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Minecraft Guide

By Luis Joshua Gutierrez, Samuel Heaney, Dan Hammill, +39.9k more
Updated: Jan 9, 2026 10:41pm UTC

Minecraft has no limit to your imagination; you can build your own house out of whatever material you wish. You can make weapons and armour to help protect yourself from mobs. You can make contraptions with the form of electricity known as redstone to kill other players in multi-player mode or to operate an automated farm.

The world of Minecraft is a giant sandbox and can be a scary place when you've just jumped in and don't know what to do. On the first day, you'll have only a few minutes of daylight before the enemy Mobs begin to spawn as night falls. What you do in the first five minutes of gameplay will determine how well you'll be able to survive.

Minecraft was released first as an alpha version on May 17, 2007, for PC. The official "full" release launch was on November 18, 2011. A light version of Minecraft made it to Android devices on October 7, 2011, with an iOS version on November 17, 2011. On May 9, 2012, Minecraft was released on Xbox 360 (co-developed by 4J Studios) as a digital download.

Minecraft is one of the best-selling games of all time, and currently offers a Minecraft free trial if you want to try out the game for free.

About the Guide Writers and Editors

If you'd like to learn more about the writers and editors who contributed to this wiki, head to our About IGN's Minecraft Guide Writers page. If you found this expert guide written by our team of writers helpful, and want to find more like it, please set IGN Guides as your preferred source in Google!

Minecraft The Wild Update Guides

The latest big update to Minecraft, The Wild (or the 1.19 update)m featured tew new biomes, new mobs, and plenty more. The Update was released on June 7, 2022. Learn all there is to know about The Wild update with our handy guides.

  • Minecraft 1.19 Update: The Wild

As mentioned, there are two new biomes to explore in The Wild Update:

  • Deep Dark - New Biome
  • Swamp - Swamps existed previously, but The Wild update introduced the Mangrove Swamp variation

With new Biomes come new things to find in them as well. Below are the new Mobs and new Blocks:

  • Tadpole
  • Frog
  • Allay
  • Warden
  • Mud
  • Mangrove
  • Sculk

Here are some popular Minecraft guide sections:

  • Minecraft Commands and Cheats
  • Minecraft Enchantments - How to Make an Enchantment Table
  • Minecraft Potion Chart - Recipes and Levels Guide
  • Minecraft Copper
  • Minecraft Survival Guide - Tips for Survival
  • Minecraft Stonecutter
  • Minecraft Tools
  • Minecraft Item List - All Items in the Game
  • Minecraft Blocks - Block Table All Block IDs
  • The End in Minecraft - How to Reach the End and Defeat the Ender Dragon

Here are some popular Minecraft How-To Guides:

  • How to Find Diamonds in Minecraft - Locations and Tips
  • How to Make Fireworks in Minecraft
  • How to Make Concrete in Minecraft
  • How to Make Smooth Stone
  • How to Get Honeycomb in Minecraft
  • How to Hatch a Dragon Age in Minecraft
  • How to Make a Conduit in Minecraft
  • How to Breed Llamas in Minecraft
  • How to Make an Automated Farm in Minecraft
  • How to Tame a Parrot in Minecraft

Minecraft For Beginners

If you are new, start with the Minecraft Minecraft Beginner's Guide, which will walk you through creating the basic necessities for exploring your new world. Once you are comfortable with the basics, move ahead to the Crafting Guide or add your own recipes.  One of the most difficult parts for beginners is not having enough items or blocks to craft certain things. In this case, you can use a Minecraft duplication glitch (PS4).

In this Minecraft Wiki, you will find all the hints and tips you need to survive that arduous first day, so you may rest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Additionally, if you have an interesting Minecraft project, feel free to share it on the Minecraft Projects page. Don't forget to check out the new updates to Minecraft!

How to Play Minecraft:

  • Minecraft offers a demo version for you to try
  • You can also play Minecraft for free, although it is an older version
  • How to Buy and Install Minecraft on (Almost) Anything

For avid readers:

  • Best Minecraft Books (including one just for beginners)

The Crafting Tag

Contributors, please note that this wiki has a built-in Minecraft recipe generator that can be used by typing in

<minecraftrecipe>Item You Want</minecraftrecipe>

An example of the generated recipe is seen to the right, with "Item You Want" replaced by "Crafting Table."

More:

  • Minecraft Neutral Mobs
  • Minecraft Hostile Mobs
  • Minecraft Boss Mobs
  • Minecraft Allay

For Minecraft fans:

  • Best Minecraft Toys
  • Best Minecraft Memes

Up Next: Minecraft Baby Animals Update Details

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About IGN's Minecraft Guide Writers
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Minecraft Baby Animals Update Details

Top Guide Sections

  • Minecraft Baby Animals Update Details
  • Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Release Date and Details
  • Minecraft The Copper Age Update Release Date and Details
  • Minecraft Chase the Skies Update

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In This Guide

Minecraft
Minecraft4JStudios
Initial Release: May 17, 2009
ESRB: Everyone 10+
PlayStation 5Nintendo SwitchWii UPlayStation Vita
+7
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