These 5 free add-ons make Minecraft Bedrock Edition feel brand new

Slightly blurred background with text in the centre saying "Minecraft Bedrock Addons".

Minecraft Bedrock Edition is packed with add-ons just waiting to be discovered, and some of them can really change how you experience the game.

I've rounded up five of the best free add-ons that inject fresh life into your Minecraft experience without costing a single penny. Whether you’re after smarter survival, new crafting systems, or just a bit more chaos, there’s something here to shake things up.

Quick note on compatibility

The Minecraft add-ons highlighted on this page are specifically for Bedrock Edition. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Before we dive in, quick heads-up: these add-ons are available exclusively for the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft. That includes Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 10 or 11 through the Minecraft Marketplace.

If you’re playing Java Edition, you won’t be able to use these exact add-ons, but I’ll mention the closest mod equivalents where possible, so nobody feels left out. That said, mod compatibility will vary.

How to install Bedrock add-ons and enable add-ons

Click on Marketplace within Bedrock Edition to get add-ons. (Image credit: Windows Central)

1. When you load up Minecraft Bedrock Edition, click on Marketplace right there on the main menu.
2. Once you open it, you can search for each add-on manually by typing its name into the search bar in the top right corner.
3. Alternatively, you can click the links provided in this article, which will take you straight to the add-on’s official webpage.
4. From there, hitting “Get This Item” will launch Minecraft and bring up the download prompt automatically.
5. To enable your add-ons, create a new world. Note that you can also edit an existing one, but just be aware that this can sometimes cause issues depending on the add-on.
6. Once you’re in the world settings, scroll down and head to the Resource Packs section on the left.
7. You have to manually Activate each pack one by one; this will be to the right of the packs name. This will fully download and apply the pack to your world.

After everything’s enabled, just create your world like normal and you’re good to go. Once you're done loading into your world, you’ll have a book for each pack to guide you through how to use the add-ons.

5: Gravestone by Darkosto

Gravestones keep your items safe, even in lava, making death a lot less painful. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

• Bedrock Edition Add-on: Gravestone
• Java Edition: Add-on GraveStone Mod on CurseForge

Perhaps the most straightforward add-on on this list, the Gravestone Add-On, gives players a much-needed peace of mind when they die.

Instead of your entire inventory exploding across the floor, your items are neatly stored in a gravestone at the point of death. It works like a chest, keeping everything safe from lava, creepers, and despawning timers.

This small quality-of-life tweak goes a long way in changing how you approach the game. It gives you the confidence to take more risks – whether that’s diving into caves with low armor or picking a fight you might not win. For me, it’s become a near-essential part of most playthroughs, unless I’m in the mood to be a bit harsher on myself.

4: Uncrafting Items Add-on by Chunklabs

Made a mistake? The uncrafting table has your back, just dont expect a full refund. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

• Bedrock Edition Add-on: Uncrafting Items Add-On
• Java Edition Add-on: Simple Uncrafting Table on CurseForge

Have you ever accidentally crafted the wrong item? Maybe you slipped while using a controller or just needed those materials for something else entirely.

Either way, the Uncrafting Items Add-On has you covered. Just like the name suggests, this add-on lets you reverse crafted items, but with a slight twist.

1. To get started (after you've enabled the add-on), you’ll need to craft an Uncrafting Table.
2. Place a regular crafting table in the center of a crafting table and surround it with eight iron ingots.
3. The result is a special table that works just like the regular one, except it allows you to break items back down into their base materials.

It’s not a perfect refund, though.

For example, uncrafting an iron chestplate only gives you back five ingots, a diamond pickaxe returns just two diamonds, and uncrafting a dyed wool block will just give you back normal wool.

So, while it won’t completely erase mistakes, it’s a smart way to recover value from items you no longer or never meant to craft in the first place.

3: Echo Crystal Add-on by JWolf Creations

Explore deep enough to unlock the powers of the echo crystal. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

• Bedrock Edition Add-on: Echo Crystal Add-On
• Java Edition Add-on: N/A

Echo Crystals introduce a brand-new item that encourages deeper exploration to unlock.

