Minecraft will require a Microsoft Account from 2021 onward

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 31, 2020
Games
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22

Minecraft users here? If you are using the Java version of Minecraft, then you will have to start using a Microsoft Account soon as Mojang announced this month that all versions of Minecraft will only work with Microsoft Accounts going forward.

Microsoft acquired Minecraft maker Mojang in 2014 for $2.5 billion. Up until now, users of the Minecraft Java version could use a Mojang account to access the game. Starting in 2021, that won't be possible anymore as support for any account system other than Microsoft Account is dropped by Minecraft.

There are two main Minecraft versions: the Java edition and the so-called Bedrock edition (available for consoles and from Microsoft Store). While accounts are migrated, cross-play between Java and Bedrock editions is still not supported after the migration.

minecraft java microsoft accounts

Mojang cites security reasons and other benefits for enforcing the new account system on all Minecraft users. Microsoft Accounts do support additional security features such as two-factor authentication, something which Mojang accounts don't. Other benefits mentioned in the announcement are that all Minecraft games -- there are two currently Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons -- are linked to the same account, improved parental controls, and chat and invitation blocking.

All users who have a Mojang account or a legacy Minecraft account from the years 2010 to 2012 will have to migrate to a Microsoft account to continue playing the Java edition of the game.

According to Mojang, there are no plans to retire the Java edition of Minecraft; the Java edition will remain the same and continues to be supported. The Java edition of Minecraft, opposed to the Microsoft Store edition, has better Mods support and is therefore preferred by many players of the game.

Migration consists of five easy steps according to Mojang:

  1. Wait for the migration announcement to be displayed, and click on the announcement.
  2. Sign-in to an existing Microsoft account or create a new one.
  3. Set up an Xbox profile (even if there is no Xbox in the household).
  4. Confirm the migration.

All data and information is migrated according to Mojang; this includes the Java Edition username among other things. Minecraft players who use multiple Mojang accounts need to migrate each of the accounts to a unique Microsoft account. A new "account switching functionality" of the Minecraft launcher helps players "manage multiple accounts and play sessions".

Minecraft players can check out the FAQ for additional information.

Closing Words

Migrating accounts makes a lot of sense from Microsoft's perspective as only one account system needs to be maintained by the company after the migration completes. While some Minecraft players may have hoped for the introduction of additional security features for Mojang accounts, it is likely more cost-effective to switch to Microsoft accounts instead.

There is certainly uproar in the community about the upcoming change, but it remains to be seen if that is going to lead to a player exodus in the end, as Minecraft cannot be played anymore without a Microsoft account from 2021 onward.

Now you: do you play Minecraft? What is your take on the decision?

Summary
Minecraft will require a Microsoft Account from 2021 onward
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Minecraft will require a Microsoft Account from 2021 onward
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Minecraft users here? If you are using the Java version of Minecraft, then you will have to start using a Microsoft Account soon.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. marguerite crawford said on August 22, 2021 at 6:43 pm
    Reply

    I play minecraft on java with the grandkids they love the time we spend together but this all changed when they made me change to microsoft. Now I have someone else account for xbox. i donot have a xbox.and i cant talk to anyone to fix this. iam old and it breaks my heart that i cant play with the grand kids anymore i dont want to pay for all this again .I reach out to mojang and microsoft with no luck keep on sending to to different web sites.

  2. Xoomer said on February 28, 2021 at 1:51 pm
    Reply

    The arrogance of children these days is astounding.
    You do realise that BOOMERs as you obviously call ANYONE older and wiser than yourself made ALL the things you love to use.
    BOOMERs are people who UNDERSTAND how computers work (no really), can fix them, program them and are not simply self-entitled and selfish L-users like you are tiny, insignificant little person.

    Your parents must be really happy with the way you have turned out.

  3. ULBoom said on November 2, 2020 at 1:57 am
    Reply

    We play (not I, square ducks are tooooo weird!) Minecraft on X Box at home. There’s some school version, its educational value I have yet to understand, Minecraft EDU or something.

    I’d imagine school administrators who play with phones all day will just sign up for MS spam and ads, the same way they signed up for Google spam and ads with Chromebooks and Apple spam and ads with iPads.

    Honestly don’t understand the attraction to Minecraft. Kids wail and gnash their teeth about a few fps extra in games with excellent graphics…whatever, Minecraft runs on most anything. At least it did.

    1. Minecrafty said on November 3, 2020 at 1:37 am
      Reply

      Minecraft is for a smart generation of tech savvy kids who actually know how to really use computers! Not like some old BOOMER who is still stuck on Windows 7 so they can still play Halo! LOL!

