rant a bit.

  9. i got it up and running but it is very laggy, i could buy the full mode to see if it works, but i am scared that i just wasted 30 dollars on a game that is very laggy. my chromebook is also fully up to date ands i tired everything i could to get it to stop being laggy.

  11. I need help, I can not play with my siblings but I have a chrome and they have mac and windows, they can play with each other but I can not play with them, can you plz help

  13. Attention all youths in the comment thread! When you cannot install certain dependencies, it is often a software or hardware incompatibility on your system. Software side is fixable and will require more Linux research. Minecraft may lag or run slow because the processor or graphics card (CPU or GPU) is incapable of running it, as this is very common for mid-range Chromebooks. Lastly, older Chromebooks won’t be able to run Minecraft at all because of its older Chrome OS version. You may need to buy a newer model, but I recommend buying a cheap Windows laptop and installing Xubuntu 20.10 (Or Xubuntu 20.04 LTS if you want extended support). Thank you and regards, DotMatrix.

  14. i cant play full minecraft i can play it in survival and foe 100 minutes its sooo boring its like the trial on windows

  15. yea i have this problem two The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    minecraft-launcher: Depends: default-jre but it is not installable
    Depends: libasound2 (>= 1.0.23) but it is not installable
    Depends: libatk1.0-0 (>= 1.12.4) but it is not installable
    Depends: libc6 (>= 2.11) but it is not installable
    Depends: libcairo2 (>= 1.6.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libcups2 (>= 1.4.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.1.4) but it is not installable
    Depends: libexpat1 (>= 1.95.8) but it is not installable
    Depends: libfontconfig1 (>= 2.8.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1) but it is not installable
    Depends: libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 (>= 2.22.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.26.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libgtk2.0-0 but it is not installable
    Depends: libgtk-3-0 (>= 3.18.9) but it is not installable
    Depends: libnspr4 (>= 1.8.0.10) but it is not installable
    Depends: libnss3 (>= 3.17.2) but it is not installable
    Depends: libpango1.0-0 (>= 1.14.0) but it is not installable or
    libpango-1.0-0 (>= 1.14.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 4.8.0) but it is not installable
    Depends: libx11-6 (>= 2:1.4.99.1) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxcomposite1 (>= 1:0.3-1) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxcursor1 (> 1.1.2) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxdamage1 (>= 1:1.1) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxext6 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxfixes3 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxi6 (>= 2:1.2.99.4) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxrandr2 (>= 2:1.2.99.3) but it is not installable
    Depends: libxrender1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxss1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxtst6 but it is not installable
    Depends: libx11-xcb1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxcb1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libbz2-1.0 but it is not installable
    Depends: libcurl3 but it is not installable or
    libcurl4 but it is not installable
    Depends: libuuid1 but it is not installable

        • You need to get a laptop that isn’t a junk chromebook. All you have to do is get a like $130 windows pc with 32 gb of storage to play minecraft and indie steam games. A cheap windows pc should always be considered when buying a first computer and your parents only got a chromebook because they are cheap.

  18. I tried this on my little sisters computer and it worked for the most part, but every time we try to open the app, the icon at the taskbar has the loading symbol on it and it just crashes. Any idea how to fix it?

  19. I got everything to work after a ton of struggle, but one I click to play, it downloads data, and said there was an error. After the error downloading that file, it won’t even try again, and now it won’t even open. ??? What’s going on ???

    • Upgrade your chrome book. It likely isn’t lag and instead a hardware issue. Lower end chrome books usually have poor specs that can’t handle games. Try turning down your graphics settings.

  22. well if you can`t download it well um uh i dont know and when i tried to download a mickey mouse game for my sister but it does not work hay do you have minecraft on your phone well if not download it on your phone but you have to have internet to download it hmm hay i got no that will not work hay it will work anyways thaire is this app my mom has it so you have a wish list on my wish list is: a nintendo switch hay is is um this is Beebom well i will chat with you guys later k k bye

  23. you know that i love mincraft but thare is one problem i cant play it😭 whait you all are haveing problems to? you know im im im 8😺 oh and it said 504 Bad gateway🤬 did anyone get on minecraft?

  24. you know that i love mincraft but thare is one problem i cant play it😭 whait you all are haveing problems to? you know im im im 8😺

    • First of all, it is important to know the rules of online speech. Which includes no spamming or repetitive necro-posting. Bad gateway 50 often means that the loading on the website timed out. This is a bandwidth issue, as your internet didn’t respond fast enough to the website.

  28. I also have a problem, the same one when downloading it displays an error message. Is this a problem specific to my model of Chromebook? (Lenovo c330)?

  29. Didn’t work for me. I enabled Linux, moved the .deb file to its folder, get a bunch of errors:
    “The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    minecraft-launcher: Depends: default-jre but it is not installable
    Depends: libasound2 (>= 1.0.23) but it is not installable
    Depends: libatk1.0-0 (>= 1.12.4) but it is not installable
    Depends: libc6 (>= 2.11) but it is not installable
    Depends: libcairo2 (>= 1.6.0) but it is not installable”
    etc.

