← Back
Minecraft Bedrock cover art
Parallels

How to play Minecraft Bedrock on Mac

· 2017

Best in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine via Parallels.

Overall rating: Runs great on Mac · 85% of 117 players say it runs well

Your setup
Detect your Mac to see whether Minecraft Bedrock will run.

Best in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine via Parallels.

How to run Minecraft Bedrock on your Mac in 2026

Best path: Parallels

Should run in a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine (Parallels). This is an estimate — not a verified report. Demanding 3D titles may need lower settings.

  • Heads up on Parallels: Estimated compatibility — no verified report yet
MethodQualityDifficultyCost
ParallelsPickGoodMedium$99/yrGet it ↗
BoosteroidEstimateEasy$9.95 /moGet it ↗

Minecraft Bedrock

Explore infinite procedurally generated worlds and build anything you can imagine in this iconic sandbox game. Its blocky aesthetic and emergent gameplay allow for boundless creativity, from survival challenges to elaborate artistic creations.

Bedrock Edition has no Mac build. A Windows 11 ARM VM via Parallels runs it well and is the most reliable route, with Boosteroid streaming as an alternative. Java Edition runs natively on macOS if you just want Minecraft.

What the world thinks

Performance

How Minecraft Bedrock runs on your Mac, from our performance model and player reports.

See exactly how Minecraft Bedrock will run on your Mac

Pick your chip and RAM for a personalised estimate.

Best way to play it on Mac

Bedrock Edition has no Mac build. A Windows 11 ARM VM via Parallels runs it well and is the most reliable route, with Boosteroid streaming as an alternative. Java Edition runs natively on macOS if you just want Minecraft.

See if this is the right method for your setup

Ways to play Minecraft Bedrock on Mac

Here are all the options available, ranked by what we recommend first.

Compare methods at a glance

Lower = better

How each supported method stacks up on setup effort, time and runtime overhead.

  • ParallelsVMTop pick
    Setup
    Moderate
    Time
    30 min
    Overhead
    High
  • BoosteroidCloud
    Setup
    Simple
    Time
    5 min
    Overhead
    Low

Where to buy Minecraft Bedrock

Live prices compared across trusted PC key sellers — updates every few hours.

Platform-by-platform reliability

Loading per-platform notes…

Step-by-step setup guides

Idiot-proof walkthroughs for every method.

How to run Minecraft Bedrock on Mac with Parallels

Estimate· Compatibility

Using Parallels to play Minecraft Bedrock means running a full copy of Windows 11 ARM inside macOS. This is the most "it just works" approach for games that don't behave under CrossOver, and DirectX 11 is hardware-accelerated. You'll need a Windows license and roughly 80 GB of disk space.

Step-by-step

  1. Buy / start a trial of Parallels Desktop.
  2. Install Windows 11 ARM via the one-click wizard.
  3. Inside Windows, install Steam / Xbox app and Minecraft Bedrock.
  4. Enable DirectX 11 in Parallels settings for best 3D performance.

Video proof

Try Parallels Desktop freeAffiliate link — supports the site at no extra cost.

How to run Minecraft Bedrock on Mac with Boosteroid

Estimate· Streaming

Streaming Minecraft Bedrock through Boosteroid is the fastest way to start playing on a Mac — there's nothing to install, no Windows VM, no compatibility layer. The game runs on a remote GPU and your Mac just receives the video, which means even a base M1 MacBook Air can play the most demanding AAA titles at high settings. The tradeoff is that you need a stable internet connection (ideally wired or 5GHz Wi-Fi with 25+ Mbps down) and a subscription.

Step-by-step

  1. Create a Boosteroid account and pick a plan.
  2. Use the web client or download the macOS app.
  3. Add Minecraft Bedrock from their library (you'll need to own it on Steam/Epic).

Video proof

Get BoosteroidAffiliate link — supports the site at no extra cost.

Our recommendation

For most Mac players we recommend Parallels as the fastest, smoothest way to play Minecraft Bedrock. Full Windows 11 ARM inside macOS.

MethodQualityDifficultyCost
ParallelsPickGoodMedium$99/year + Windows licence
BoosteroidEstimateEasy$9.95 / month
Try Parallels Desktop free

Comments

Share what worked for you running Minecraft Bedrock on Mac.

Be kind. No spam.

Loading comments…

Frequently asked questions