Better Together Update

The Better Together Update is an update to Pocket Edition, Windows 10 Edition, Gear VR Edition, Fire TV Edition, and a new version of the Xbox One Edition and Nintendo Switch Edition. It was released for Pocket Edition as version 1.2, and as a new version for the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Eventually, Pocket Edition for Windows phones was discontinued after the official release of the Better Together Update on September 20, 2017. Beta testing for the update for Android & Windows 10 began on July 31, 2017 and an update for Xbox One began on August 17, 2017. , and it was submitted to certification for 9 of the 10 platforms on September 15, 2017. It was released on September 20, 2017 on all platforms except Apple TV, for which there is no clear release timeline, and Nintendo Switch, which was delayed until June 21, 2018 when it was released for retail. The update for the Xbox One Edition is free for gamers who own a digital copy or have played the disc version for at least 5 hours in the past 12 months or have bought at least one DLC. The legacy versions for the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One from the Legacy Console Edition will no longer receive updates, and will no longer be available to purchase.

The official name for the update, Better Together Update, or also known as "1.2" merges the bedrock platforms under one title - "Minecraft", reflecting the addition of cross-platform compatibility between the Pocket Edition (Android/iOS only), Windows 10 Edition, Xbox One Edition, Gear VR Edition, and the Nintendo Switch Edition. It is unclear if or when the Apple TV Edition will be updated.

With the release of the Better Together Update, the original PC version, which was officially named Minecraft but commonly called "the Java edition", has been renamed to Minecraft: Java Edition from 1.12.2 in the Java Edition to distinguish it from the cross-platform version.

New version-exclusive features

 * How to Play tutorial (also accessible from the Pause menu)
 * In-game shortcuts for certain commands
 * Featured servers (accessible via Servers section in Play menu)
 * Coordinates
 * New command
 * Custom characters.

Features Ported from Console Editions

 * Blocks
 * Banner
 * Coarse Dirt
 * Jukebox
 * Stained Glass
 * Structure Block (limited function, only on Windows 10)
 * Items
 * Music Disc
 * Armor Stand
 * Book and Quill and Written Book
 * Firework Rocket
 * Firework Star
 * Mobs
 * Parrot
 * Generated structures
 * Ravines
 * Other
 * Ability to include a starting map and/or bonus chest when creating a world
 * Splitscreen
 * Choice of outline instead of highlight for block selection
 * Brewing Stand must be fueled with Blaze Powder
 * Added Recipe Book
 * Ability to change player skin while playing a world
 * Player permissions
 * No Quasi-connectivity (old-BUD switches)

Features ported from, or similar to, Java Edition

 * New crafting system based on the Recipe Book
 * Server list
 * command for functionality similar to spawn chunks
 * Ability to change player skin while playing a world
 * Player permissions
 * Stained Glass and Stained Glass Pane are colored

Further revisions

 * 1.2.1, 1.2.2 and 1.2.3 fixed numerous bugs.
 * 1.2.5 added the ability to broadcast to Mixer and other streaming services.
 * 1.2.6 saw Realms being integrated with Xbox Live Clubs, and updated textures for horses, mules, and donkeys.
 * 1.2.6.1 was released exclusively on Android to fix numerous bugs.
 * 1.2.7 fixed even more bugs.
 * 1.2.8 fixed a lone bug with the user interface on partnered servers.
 * 1.2.9, 1.2.10 and 1.2.11 fixed even more bugs.
 * 1.2.13 added menu screen transitions, more control options; added many Update Aquatic features as Experimental Gameplay, and fixed even more bugs.
 * 1.2.14 was released exclusively on iOS to disable test commands.
 * 1.2.15 was released exclusively on iOS to fix even more bugs.
 * 1.2.16 (released as 1.2.13.60 on devices other than iOS) fixed even more bugs.