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Reinstall Minecraft on the new device, sign in with the account that owns it, then transfer your world separately. Signing in does not automatically copy every local world. For Bedrock Edition, the most broadly compatible official method is to upload the world to Minecraft Realms, then download it on the new device. For Java Edition, copy the world folder into the new computer’s saves folder.
First, identify what you are transferring
“Transfer Minecraft” can mean several different things:
| Item | Does it follow your account? | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Game installation | No | Download Minecraft again from the relevant store or launcher. |
| Platform license | Usually follows the original store account, subject to platform rules | Sign in with the account that purchased the game. |
| Local single-player world | Not automatically | Use Realms, export/import, or copy the save files. |
| Realms world | Yes, through the Realm account | Open the Realm on the new device and download the world. |
| Marketplace content and supported account features | Generally follows the Microsoft account | Use the same Microsoft account, with platform restrictions considered. |
The correct method depends on both the edition and the devices involved. Bedrock is used on consoles, phones, tablets, and Windows; Java Edition is the computer edition for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Windows PC can have both editions.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDo not copy a Java save directly into a Bedrock folder, or vice versa. Java-to-Bedrock and Bedrock-to-Java moves are conversion projects, not ordinary device transfers.
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- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
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- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Will you have to buy Minecraft again?
It depends on the platform and the account that made the purchase. On a new Windows PC, Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC is associated with the Microsoft account that bought it. The PC bundle provides both Java and Bedrock for Windows; Java also runs on macOS and Linux. See Minecraft’s PC purchase information.
On mobile devices and consoles, download Minecraft from the original platform’s store using the purchasing account. A purchase on one console or mobile ecosystem should not be treated as a universal license for every other platform. Microsoft accounts work alongside platform accounts: for example, Android uses a Google account, iPhone and iPad use an Apple ID, PlayStation uses PSN, Nintendo Switch uses a Nintendo account, and Windows PC and Xbox use Microsoft accounts. Minecraft lists these requirements in its platform account guide.
If the new device asks you to pay again, do not immediately repurchase the game. Check that you are using the original store account, the correct Microsoft account, and the same Minecraft product or edition. Family sharing and platform-specific licensing can also affect what is available.
Before transferring anything
- Keep the old device available until the new copy has been opened and checked.
- Write down the email address of the Microsoft account connected to the world, Realms, and purchases.
- Confirm the platform-store account that purchased Minecraft.
- Update Minecraft on both devices.
- Back up or export the original world before replacing a Realm slot or deleting anything.
- Make sure the new device has enough free storage.
Transfer a Bedrock world with Realms
Realms is the most practical official option for moving a Bedrock world between consoles, phones, tablets, and computers. It requires an active Realms trial or subscription, and Minecraft recommends that both devices run the latest available version. An uploaded Bedrock world must also fit the documented 4 GB maximum Realm upload size; see Minecraft’s Realm upload guidance.
On the old device
- Open Minecraft and select Play.
- Open the Realms tab.
- Select the Realm you want to use, then open Settings.
- Select the Realm world slot.
- Choose Edit World.
- Scroll to the bottom of Game Settings.
- Choose Upload World if the slot is empty, or Replace World if it already contains a world.
- Confirm the upload.
Be careful with Replace World: it can overwrite the world currently in that Realm slot. Use an empty slot where possible, or download/back up the existing Realm world first.
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On the new device
- Install Minecraft Bedrock Edition.
- Sign in with the same Microsoft account.
- Select Play, then open the Realms tab.
- Select the Realm containing your uploaded world.
- Open Settings, select the relevant world slot, and choose Edit World.
- Scroll to the bottom of Game Settings and select Download World.
The downloaded world appears on the ordinary Worlds tab with the original name followed by “- Copy”. Select the pencil icon to rename it. Menu labels can vary slightly by platform or Minecraft version; the official instructions are in Minecraft’s Bedrock storage guide.
Transfer Bedrock without Realms
Windows Bedrock: export and import
On supported Windows Bedrock installations, you can export a world file:
- Open Minecraft and select Play.
- Select the pencil icon beside the world.
- Under File Management, choose Export World.
- Adjust any available options and select Export World again.
- Save the exported file somewhere you can move to the new Windows installation.
Import the file on the destination installation through its world-management interface. Exact labels may differ in the current build. Minecraft’s official export instructions are available in its Windows Bedrock world-backup article.
Android: copy worlds stored externally
Manual Android transfer works only when the world uses External storage. On the old phone, open Settings → Storage in Minecraft and check File Storage Location.
For an externally stored Bedrock world, connect the old phone to a computer using USB, select File Transfer or MTP mode, and copy the world folder from:
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Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/files/games/com.mojang/minecraftWorldsMove the relevant folder, or the minecraftWorlds folder, to the equivalent location on the destination Android device. Android versions and file managers can restrict access to Android/data, so this route is not available in the same way on every phone.
