Minecraft Coming to Chromebook

Microsoft: Education Edition is coming to the Chromebook, and the Microsoft division is seeking beta testers. Up until now, people had to run hacks if they wanted to play the game on their Chromebook computers.

The company said Minecraft was now available in the Google Play Store as an Android app for Chromebook. There's a catch: Only users with an Office 365 Education account can participate at this point. Most educators and students running Chromebooks are also running the competitor to Office 365: G Suite for Education. The beta won't run on Android phones at this time.

Minecraft Coming to Chromebook

Because the beta will test new features for the program, it will be available to users not just on Chromebook, but also on Windows, MacOS and iPad.

While there's no cost involved, there is risk: Users must remove any current version of Minecraft they're already running and export their "worlds"; otherwise, those will be lost. Also, players on the beta edition won't be able to play in the same worlds as other players not on the test version. Users with the Windows Store version are advised against running the beta edition, since that could introduce connection problems and cause the loss of worlds already created.

Microsoft said that beta users would be automatically upgraded to the retail version with the next release of the gaming platform, with the exception of MacOS users; they will need to install the next retail release when it's available.

Additional information and links about the beta program are openly available on the Minecraft: Education Edition website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • illustration of a human head with a glowing neural network in the brain, connected to tech icons on a cool blue-gray background

    Meta Introduces Stand-Alone AI App

    Meta Platforms has launched a stand-alone artificial intelligence app built on its proprietary Llama 4 model, intensifying the competitive race in generative AI alongside OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • robot waving

    Copilot Updates Aim to Personalize AI

    Microsoft has introduced a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.