    I ran the sudo commands, but errors remain. Any suggestions?

    • Don’t let Chromebook ads deceive you, as it has no virus protection. It says that because Chrome OS barely has any viruses available to the user. However they do exist and should avoid. Also, I recommend dual booting as the benefits of a whole Linux distro can help. Xubuntu 20.10 is my go to for low end laptops.

  38. Do I purchase minecraft on the chromebook first? I have a log in on my apple device. Will that work on the chromebook after doing this?

  40. it keeps bringing me to this page:but this page is just a screenshot/home/chronos/u-fda2f93e869bfb9cfbbd8c619bbf4a27e083eaee/MyFiles/Downloads/Screenshot%202020-10-01%20at%2010.11.29%20AM.png

    • We cannot see this as it is the path to the picture on your system. Please upload the file to a place like imgur.com so we can see it.

      • hi, so i uploaded it to my files but i never saw a “minecraft launcher” in the files, i keep refreshing the page but its not showing up, so im not sure what to do now

    • In order to use LAN, the following should be true.
      1: Both users should be on separate minecraft accounts.
      2: Both users should be connected to the same wifi.
      3: Both users should be using the same edition (java on chromebooks and most computers, bedrock is xbox, ps, pe, etc.)
      4: If those don’t work, I would recommend searching for tips as to how to use LAN.

  51. hold up i don’t have a (Linux)teb in settings so how would i do it without Linux here is a question is Linux neccasary

    • once you load up the game, simply click open resourcepacks folder. I recommend getting the nautilus file manager for this. Just look at the top (where it shows the path) click back a notch and pin that folder.

  62. After I add Minecraft.deb file to the Linux file and i rty to install minecraft it says that i can’t install it

  63. I got everything to work, except for one big problem. it only lets me open up the java demo. I purchased the game from for xbox, and again purchased it from Microsoft for my desktop computer. but now i’m realizing the only thing you can do on Chromebook is download Mojang’s java demo version or… again… purchases their java version. I don’t want to buy the same game a third time!

    Isn’t there a simpler way to get the same game I already purchased across these devices?

  65. I got so close but after the final command it says I need to free up some space when I have almost empty space. Oh well

  67. every time i go to the terminal and try it, it says “Wrong architecture ‘amd64’ — Run dpkg –add-architecture to add it and update afterwards” what do i do for this?

  68. My Chromebook is cheap, but it’s also very new; I still think I’m out of luck. I followed the steps, and even successfully tried step 7 to try and get it to work, but to no success.
    Even after trying step 7, in step 2 there is no apps under Linux. I can move Minecraft.deb to Linux, but not in apps because it doesn’t exist for me. When I move it to Linux, I get the 3 data/debian/control files like someone else also reported. I tried running the Deb file directly in the terminal like you suggested, but also got a bunch of the “Depends… it is not installable” error messages.
    I’m guessing there is nothing left to try here and I’m just out of luck?

  71. Downloaded the Minecraft.deb for the chromebook operating in Linux but having trouble logging into Xbox Live and have them communicate so my kids can access their friends realms.

  73. When I download minecraft.deb, move it to Linux files, and double click it i do not get the “install” screen, but instead it opens a folder that contains the files data.tar.xz, debian-binary, and control.tar.gz

    • In that case, you can run the Deb file through the Linux Terminal. Open the Terminal and run sudo apt-get install ./Minecraft.deb

      Make sure the name is correct as it’s case sensitive.

  74. i got it downloaded and it works but i can’t turn around 360o. when my curser gets to the edge of my screen my player stops moving. can anyone help?

  75. it doesn’t work for me, it says all these things are not install-able. i tried every step, it just doesn’t seem to work

  77. It worked for me on our 2 Chromebooks, but I haven’t been able to get Open to LAN for Multiplayer to work.
    Has anyone got Open to LAN + Multiplayer working?
    Any tips?

    • It’s the actual Minecraft Java designed for Linux which runs quite well on Chromebooks. Do note that if you have an Intel-powered Chromebook then Minecraft will run without any issues.

  81. Just an addition that may help some: I’ve been getting the same errors when loading Minecraft with the linux beta on a Lenovo Chrombook. From what I can find out, it also depends on your processor, if your chromebook is ARM based, then it’s significantly more difficult to load. So if you’re getting errors, it may be because of this. (I have yet to find how to get ARM processors working with Minecraft

  84. when do i tye the code in cause i can’t downlaod minecraft all it says is error and this is a part of the erro message
    Depends: libxrender1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxss1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxtst6 but it is not installable
    Depends: libx11-xcb1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libxcb1 but it is not installable
    Depends: libbz2-1.0 but it is not installable
    Depends: libcurl3 but it is not installable or
    libcurl4 but it is not installable
    Depends: libuuid1 but it is not installable

    please help.

  87. I turned on Linux, downloaded it, downloaded the Minecraft.deb, installed with Linux, and it says an error occurred during the installation. I went to the terminal and ran the commands, yet it does NOT work. Help me, please.