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Worlds stored as Application data are inside the app’s private storage and are not ordinary files that you can copy through a computer. Use Realms for those worlds. See Minecraft’s guides to finding mobile world files and Android storage locations.
iPhone and iPad
Do not assume that an iCloud device backup will make a Minecraft world appear inside a newly installed copy of the app. For a general iPhone or iPad transfer, use the official Bedrock Realms method and download the world on the destination device with the same Microsoft account. A universal manual file path is not guaranteed on iOS.
Transfer Java Edition to another computer
Java Edition worlds are local files. The safest approach is to make a backup before moving the save.
Find a Java backup
- Open Java Edition and select Singleplayer.
- Select the world, then choose Edit.
- Select Open Backups Folder.
You can also open the Minecraft Launcher, choose the Minecraft: Java Edition tab, select Installations, highlight the relevant installation, select its folder icon, and open the backups folder. Minecraft documents these locations in its Java storage guide.
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- Makes a great gift for kid, teen, adult and family game nights with 2 to 10 players ages 7 years and older, especially Minecraft and video game fans.
Move the world
- Copy the zipped backup or the original world folder to the new computer using a USB drive, network transfer, or another method you trust.
- If you copied a zip file, unzip it.
- Place the actual world folder directly inside the new installation’s
savesfolder. - Launch Java Edition, select Singleplayer, and check for the world.
Default save locations are:
Windows: %appdata%.minecraftsaves
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/savesWatch for an extra folder level after unzipping. The structure should be saves/YourWorld/, not saves/SomeZipFolder/YourWorld/. If the world does not appear, check that the installation is using the save directory where you placed it.
What follows your Microsoft account?
Using the same Microsoft account can restore access to Realms, multiplayer features, Marketplace content, supported skins, and your player identity. Marketplace availability can still be affected by platform rules. On PlayStation, Microsoft-account linking is especially important: it enables cross-platform play, Realms, and non-exclusive Marketplace content purchased through the Microsoft account on other platforms. See the PlayStation Bedrock FAQ.
Do not create a new Microsoft account just because the new device does not immediately show your content. Using the wrong account can make you appear to be a new player. PlayStation also has restrictions around changing the Microsoft account linked to a PSN account; unlinking can affect access to cross-platform play, Realms, and purchases made elsewhere. Read Minecraft’s PlayStation unlinking guidance before changing that connection.
Your Microsoft account does not automatically upload every local single-player world. If the old device is lost, reset, or broken and the world was never placed in Realms, exported, copied, or included in a usable device backup, it may not be recoverable.
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Can Java worlds be moved to Bedrock?
Not by copying the save folder. Java and Bedrock use different world formats. A Java-to-Bedrock or Bedrock-to-Java move requires a separate conversion workflow, with compatibility and safety depending on the conversion tool and the versions involved. Treat it as a conversion project rather than a normal transfer, and do not use an unverified converter for an only copy of an important world.
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Fixes when the world or purchase is missing
- Check the Microsoft account. Confirm the exact email address used on the old device.
- Check the platform account. A Microsoft login does not replace the Apple, Google, Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or store account that owns the installation.
- Check the edition. A Java world will not appear in Bedrock, and a Bedrock world will not appear in Java.
- Update both installations. Realms transfers work best when both devices use the latest available version.
- Check the Realm slot. Confirm that the upload completed and that you are looking at the correct slot before downloading.
- Look on the Worlds tab. A downloaded Realm world normally appears there as
World name - Copy. - Check Android storage. The world must use External storage for ordinary file copying; Application storage requires Realms.
- Check Java folder nesting. The world folder itself must be directly inside
saves. - Check the Realm size. A world over the documented 4 GB upload limit cannot use the standard Realm upload route without reducing or otherwise changing the world.
- Do not erase the old copy yet. Keep it until the destination world opens correctly and your important builds, inventory, and progress are present.
If you accidentally replaced a Realm world, check its available automatic backups and use Minecraft’s Realm restoration instructions. Restoration can return the Realm to an earlier state, so save any newer progress first if possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to buy Minecraft again on a new phone?
Not necessarily. Download it from the phone’s original app store using the account that purchased it. A purchase from another platform is not automatically a universal mobile license.
Can I transfer a Minecraft world from Android to iPhone?
For the general Bedrock workflow, upload the world to Realms on Android and download it on the iPhone or iPad with the same Microsoft account. Do not rely on a universal direct file path or an iCloud backup alone.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchCan I transfer a Realm world back to a local world?
Yes. On the destination device, open the Realm’s settings, select its world slot, choose Edit World, and select Download World. The downloaded copy appears under the Worlds tab.
Can I recover a world from a broken or reset phone?
Only if a usable copy exists in Realms, an export, a platform or device backup, or another saved file. A local-only world with no backup may be unrecoverable.
How large can a Bedrock Realm upload be?
Minecraft documents a 4 GB maximum world size for Bedrock Realm uploads.
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