How to Install Minecraft in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 16.10

Minecraft

This tutorial is going to show you how to install Minecraft, the popular sandbox video game in Ubuntu 16.04 and/or Ubuntu 16.10.

While the minecraft website offers .jar file archive that lacks app shortcut for Ubuntu Linux, an installer script was created and made into PPA that automatically downloads the game archive from Mojang’s servers and installs it on Ubuntu that is well integrated with app shortcut and symbolic link. And it’s running with OpenJDK 7.

1. (Updated: July 2017) Add minecraft installer PPA.

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:flexiondotorg/minecraft

Type in your password when it asks and hit Enter.

minecraft-ppa-xenial

2. update and install the script

Run the commands below to update system package index and install the script:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install minecraft-installer

The script will start automatically downloading & installing minecraft in your Ubuntu.

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb package of the installer and click install via Software Center.

When everything’s done. Launch the game from Unity Dash or App Launcher and enjoy!

launch minecraft

3. (Optional) Remove Minecraft.

For any reason you can easily remove the installer script will also remove the minecraft game from your system:

sudo apt remove minecraft-installer && sudo apt autoremove

And remove the PPA by going to Software & Updates -> Other Software tab.

About ml

ml is a part time stay-at-home dad who've been using Ubuntu Desktop for a few years. He writes in the free time and wishes to share some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers.

6 comments

  1. Hi i did all the steps and it is installed but i can’t find the game and i can’t run it. please help!

  2. Update the ppa. It is not working anymore

  3. Boaty Mcboatface

    Cheers for the PPA link, makes the installation much less messy than older versions.

  4. Nerd with Hacked Chromebook

    My terminal says: “sudo: add-apt-repository: command not found” when I type the command and my password. Please help!