How to Play Minecraft Without an Internet Connection

PDF download Download Article
Enjoy playing Minecraft single-player with no WI-FI
PDF download Download Article

Playing Minecraft offline can be a great way to game without an internet connection and reduce lag time. Before you go off the network, make sure you have the game installed and that you’ve logged into your Microsoft account. Whether you’re playing on a PC, Xbox, or Playstation, we’ll tell you how to play Minecraft without the internet. If you’re trying to play your Realms or Java server offline, we’ll give you the instructions to do that, too. Let’s dive in!

Can you play Minecraft offline?

Yes, you can play Minecraft single-player offline on any console as long as you download the game and log into your Microsoft account before disconnecting from the internet. Xbox and PlayStation consoles may require you to set them to offline mode before you can play Minecraft or any other game without the internet.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Playing Minecraft Offline on a PC

PDF download Download Article
  1. Single-player mode is automatically offline and can be played anywhere. [1] However, you have to have an internet connection to initially download the game and log in. [2] Once the game has been downloaded, click the “Login” button and enter your Microsoft username and password.
    • Create a Microsoft account if you don’t already have one.
    • You cannot play Multiplayer mode on Minecraft without being connected to the internet.
    • If you have a Mac or Linux computer, simply open the Minecraft launcher after logging in to play any previously downloaded version offline.
  2. While you’re connected to the internet, check to make sure your PC has the latest updates by going to “Start” > “Settings” > “Update & security” > “Windows Update.” Go to the Microsoft Store. Select your profile icon, then go to “App settings” > “Offline permissions,” and make sure the toggle is set to “On.” [3]
    • Launch your Minecraft game and log in with your Microsoft account. After that, you can go offline and launch Minecraft whenever you want without signing in each time.
    • Once you go offline, you won’t be able to make these changes to your computer.
    3. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Playing Minecraft Offline on an XBox

PDF download Download Article
  1. Purchase Minecraft on the Xbox store . Follow the instructions to download it onto your console. [4]
    • When you first set up your Xbox, it will ask you to log into Microsoft or create a new account, so there’s no need to do that before you go offline. [5]
  2. Press the Xbox button on your controller. In the sidebar, go to “Profile & system” > “Settings” > “General” > “Personalization,” and choose “My home Xbox.” Select “Make this my home Xbox.” This will allow you to play your games and apps offline on your current console. [6]
    • You can switch your home Xbox up to 5 times in 1 year. If you reach the limit for the year, a notification will tell you the next available date you can change it.
  3. Press the Xbox button on your controller, then go to “Settings” > “General” > “Network Settings.” Choose “Go offline.” This not only allows you to play Minecraft online, but you can also still save game clips and earn achievements. [7]
    • Once you’re done, you can launch the game and play single-player as normal.
    • When you want to go back online, navigate to this same screen and press “Go online.”
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Playing Minecraft Offline on a PlayStation

PDF download Download Article
  1. Sign in to the PlayStation Network and buy Minecraft from the PlayStation Store. Follow the instructions to download the game to your console. [8]
    • To play this game on your PS5, you may have to update it to the latest version.
    • On PS5, go to “Settings” > “System” > “System Software” > “System Software Update and Settings.” Select “Update System Software” if “Update Available appears onscreen. [9]
    • To [[ create a PlayStation Network account , create a new user on your console and select “Create an account.”
  2. This will allow you to play and manage Minecraft and other purchased games. Go to “Settings” > “Account Management” > “Activate as Your Primary PlayStation 4.” Select “Activate.” If you have another console, go to the same page and click “Deactivate.” [10]
    • If this is your first PlayStation console, it will automatically be activated as your primary device.
    • If your PS4 still doesn’t launch the game, try disconnecting it from the internet entirely. Go to “Settings” > “Network” and clear the checkbox next to “Connect to the Internet.” [11]
  3. This will allow you and anyone who uses your console to play games and media even when you’re offline. On the home page, go to “Settings” > “Users and Accounts” > “Other” > “Console Sharing and Offline Play.” Select “Enable.” [12]
    • If you have another PS5 enabled, go to the same screen on the console you don’t want to play offline on and select “Disable.”
    • This is automatically enabled on the PS5 console you used to sign into the PlayStation Network for the first time.
  4. To sign out on the PS4, go to “Settings” > “Account Management,” then select “Sign Out.” On PS5, go to “Settings” > “Users and Accounts” and select “Other” > “Sign Out.” This will disconnect your PlayStation from online features. [13]
    • You can also sign out of all your PlayStation devices by signing into Sony Account Management . In the left sidebar, click “Security,” then select “Sign Out on All Devices.”
    • Open Minecraft to make sure it works offline. If it doesn’t, sign back into the Network and make sure you’ve activated your PS4 as your primary console or PS5 Offline Play.
    5. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Playing a Minecraft: Java Edition Server Offline