1. To craft one, you’ll need to combine two underground resources: an amethyst shard from a geode and an echo shard from the Deep Dark.
2. Once you have both, you can craft the Echo Crystal either directly in your inventory or using a crafting table by combining the two aforementioned items.

The Echo Crystal grants a unique ability that lets you phase through blocks above you, allowing access to areas that would otherwise be out of reach.

It’s a bit like a get-out-of-jail card, once you’ve managed to explore deep enough to craft one. The Echo Crystal is perfect for cave exploration or escaping tricky spots, adding a new dynamic to the game's sandbox.

That said, there are some limitations.

It only works upwards, so you can’t use it to drop down or pass through walls horizontally. Still, it adds a fresh mechanic that changes how you move through the world and gives you another tool to survive deep underground.

2: More TNT! Add-on by Tsunami Studios

Disco TNT might no explode but it sure knows how to throw a party, perfect for multiplayer shenanigans. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

• Bedrock Edition Add-on: More TNT! Add-On
• Java Edition Add-on: Even More TNT on CurseForge

This one’s pretty self-explanatory – More TNT! Adds a ton of new explosive fun to the game, with over a dozen different types of TNT that each do something wildly different.

It’s way too much to cover here, so I’ll just highlight a few of my personal favorites.

First up is “Disco TNT”, which isn’t quite a traditional TNT in the sense that it doesn’t even explode, but it does kick off a little disco party complete with music. It’s great for multiplayer and just messing around with friends.

Next up, “Lava TNT” does exactly what it says on the tin, bursting in a small lava flood wherever it explodes. It's a fun way to mess around and cause chaos.

But my favorite by far must be the “Colossal TNT.” As the name suggests, it creates a massive explosion that clears everything in the area, even yourself if you can’t escape in time. It’s satisfying, chaotic, and just ridiculously fun to set off.

And that’s just scratching the surface. This add-on also includes Ultra TNT, Proxy TNT, Polar TNT, Lucky TNT, Implosion TNT, Rocket TNT, Shockwave TNT, Toxic TNT, Sonic TNT, Trapper TNT, Earthquake TNT, Nether TNT, Gravity TNT, Healing TNT, and even throwable TNT.

Yeah… that’s probably enough TNT for now.

1: Tinkers’ Construct Lite Add-on by FTB

Melt down your ores and pour molds, tool smithing has got a serious upgrade. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

• Bedrock Edition Add-on: Tinkers' Construct Lite
• Java Edition Add-on: Tinkers Construct on CurseForge

Tinkers’ Construct Lite is by far the biggest add-on on the list, and honestly, it could have an entire article dedicated to it.

At its core, it adds a whole new way to craft, customize, and improve your tools, while also throwing in a few brand-new ones like Bone tools.

Instead of crafting tools the vanilla way (which is still an option), you can now build them out of three individual parts: the head, handle, and binding.

Each part is crafted from a material of your choice, such as wood, iron, bone, diamond, or netherite. The materials you choose directly affect the tool’s stats, including durability, mining speed, attack damage, and sometimes even unique traits.

On top of that, the add-on introduces entirely new tools like the cleaver, shoel, and dagger, each with their own crafting requirements and uses.

For more advanced stuff, you’ll need to dive into the new smelting system. This involves building a smeltery. Instead of using a furnace, ores are melted down into molten ingots using lava as fuel.

These molten metals are then poured into molds using a casting table to create individual parts, like a pickaxe head, which you’ll need to craft the tools. Just keep in mind the molds need to be crafted separately, too.

This add-on is massive and easily the most transformative of the bunch. It overhauls how progression works with tools completely and gives you way more control and creativity over your tools.

If you’re someone who loves deep crafting systems or just wants a new way to survive and thrive, this one is a must-try!

Inject fresh life into Minecraft with add-ons

Minecraft Bedrock Edition is brimming with free add-ons that can completely transform the way you play. From subtle upgrades to dramatic overhauls, these hidden gems offer fresh mechanics and surprises that keep the game feeling new.

Best of all, add-ons are free, so you can breathe new life into a game you already love without spending a dime. There are plenty of other add-ons to discover, so have fun with them.