To play a specific version of Minecraft, please follow these steps to create a new installation profile in your Minecraft Launcher. First, open the Minecraft Launcher. Make sure Minecraft: Java Edition is selected on the left side. Click Installations at the top. Click the New installation button. Change the Furnace icon if you would like. For Name, put in the version you would like to play. This can be anything you want. For this example, we will use 1.17.1. For Version, select the version you would like to play. There are 3 main types of releases: release, snapshot, and old alpha. For The Sandlot, you will always use a release version, meaning the version starts with the word "release." For this example, we will use release 1.17.1. You can ignore the Game Directory option. You can change your resolution if you would like. This will be the default resolution when launching Minecraft. Once you have everything configured how you want it, click the Create button. You should now be back on the Installations screen. Select Play at the top. Now all you have to do to play your new profile is to select it from the dropdown to the left of the PLAY button. For this example, select 1.17.1. Once you have your new installation profile selected, click the big, green PLAY button! When Minecraft is done loading, it will show the Minecraft version you are using in the bottom left corner.
Not to be a downer on the guide, but if you're sticking with the java launcher only and not downloading the launcher from the microsoft store, you can get rid of the notification with the following steps. 1. Navigate to the launcher's directory (In my case its C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft). Right click the launcher and go to properties. 2. Click the Compatibility Tab. Check the box labeled "Run this program in compatibility mode for:". Then in the dropdown select, select Windows 7. Hit OK, then launch the launcher. The notification should be gone each time you open the launcher now.