PDF download Download Article
  1. When you created your server, you made a folder on your desktop or somewhere in your computer called “Minecraft Server” to hold the files for it. [14] Open this folder.
    • If you can’t find the folder and you have a Windows computer, click on the search bar in your taskbar and type in “Minecraft Server.” [15]
    • In Mac, go to the Finder, then “Go” > “Go to Folder.” Type in “Minecraft Server” and double-click on the folder when it appears. [16]
    • This method only works if you host your own Minecraft server , or have access to the files for a friend’s Minecraft server.
  2. If the file doesn’t open as an editable text file, right-click it, go to “Open with” > “More apps,” and select “Notepad” or whatever text editor is installed on your device. [17]
    • To avoid opening this file using the “Open with” option each time, click the checkbox in the popup that says “Always use this app to open .properties files.”
  3. Delete “true” in the line and write “false” instead. The line will now read as “online-mode=false,” which means that online mode is disabled on your server. [18]
    • This also means that the server doesn’t check to see if players connecting to it have valid accounts. [19]
    • Set this to “false” only if your server is not going to be connected to the internet, or hackers with fake Minecraft accounts may be able to connect to it.
    • Select the option to save changes, then exit the text editor. If you’re working in Notepad, click “File” in the upper left corner of the window, then press “Save.”
  4. Make sure you’re signed into Microsoft on Minecraft before you go offline. If you’re not, press “Login” on the launcher and enter your account information. Click on “Play Offline” on the title screen, then select your private server to begin playing.
    5. Advertisement
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Playing Minecraft Realms Offline

PDF download Download Article
  1. Launch Minecraft and click “Play” or “Minecraft Realms.” Select the Realm slot with the world you want to download, then choose “Edit World.” Choose “Download World” to download the most recent version of your world, or select “Backups” to choose and download any of your world’s past backup save files. [20]
    • You won’t be able to play with your friends while you’re offline, but you can continue to make progress on the game alone.
    • If you’re playing on a PC, you have to download Minecraft and log in with your Microsoft account before you go offline.
    • After that, all you have to do is select the downloaded Realm world in your local worlds list to begin playing.

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I download Minecraft on a PC?
    Community Answer
    Go to their website, buy or log into an account and follow the steps.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 37 Helpful 41
  • Question
    Will I be able to play Minecraft offline using the newest launcher?
    Community Answer
    I think that this is no longer possible, at least for me it is not. It seems as if you are required to at least verify with minecraft.net that you own a copy before the game is playable, so once you verify, you can launch the game and then play offline.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 15 Helpful 51
  • Question
    How do I make wood?
    Community Answer
    Right-click the trunk of a tree until logs fall from it, press E to open your inventory, and then place the logs in your 4-grid workbench to make planks.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 51 Helpful 26
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • All players need a Microsoft account to play any version of Minecraft on any device. [21]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Minecraft Pocket Edition can be played offline in single-player mode on any mobile device.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Play Minecraft With Friends on Other Platforms (Crossplay)
      How to
      Make Netherite Armor: Start-to-Finish Minecraft Tutorial
      How to
      Get Minecraft for Free
      How to
      Use /Fill in Minecraft
      How to
      Download Minecraft for Free
      Minecraft: 5 Quick Fixes for Java.Net.SocketException Error
      How to
      Make a Minecraft Texture Pack
      Show Chunk Borders in Minecraft: Tutorial for Bedrock & Java
      How to
      Change the Random Tick Speed in Minecraft: Quick Guide
      How to
      Make Invisibility Potion in Minecraft: Complete Guide
      How to
      Copy and Paste in Minecraft
      How to
      Find Your Way to Your House when Lost in Minecraft
      How to
      Breathe Underwater in Minecraft: With and Without Potions
      How to
      Find Your Coordinates in Minecraft
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/parents--guide-minecraft
      2. ↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/free-trial
      3. ↑ https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/games-apps/game-setup-and-play/play-games-offline-on-windows-10-using-offline-mode
      4. ↑ https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/games-apps/game-titles/minecraft-info
      5. ↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/how-create-minecraft-account
      6. ↑ https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/hardware-network/console/my-home-xbox
      7. ↑ https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/Hardware-Network/connect-network/using-xbox-one-offline
      8. ↑ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/minecraft/
      9. ↑ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5/system-software/
      1. ↑ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/account/primary-ps4-activation-guide/
      2. ↑ https://manuals.playstation.net/document/gb/ps4/settings/nw_connect.html
      3. ↑ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/account/ps5-console-sharing-offline-play/
      4. ↑ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/account/sign-in-psn/
      5. ↑ https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/360058525452-How-to-Setup-a-Minecraft-Java-Edition-Server
      6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/find-your-documents-in-windows-5c7c8cfe-c289-fae4-f5f8-6b3fdba418d2
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/go-directly-to-a-specific-folder-on-mac-mchlp1236/mac
      8. ↑ https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/360058525452-How-to-Setup-a-Minecraft-Java-Edition-Server
      9. ↑ https://medium.com/@contionmig/game-servers-minecraft-8409dbddcb6c
      10. ↑ https://youtu.be/1Zo8SGeLUU8?t=728
      11. ↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/realms/change-realm-world
      12. ↑ https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/how-create-minecraft-account

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 333,915 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement