Demo Mode



The demo mode is a demo version of Minecraft for users who have not purchased the game yet and would like to try it out first, designed to replace the functionality of the outdated PC Gamer Demo.

The demo version of Java Edition can be played free-of-charge by registering a Mojang account (now known as a Minecraft Account) and logging into the Minecraft launcher.

Functionality
The demo version functionally serves to allow players to try out the game before making the decision to buy Minecraft. It allows players to play on a single world for a 100-minute (5 in-game days) period before the map is locked and required to be reset.

While the demo version does not expire, it comes with certain restrictions, as its sole purpose is to allow new players to try out Minecraft.

Java Edition
The following restrictions apply when playing the game in demo mode:
 * The demo map is preset and always generates with the same seed:.
 * This means that the player Spawn, Seed, and Generated structures are always the same.
 * Multiplayer servers are inaccessible, although LAN multiplayer is allowed, with the limitation that only 1 demo account is allowed on a server (this is because the default Minecraft name ('Player') cannot be changed).
 * The game time is limited to five in-game days (1 hour and 40 minutes real time). After the time runs out, players can still navigate through the world, but not interact with it. Resetting the demo world also resets the demo timer.
 * In some older versions, the player cannot craft armor.
 * Changing the in-game time forcibly with commands or external programs can reset the timer.
 * In some older versions like 1.0 you can select different worlds and the timer does not exist, which means you can have unlimited time and world seeds even if you are in demo versions like 1.0, alpha, and beta. This glitch extends up to version 1.2.5, and you can create unlimited worlds with custom seeds and settings.

Legacy Console Edition
A demo version of the Legacy Console Edition is available on all consoles except Wii U and Nintendo Switch. The Legacy Console Edition demo has the following restrictions:
 * Players can play only the tutorial world. Selecting Play on the title screen takes the player directly into the tutorial.
 * The tutorial starts every time the player enters the world; there is no option to skip it.
 * Only local multiplayer works, as the world selection screen is skipped altogether.
 * Saving is unavailable. Users are asked to buy the full game when "Save Game" or "Exit and Save" are selected.
 * Texture Packs, mash-up packs, and Skins, although they can be bought, cannot be used.

Pocket Edition (outdated)
A demo version of Pocket Edition v0.2.1 alpha2 was released, but was never updated and was eventually removed from app stores. The Pocket Edition demo had the following restrictions:
 * Worlds could not be saved. Upon clicking Play, players would be asked if they wanted to play in Creative or Survival without any world list shown whatsoever. Upon quitting, the world data would not be saved.
 * Seeds could not be used, as they could in the full version of Alpha 0.2.1.
 * The blocks that the player could use were limited. Only 28 of the 49 items in the inventory could be selected.
 * Some of the items that were made unavailable were strange. For example, the player was able to use the shovel, the pickaxe and the axe, but not the sword.
 * The demo can be downloaded again if the same account is used in the App Store/Google Play Store if it was previously deleted from the device. However on iOS devices the app refuses to open on iOS 11 or later, due to lack of a 64-bit binary.
 * Multiplayer was available, but only through LAN.

Bedrock Edition
In November 2018, a trial version for Android named "Minecraft Trial" was released in most countries. However, restrictions still apply; for example, some blocks and items are removed, including barriers and command blocks (all types). It has the following restrictions:
 * There is also a trial version for Windows 10 and PlayStation 4.
 * The time limit is 90 minutes.
 * The player won't be able to play Multiplayer, including LAN multiplayer.
 * The player won't be able to change Global Resources and Add-ons.
 * The player is restricted to Survival mode.
 * The player is restricted from changing Cheats and World Options parts off.
 * The player is restricted from changing Trust Player Permissions.
 * The player is restricted from accessing Storage.
 * The player cannot change the world seed.
 * Worlds always generate with the seed:.
 * The player is restricted to Infinite world type.

Trivia

 * The demo mode can be played by all players regardless of whether they have yet purchased the game.
 * It is possible to install modifications on the Java Edition demo.
 * Servers can be started with the  flag (this is technically what the launcher does). Everyone who joins the server sees the demo message.
 * If one tries to play a demo version prior to 1.3 from the launcher using a non-premium account, they can play the full version.
 * This is because 1.3 is the version that added the demo mode to Minecraft, so earlier versions do not have the code necessary to recognize that they are in the demo.
 * Typing in " " in the seed screen of the full version gives the same world seed as the demo version.
 * It is possible to play in game modes other than Survival in the demo mode by opening up the world to LAN with cheats enabled and executing command. This does not remove the time limit, nor the demo message.
 * If the game is quit without clicking "Save & Quit", the game does not save.
 * If the Minecraft shortcut and directory is moved to another hard drive, etc, it remains in the demo version, and the previous worlds do not appear.
 * It is possible to enter the server list by opening to LAN and enabling cheats, then execute the /kick @s command to see the option to go back to server list. However, servers cannot be joined due to an invalid session.
 * If a world is downloaded, it can be played by putting the world folder in "saves" and renaming it to "Demo_World". If there is already "Demo_World", it must be first renamed or deleted.
 * There is a chance that the demo timer has decreased or expired. This is due to the timer being used by the world creator while building the world.