  88. mine says
    “The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    minecraft-launcher: Depends: default-jre but it is not installable
    Depends: libasound2 (>= 1.0.23) but it is not installable
    Depends: libatk1.0-0 (>= 1.12.4) but it is not installable
    Depends: libc6 (>= 2.11) but it is not installable
    Depends: libcairo2 (>= 1.6.0) but it is not installable”
    and so on with similar errors

  90. I can’t find the Linux files on my Chromebook settings.

    Please help me I checked everywhere ????????????

  93. Installing jdk didn’t work to fix install at first so removed and reinstalled linux after system updates, which then let me move to linux folder and run install, and now coming up with “default-jre is not installable” – help? 🙁

  94. I installed it and it plays fine. However, I cannot get rid of the bar at the top with the minimise/close buttons which means I cannot look all the way up and I cannot look 360 degrees, it gets stopped and I can’t turn anymore. Does anybody else have this problem/ know how to fix it? Minecraft is in full screen and this still happens

    • You can go into the options in Minecraft, go to video and select ‘Fullscreen: OFF’ to turn it on. For the 360 degree problem, I just open my inventory and put my mouse back in the middle.

    • There is a way to fix the issue with not being able to turn around after a certain point. I just did it today on omy son’s chromebrook. Open up your chrome browser then in the address bar go to: chrome://flags
      Next, enable this flag: exo-pointer-lock
      Once this is done, restart your computer and relaunch minecraft.
      Enjoy!

  96. i have the minecraft Deb in my linux files, but it won’t install, so i did the
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get upgrade
    sudo apt-get install default-jdk
    in linux launcher, and tried to install again but it wouldn’t work.
    PLZ HELP I WANNA PLAY MINECRAFT

  103. I did all the steps but an error happened so i typed in the commands and it still dosent work, the fie is in the linux terminal, whats going on?

  106. it says unable to locate package openjdk-8-jdk. Even after i did
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get upgrade
    sudo apt-get install default-jdk
    and overall it says error while installing please help

    • Move the downloaded file (Minecraft.deb) to the Linux section inside the Files app and then run the program. It will install thereafter without any issue.

      Only if you get any error then run sudo apt-get install default-jdk to install Java Development Kit. And don’t run the openjdk command as the package name has changed.

    • Try to resize the disk space of Linux partition on your Chromebook. Open Settings -> Linux (beta) -> Disk size. Keep in mind, you may have to move to the Linux Developer channel to be able to access this Settings page.

    • Move the downloaded file (Minecraft.deb) to the Linux section inside the Files app and then run the program. It will install thereafter without any issue.

    • Run the below commands one by one. Press “Y” to continue the installation.

      sudo apt-get update
      sudo apt-get upgrade
      sudo apt-get install default-jdk

  114. you still have to buy the full version like anybody else would have to, you don’t just get it for free so of course it’ll be on the demo mode until you buy it.

  115. It’s on demo mode noob!!!!!!!! In twenty four hours it will reset itself dummy! Check your facts! And it never worked for me either

    • Try installing the Java Development Kit. Run the below commands one by one and then press “Y” to continue the installation.

      sudo apt-get update
      sudo apt-get upgrade
      sudo apt-get install default-jdk

  117. I did the linux command and it worked until this:
    Reading package lists… Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information… Done
    E: Unable to locate package openjdk-8-jdk

    • Run the below commands one by one. Press “Y” to continue the installation.

      sudo apt-get update
      sudo apt-get upgrade
      sudo apt-get install default-jdk

  118. I reset the linux thingy now but now every 15 minutes it would crash and every 2 minutes I would lag severely :C.

    • Open the App Drawer where you have all your Android and Web apps. There you will find a Linux folder (generally on the first page). Open it and click on “Minecraft Launcher”.

  120. I can’t seem to open the launcher back up. It says in the notifications that there is an app in the shelf but it doesn’t show. It only shows the terminal. It successfully downloaded and I tried the code on top. It doesn’t work. If anyone knows, what is the code thingy?

    • Open the App Drawer where you have all your Android and Web apps. There you will find a Linux folder (generally on the first page). Open it and click on “Minecraft Launcher”.

  121. its working well, but my mouse is still working as a mouse in the background, so when i look far enough left or right it pops up the other ui for the chroe book. Like if i look up itll pop up the minimize and exit button

    • I tried this on my little sisters computer and it worked for the most part, but every time we try to open the app, the icon at the taskbar has the loading symbol on it and it just crashes. Any idea how to fix it?

    • Move the downloaded file (Minecraft.deb) to the Linux section inside the Files app and then run the program. It will install thereafter without any issue.

      And for commands, open the Terminal app from the App Drawer.

  124. I have the game download and install, I’ve bought my account and signed in, however when I press play my game crashes everytime before it loads

    • Move the downloaded file (Minecraft.deb) to the Linux section inside the Files app and then run the program. It will install thereafter without any issue.

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