Minecraft on PC - sharing / changing the install to a family members account

Eoin Maguire · May 21, 2023

Short question that I'm struggling to find the answer to. I bought Minecraft for PC and installed it on my laptop using my own MS account. My child plays it through my account. I want to transfer or give my child access to the game through their own account on the laptop. This is to facilitate family restrictions on gaming time etc.

I've read this is possible, sharing games etc. But how do I do this?

So people seem to suggest this is easy through sharing but I can't see how. Other people say I'll need to get a refund from Mojang / MS and re-buy the game through my Childs account which seems a bit nuts to me.

:)

ngocphi

Yes and no

You can download it using the primary account holder.And play it on the sub account

You have to sign into the account on the xbox app to download the game

As long as they are signed into your pc on their own profile then theie progress is theirs

Eoin Maguire

Thanks - just want to get this straight. Firstly, want to confirm your advice is for playing on Windows? MS terms confuse me cause they sometimes use 'xbox' in the context of windows. We do not own an Xbox, so this is purely windows I'm talking about.

If I understand correctly I should do the following:

1) In my (the parent) account I download and install the game.(this is already done)

2) Child signs into their account on the laptop and can then play it from there.

I have tried this and it doesn't seem to work, in the Childs account I can't see any Minecraft install.

BTW - when we're talking about 'accounts' here are we talking about Windows accounts (i.e. for logging into the PC) or MS / Mojang accounts?

Thanks!

ngocphi

After you have downloaded the game with the Main Owner of the PC. Log into Childs account or other account where you want the game
...

Find the download, or type in the search box Sea.
Right click Open File Location.
Click and drag the game onto desktop onto the Users screen that you want to have play.

If it's via gamepass.use this

Head over to the Microsoft Family management page at account.microsoft.com/family, and invite your family members to the group. Once they have accepted the invite, proceed to the next step. Alternatively, you can set up Family Accounts on Windows 11/10 via the Settings app.
Open the Microsoft Store.
Select the profile icon on the top right.
Sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the Game Pass subscription (should be active).

Next, open the Xbox app.
Select the profile icon on the top right.
Sign in with the account of your family member with which you want to share the Game Pass subscription.
You will now get a notification bar in the Xbox app stating Your Microsoft Store account is different from your Xbox account.

ArminatorX

The standard sharing features apply to Xbox Play anywhere, which means, if the Xbox console you're playing on is that family member's "Home Console", then you can play it.

If you want to play it on a PC, it's a bit more complicated.

The family member has to make sure, you are a member of the family on
https://account.microsoft.com/family.

Also, the family member has to have an account on the PC you want to play the game on.

Then you will have to sign in with your own account on your PC and have the family member sign in with their family account on the Windows Store app under your account.

There they can then download and install the Play Anywhere game that you want to play which is on their own account.

The process on how to
share games and apps within your family on Windows 10 is explained here.

FreakRoach

Are you sharing your PC with someone else in your family, or sharing your account? If not, then please change your password ASAP.

Minecraft on PC - sharing / changing the install to a family members account