Minecraft Java Edition ends support for 32-bit operating systems

Minecraft has been the topic of discussion within the gaming community. The recent April Fools' Day update has surprised everyone pleasantly by offering a ton of features and updates, making it a great time to be a Minecraft player. However, for those still playing the game on a 32-bit system, there's some bad news. Mojang Studios has released a snapshot stating that Java Edition will not be supported for 32-bit operating systems.

This means that playing the game on a computer that runs 32-bit OS is not possible from now on. This article provides more information.

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Minecraft not supported by 32-bit operating systems

The breeze in Minecraft (Image via Mojang Studios)

Mojang Studios released snapshot 24W14a, which added a lot of technical and gameplay bug fixes to the game. In the list of technical changes, Mojang stated that the game will now require a 64-bit operating system. Most Minecraft players need not worry because, at this point, a 64-bit operating system is standard, especially for Windows and MacOS users.

32-bit operating systems are not too common these days. Only some old Windows and Linux devices use this architecture. To know what version of Windows your computer is running, here’s how to find it.

If you're using Windows 11, there is nothing to worry about. Windows 11 is a 64-bit operating system that does not support 32-bit architecture. If you're on Windows 10 or below, you can search for ‘Settings,’ then ‘System,’ and then click ‘About.’ Then, click on the device specification. It will show you your operating system version.

If you're a Windows 7 user, you can check your operating system version by clicking the 'Start' button, right-clicking on ‘Computer’ and then ‘Properties.’ Here, you can find all the details under the ‘System’ heading.

Snapshot 24W14a (Image via Mojang Studios)

If you are still on a 32-bit operating system, there is nothing that can be done other than upgrading your computer to a 64-bit system. This is also important because from now on, all major updates for the game will only have 64-bit support, including the upcoming Minecraft 1.21 update.

Apart from this major change, there are some other smaller changes in the game. These include fixing stutter when throwing the wind charge at someone and server disconnection errors. The snapshot can be downloaded easily via the game’s launcher through the installation page. However, players with a 32-bit system will not be able to install the latest version of the game.