Many players have reported that the Minecraft “Outdated client” error arises when starting the game or trying to connect to a realm. A Minecraft player said this on Reddit, “My son and I play on one of my local worlds together. Up until this afternoon, we haven’t had any issues, but now he’s getting ‘Could not connect: Outdated Client!’ when trying to join into my world.” This is how you can fix the Minecraft “Outdated client” error on Windows PCs.
Check the Minecraft Server Status
First, check if there are any server-side gaming issues. This DownDetector page for Minecraft indicates whether there is a widespread outage. If there is, try waiting a few days until that server-side issue is sorted.
The Minecraft Downdetector page
Free Up Storage Space
Insufficient storage space on your PC’s drive might be preventing Minecraft from updating. To remedy this potential cause of the Minecraft “Outdated client” error, free up space on your drive by removing apps and software. This Microsoft guide page provides instructions for uninstalling software, via the Control Panel or Apps & features.
The Programs and Features Control Panel applet
Update Minecraft
The Minecraft “Outdated client” usually arises because players are running outdated client versions, as stated by its error message. So, the solution is usually to update Minecraft, which can be done in two different ways. This is how you can update Minecraft on a PC:
MS Store App
- First, open Microsoft Store on your PC, which you can select to launch with its Start menu shortcut.
- Next, click the Downloads tab.
The Downloads tab
- Select the Check for updates option.
- Click Update all if Minecraft is listed. Or select Update for the Minecraft app.
The Check for updates button
Minecraft Java Version
- Bring up the Minecraft Launcher software.
- Click the Installations tab.
- Next, select the New option.
The New option
- Input a name and select the version required for your Minecraft server. That needs to be the version your Minecraft server runs on.
The Create new installation option
- Click the Create button.
- Select the profile you’ve created.
- Start Minecraft and try joining the server again.
Reinstall (Update) Minecraft With a Downloaded APPX File
Some players confirm they’ve fixed the Minecraft “Outdated client” by reinstalling or updating Minecraft with an APPX file. An APPX is a package file used for distributing Windows 11/10 Bedrock versions of the game that can force updates. Note that this potential fix is only applicable for Minecraft Bedrock. This is how you can force an update with an APPX file.
- First, open your MS Store app.
- Click Library within the MS Store app.
- Next, select (click on) Minecraft for Windows.
- Click Share beside the Play button.
- Select the Copy link option.
The Copy link option
- Open this link generator page for Microsoft Store.
- Click inside URL box and press Ctrl + V to paste your copied Minecraft link.
The link generator page
- Select the Retail option in the drop-down menu.
- Next, you will need to download the latest APPX file for Minecraft that’s compatible with your Windows platform. To do so, drag-and-drop the latest APPX file for your Windows platform into the browser tab bar to bring up a Save As window.
- Select your Downloads folder and click Save.
The Save As window page
- Next, open your Downloads folder within File Explorer.
- Double-click the APPX file in your Downloads folder.
- Select the Reinstall option within the window that opens.
The APPX file’s Reinstall option
If you’re not sure which of the latest APPX files is compatible with your Windows platform, open the About this PC page in Settings. To do so, input About in the Windows search box and select About your PC in the search results. Check the System Type detail within the About tab. If your PC is 64-bit, you’ll need to download the latest MicrosoftMinecraftUWP X64 APPX file.
Those ways to fix the Minecraft “Outdated client” error on Windows PCs will usually work. Applying those potential fixes will enable Minecraft to update to fix the error. If the error persists, consider sending a support ticket about it to the game’s help service from this contact form.
