How to potentially fix Outdated Client error in Minecraft

Nothing is more frustrating than being unable to play Minecraft due to an issue with the launcher. While uncommon, there are several different issues that can make it impossible to play the game normally. The Outdated Client error is one of the best examples of these game-breaking errors, as it stops players from joining worlds and servers.

All the different potential ways of fixing the game's Outdated Client error can be found in detail below.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

---

Potential fixes for the Outdated Client error in Minecraft

1) Restart the launcher (PC-only fix)

The launcher should keep the game up to date when launching a profile (Image via Mojang)

The first and easiest way to force an update is to restart the official Minecraft launcher. The title automatically checks for updates and installs them when launching. This means that restarting the launcher and attempting to play the game again should result in an automatic update.

If it does not, though, there are still a number of other solutions to try.

---

2) Check for updates

Any missing updates should appear in online storefronts (Image via Microsoft)

If restarting the launcher didn't solve this Minecraft error, the next step is to manually check the storefront you got the game from for updates. If you're a PC player, launch the Microsoft Store and hit the "Library" button in the bottom left. If the game has any pending updates, they should be listed at the top of your library.

If you're on a mobile device, you'll need to open the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, depending on your device. Search for the title using the provided search bar. If there's an available update, the Play button will be replaced by an Update button. Hit this to install the latest Minecraft update.

Console Bedrock players will need to go through a similar process on the Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, or Microsoft Store. Launch into the app and search for the game. If there are pending updates, you should be able to start them from here.

---

3) Restart your device

Restarting your device is a great way to refresh things (Image via Xbox)

If the storefront you got the game from isn't showing that you need to update the game, restart your device. This should force a fresh connection to the storefront, causing any missing updates to register.

---

4) Re-install the game

Reinstalling the game is effective, but should be a last resort (Image via Mojang)

If every other potential solution has failed, there's a final thing you can try. This is a full, fresh game install. Reinstalling the game will pull all of the most recent files from Minecraft's servers. This should make it essentially impossible to continue getting the Outdated Client error, as the game files will be as recent as they can be.