In order to download the Trial Version of Minecraft: Java Edition, simply head over to the official Minecraft website and try the game for free. Go to the official Minecraft website, link here.

To play with friends, you'll need Minecraft Realms, which (like Java hosting) one person will have to pay for, and others can then join for free.

Importantly, Minecraft Java mods tend to be free, while Bedrock add-ons can be either free or paid downloads in the Minecraft Marketplace.

If you missed your chance the first time around, Mojang has allowed more players to redeem their free copy of Minecraft on Windows 10 if they already own the Java Edition.