![minecraft forge offline installer minecraft forge offline installer](https://media.forgecdn.net/avatars/834/506/638225278814351991.png)
( For parents: The Marketplace costs money, but is curated by Microsoft unlike free-to-download mods for Java Edition).
![minecraft forge offline installer minecraft forge offline installer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/5/5a/Install-Minecraft-Forge-Step-13-Version-3.jpg)
![minecraft forge offline installer minecraft forge offline installer](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/_Wdp2py9iu3bAb3oEjm_WOf3TH4=/1248x796/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/uparrownexttoplay-c9c735aef8c54e4c86d20de6396507d6.jpg)
It's the version that allows cross-platform multiplayer and is likely what they're looking for if they intend to play with their friends. Prefacing these other distinctions: If you're downloading Minecraft for your child, you most likely want to install Minecraft for Windows. We have a more in-depth guide to Minecraft Java vs Bedrock, but I'll give you the short version here. In both cases, the launcher should default to installing the latest version of the game, no matter which Minecraft update has been released recently. To install either version, just click it in the sidebar and hit the big green "Install" button. When you open the Minecraft Launcher, you should see both "Minecraft: Java Edition" and "Minecraft for Windows" in the left sidebar. It allows cross-platform multiplayer and is likely what they're looking for to play with friends. If you're downloading Minecraft for your child, install Minecraft for Windows. You can even keep both installed, if you want. As long as you buy Minecraft, you can change your mind about which version to play whenever you need to. The good news is that both are included with your purchase now, meaning you don't need to sweat the purchase.
![minecraft forge offline installer minecraft forge offline installer](https://www.breakflip.com/uploads/5fa961764505d-minecraft-forge-download.png)
If you're new to Minecraft, the differences between the original Minecraft Java Edition and Minecraft for Windows (also called Bedrock) aren't obvious.