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who have not purchased the game yet and would like to try it out first, designed to replace the functionality of the outdated PC Gamer Demo.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 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 will always generate with the same seed which is.
 * 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.

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 only play the tutorial world. Selecting Play on the title screen takes the player directly into the tutorial.
 * The tutorial will start 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 will be 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Pocket Edition (outdated)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 Alpha 0.2.1 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 Mode or Survival Mode 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 blocks which were made unavailable were strange. For example, the player was able to use the shovel, the pickaxe and the axe, but not the sword.

Bedrock Edition
A demo version of Bedrock Edition is available for Windows 10, which is obtained via clicking the Trial button at the Microsoft Store.

In November 2018, a demo version for Android named "Minecraft Trial" was released in some countries with a different logo. The version of the app was 1.7.9.0. It can be downloaded on Google Play Store for free.

It has the following restrictions:
 * The time limit is 90 minutes.
 * Multiplayer cannot be played, including LAN multiplayer.
 * Global Resources and Add-ons cannot be changed.
 * 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 is not able to 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 demo version.
 * Servers can be started with the  flag (this is technically what the launcher does). Everyone who joins the server will see the demo message.
 * If one tries to play a demo version prior to 1.3 from the launcher using a non-premium account, he or she will be able to 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 he or she are in the demo.
 * Typing in " " in the seed screen of the full version will give the same world seed.
 * If the game is quitted without clicking "Save & Quit", the game will not save.
 * If the Minecraft shortcut and directory is moved to another hard drive, etc, it will still be in the demo version, and the previous worlds will not appear.
 * Prior to 1.9, it was possible to access the server list by enabling cheats and teleporting past the edge of the world in creative. 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 rename it to "Demo_World". If there is already "Demo_World", it must be first renamed or deleted.