Play

This feature is exclusive to Bedrock Edition.

The Play menu is one of the game's multiple menu screens. It provides access to the Create new world menu, and also lists pre-existing worlds that can be entered.

Overview

The menu is divided into three tabs: "Worlds", "Realms" and "Servers". Clicking "Play" on the main menu brings the player to the "Worlds" tab regardless of whether worlds exist.

Option	Description
	Returns the player back to the main menu.
	Opens the Social drawer which shows all friends and their joinable multiplayer games.

Worlds

This tab lists all worlds in order of last edited. Worlds set visible to LAN players in the same local network appear at the top of the list, as well as joinable friend's worlds. Up to 12 worlds are shown per page; navigating is possible at the bottom of each page.

Option	Description
	Brings the player to the "Create from..." screen where the player can choose to create a new world from scratch or from a world template.
	Allows the player to import a `.mcworld` world file from the device folders. Only available for Windows devices.^[1]^[2]
	Toggles the world layout between list and grid. In grid view, the size of the world is not shown.
	Allows the player to enter the world. The thumbnail can be picked in the Edit world screen from local screenshots, will be taken automatically after exiting the world, or uses a default image depending on the world template. The world button also shows one or more tags indicating the game mode, experimental features, Hardcore (as well as days played or game over), multiplayer state (LAN, friend's, or friend of friend's), and cloud availability. Local worlds show the last edited date and file size (list only); multiplayer worlds show the host and player count.
	Allows the player to edit the world's settings in the Edit world screen. This button is not available when using a controller in grid view, instead, the player needs to press /// on the selected world.
	Allows the player to navigate between pages in the worlds list.

Create new world

Upon clicking the "Create new world" button, the player is taken to a screen with the option to create a new world from scratch, or create worlds from a Marketplace or custom world template. There are three tabs for templates.

Option	Description
	Brings the player to the Create new world screen to create a new world from scratch.
	Initates downloading the selected template, and opens the Create new world screen to create a world with the selected template. When the player does not own this template, the purchase page in the Marketplace will be opened instead.
	Opens the template page in the Marketplace where the player can rate it.
	Opens the search menu in the Marketplace where the player can search for more templates.
	Filters the owned templates list based on search results.
	Allows the player to import a `.mctemplate` world template file from the device folders. Only available for Windows devices.^[1]^[2]
	Filters the owned templates list with four options: Show all, Downloaded, Imported, and Purchased from the Marketplace.
	Sorts the templates in alphabetical order, either ascending or descending.
	Takes the player to the top of the templates list.
	Loads more available templates.

Realms

This tab lists all Realms by name along with the world. The main page of each Realm shows the amount of online players as well as information about the activated world and the Realm. When the player does not have access to a Realms server, this screen shows information about a Minecraft Realms subscription as well as the option to subscribe.

Available without access to a Realm
Option	Description
	Opens the Minecraft Realms purchase screen, with the option to purchase a Realms Core or Realms Plus subscription.
	Opens the Realms invites tab in the inbox, where the player can join foreign Realms using invitations.
	Allows the player to join a foreign Realm by invite code.

Available with access to a Realm
Option	Description
	Opens a menu with the options to add a new Realms subscription, join a foreign Realms server, or open the Minecraft Realms information screen.
	Allows the player to enter the selected Realms server.
	Opens the Realms Hub from the selected Realm. This allows access to social features and Realm management.

Servers

This tab opens the server list, where the player can join the featured servers or (except on consoles) join other server by entering a server address.

Option	Description
	Brings the player to the Add Server screen to add a new server to the list.
	Let the player join the selected server from the Servers tab.
	Brings the player to the Edit Server screen to change the name and address for the selected server.
	Toggles whether to show or hide the server's IP address.

History

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Instructions: minor changes and pre-Ore UI history

Bedrock Edition
Preview 1.20.30.22		Enabled a new UI for the Play screen "Worlds" tab, which is currently available in preview only.
Preview 1.20.60.21		Play screen "Friends" tab has been updated to match Ore UI, it is currently available in preview only.
Preview 1.20.80.21		Play screen "Servers" tab has been updated to match Ore UI, it is currently available in preview only.
Preview 1.21.30.24		Play screen - Create From Template screen has been updated to match Ore UI, it is currently available in preview only.
Preview 1.21.40.22		Play screen "Realms" Tab has been updated to match Ore UI, it is currently available in preview only.
1.21.60		The new Ore UI Play screen is released to the public and is no longer in preview only.
1.21.90	Preview 1.21.90.20	The Play screen in "Worlds" Tab on grid mode has been changed to match Ore UI.
1.21.120	Preview 1.21.110.25	"Friends" tab has been renamed to "Social" tab.
26.0	Preview 26.0.25	The "Social" button now displays the first four members of a joined party.
26.10	Preview 26.10.23	Hardcore worlds now display the amount of days played if the game rule is enabled.
April 22, 2026		Renamed "Servers" tab to "Discover", "Multiplayer Experiences", or "Creator Multiplayer", which differs per player.
26.30	Preview 26.30.28	Each world button now shows an icon if it is not synced to the cloud.
June 29, 2026^[verify]		Renamed the servers tab back to "Servers"

Issues

Issues relating to "Play screen" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Gallery

Historical screenshots

The World Selection screen before v0.7.0.
World Selection screen from v0.7.0 to v0.8.1.
World Selection screen in v0.11.0 (Moved the edit button).
The Realms screen when not logged in from v0.7.0 to v0.7.5.
The Realms screen when logged in from v0.7.0 to v0.7.5.
World Selection screen in 1.12.0.
Importing worlds in 1.2.0.
Importing worlds in 1.2.0.
The "Worlds" tab of the "Play" menu before the Ore UI redesign.
The "Friends" tab of the "Play" menu before the Ore UI redesign.
The "Servers" tab of the "Play" menu before the Ore UI redesign.
A joined Realm in the Play screen, before the Realms Hub update

References

↑ ^a ^b MCPE-174595 – Missing Export and Import buttons on mobile devices – resolved as "Works As Intended".
↑ ^a ^b MCPE-180257 – Missing Export and Import buttons on Chromebooks – resolved as "Works As Intended".

[:0-1] MCPE-174595 – Missing Export and Import buttons on mobile devices – resolved as "Works As Intended".

[:1-2] MCPE-180257 – Missing Export and Import buttons on Chromebooks – resolved as "Works As Intended".

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