      1. Xoomer said on February 28, 2021 at 1:52 pm
        Reply

        The arrogance of children these days is astounding.
        You do realise that BOOMERs as you obviously call ANYONE older and wiser than yourself made ALL the things you love to use.
        BOOMERs are people who UNDERSTAND how computers work (no really), can fix them, program them and are not simply self-entitled and selfish L-users like you are tiny, insignificant little person.

        Your parents must be really happy with the way you have turned out.

      2. Xoomer said on February 28, 2021 at 1:50 pm
        Reply

        The arrogance of children these days is astounding.
        You do realise that BOOMERs as you obviously call ANYONE older and wiser than yourself made ALL the things you love to use.
        BOOMERs are people who UNDERSTAND how computers work (no really), can fix them, program them and are not simply self-entitled and selfish L-users like you are tiny, insignificant little person.

        Your parents must be really happy with the way you have turned out.

        Tech savvy ??? Ha !

  4. Anonymous said on November 1, 2020 at 1:14 pm
    Reply

    If you add an account in Edge it takes over your Windows local account. The same is going to happen for Minecraft too. Microsoft wants to find ways to use an online Windows account. This way they can make a whole detailed profile of you whole activity. To answer your question, they do this for making a profile of you. Local account… no Minecraft. Minecraft is a very popular game so they will get what they want.

    1. Tom said on November 1, 2020 at 11:34 pm
      Reply

      This person understands the system. Eventually we won’t even be allowed to log into our local computers and manage our personal files without an active Internet connection and an online account, so that these companies can datamine our every move on our own devices and sell profiles of us to advertisers and the government.

      The only way to avoid this inevitability, is to use Linux, because it is decentralized, it belongs to the people, and it cannot be assimilated by Google, Facebook or Microsoft.

  5. TacoT said on November 1, 2020 at 9:13 am
    Reply

    Welp. There goes Minecraft. Circling the bowl.

  6. Anonymous said on October 31, 2020 at 11:28 pm
    Reply

    ofc all only in he Users interest.. security and such. ofc.

  7. Yuliya said on October 31, 2020 at 8:58 pm
    Reply

    I own the Java edition, this hardly bothers me, tbh.

    1. cuddlesquid said on November 1, 2020 at 12:27 pm
      Reply

      Java edition will also require a microsoft account.

      1. Yuliya said on November 1, 2020 at 4:00 pm
        Reply

        I know, it doesn’t bother me, I’m fine with this change.

  8. Juhani peli said on October 31, 2020 at 8:13 pm
    Reply

    Welcome to Facebook hell. I just bought a Oculus Quest 2 and that too forces you to create a Facebook account. So, I did that, but during the creation of the account, when logging in for the first time, I got the account banned. No explanation, just that I have done something in violation to their rules. Many more have had the same problem.

    And Facebook are notorious for banning people for no logical reason even if you have an account. And when that happens you loose all your games you have bought (in Quest) and that probably will happen to Minecraft users to once Facebook decides to ban them.

    1. ULBoom said on November 2, 2020 at 2:01 am
      Reply

      Amazing, when sales drop further, if that’s possible, they’ll lift the requirement by moving to a MS or Google account.

      (That’s really no different.)
      :(

    2. Anonymous said on November 1, 2020 at 2:00 pm
      Reply

      There a jailbreak coming out that would let you use the devices with out needing fb login.

    3. cuddlesquid said on November 1, 2020 at 12:30 pm
      Reply

      I have heard that they do this to make people verify their account with a passport copy.
      no idea what triggers it though.

  9. Bobby Phoenix said on October 31, 2020 at 7:04 pm
    Reply

    Why do companies insist on requiring accounts like this? Microsoft wants you to have a Microsoft account for Windows 10, now Minecraft. A Facebook account is required for Oculus. It’s stupid. Why make people create so many accounts just to use a service/product? Like to use each thing that requires an account I make a separate one just for that, so I have like four Facebook accounts, and three Microsoft accounts. Never check them though. They are just created to use the services/products.

    1. Anonymous said on November 1, 2020 at 5:29 am
      Reply

      btw if you are offline you can use Windows 10 with local account, At least for my version LTSC.

      1. fred said on December 6, 2021 at 3:19 am
        Reply

        You can use Windows 10 and 11 for that matter without a spying microsoft account.

    2. Juhani peli said on October 31, 2020 at 8:15 pm
      Reply

      They want to gather data on you, that is what they make their money from.

    3. Amaras said on October 31, 2020 at 7:44 pm
      Reply

      While I understand it’s annoying, it’s what every company does when they acquire something eventually.

      Think of it as an Active Directory migration, you inherit a whole new domain, it’s far easier to manage and maintain if it’s all in one domain with one policy.

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