Already Bought Minecraft, But the Game Says You Didn’t? Here’s How To Fix It!
Some mistakes and errors are bound to happen when you have a game as big as Minecraft, even though it is logical that, in these cases, errors should be kept to a minimum. In the eyes of the user, one of the bigger errors that can happen is messing with a customer’s order and payment. So how would one fix the problem of already buying Minecraft, but the game keeps saying they didn’t?
Checking if your purchase is completed
As I mentioned, the first possible reason the game says you didn’t purchase it even though you did is that your order still didn’t go through. You’ll have to go to your order history to check if it did. There are two things to do here, type in the email you gave when you were checking out (if you purchased the game as a guest and not with a Microsoft account) and the order number you received with your confirmation email.
With these two sets, you can fill out the information on the website to check your order history. The purchase should appear there and be completed. If it’s not, you’re in luck. You only have to wait for the order to appear. If it’s there and you still can’t access the game, remember the email you used to log in to Minecraft.
Your Microsoft store and Minecraft email should be the same. That way, the game can process that you bought the game. Suppose they’re not the same. Use your email in the Microsoft Store to log in to Minecraft; the problem should be fixed.
The game version you’re trying to run
If you’re new to Minecraft, dealing with the various game names can get confusing. I mean, there are two versions: Java and Bedrock, but they’re basically the same game, there are also legacy editions and something called the Windows 10 Edition, and nothing makes sense anymore.
To make it easier, you can play two game versions on your PC: Java and Bedrock Edition, but the Bedrock Edition for PC is called Windows 10 Edition. Why is all of this important, though?
Minecraft Java Edition has a different launcher, and you might have accidentally downloaded the Windows 10 Edition launcher. So, you must ensure you’re downloading the Minecraft Launcher, not Minecraft Windows 10 Edition, and vice versa. Otherwise, you won’t be able to play the game because you really didn’t buy it.
Turning it off and on again
Sometimes the solution is as simple as falling back to the trustworthy and almost foolproof turning it off and on again method. So, if you haven’t already, make sure to exit your Minecraft Launcher and restart it again.
Old launcher issues
If you downloaded your Minecraft Launcher from the link I provided above, you shouldn’t have any problems with this bit, but just in case you haven’t already tried it, the issue might lie with the fact that you’re using an old launcher version. You need to stay up to date on new launcher releases and make sure you download the latest one.
On the page provided, there are also download options for other launcher versions you might otherwise be compatible with if you’re perhaps running it on a Linux PC, for example.
Purchase dates
The big deal with the date you purchased Minecraft is that if you bought the game before December 1st, 2020, you’d have to log in and play the game via a Mojang account, but if you bought the game after the said date, you’d have to log in using your Microsoft account.
There is also the option where you could have bought the game before December 1st, 2020 but have migrated to a Microsoft account. Whatever your situation, I’ll aim to provide possible solutions to the problem next.
Purchase after December 1st. 2020
If this is the case, you will have purchased the game using a Microsoft account, and you’ll log in to the Minecraft Launcher using the said account. This also goes for people who bought the game prior but have migrated to a Microsoft account through the Microsoft login button.
Purchase before December 1st, 2020
This only goes for people who have not migrated to a Microsoft account and are still using Mojang’s. In this scenario, you’ll log in using that account through the Mojang login button.
Purchases before November 2012
Suppose you’re just getting back into playing Minecraft after a years-long pause. In that case, you might still have your Minecraft username as a login option, so you’ll type in your username, where the email usually goes through the Mojang account login button.
If all else fails
If you tried to log in using any of the methods mentioned before and you’re still having trouble logging into your account and playing the game, it might be time to contact player support. You can try and find the solution to your problem on the help page, or you can send your inquiry to Minecraft Feedback, and an employee will try and find a problem to your solution as soon as possible.
Big games, big issues
I want to start by saying that no game is perfect, and you’ll find that most games are flawed in one way or another. What makes a game dev company stand out is how they handle the issues that come their and the player’s way. It’s important to listen to your player base and provide them with solutions to their problems; Mojang does this just fine.
Even if the company doesn’t provide you with solutions to your problems, the loyal Minecraft community will always be there to help you with an issue, and sometimes, they’ll find a better solution to the problem than Mojang ever could.
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