How to Make a Minecraft Server in 2026

A Minecraft server can mean a Realm, a temporary LAN world, or self-hosted server software. Pick the wrong one and your friends either cannot join or you end up managing files you never needed. Use the current official options for Java Edition, Bedrock Edition, and Minecraft Education.

1. Choose the Minecraft server type that fits your group

Java Edition servers are for Java Edition players.
Bedrock Dedicated Servers and Bedrock Realms are for Bedrock Edition players on supported Bedrock devices.
Realms is the simplest always-online option.
LAN is for players on the same local network while the host world stays open.
Bedrock friend hosting works for online Bedrock play while the host stays in the world.
Java dedicated server gives Java players control over server files, ports, whitelist settings, and operators.
Bedrock Dedicated Server gives Bedrock players a self-hosted server on supported Windows or Ubuntu systems.

For child or family-managed Microsoft accounts, turn on multiplayer first. Open Xbox family or safety settings, go to Privacy & online safety, open Xbox privacy, choose View details & customize, then allow You can join multiplayer games.

2. Create a Realm for the easiest always-online world

Use Realms when you want the official setup screens and an always-online world without running server files yourself.

1.Open Minecraft.
2.Select Play.
3.Select Create New.
4.Select Create New World.
5.Choose your game and multiplayer settings.
6.Select Create on Realms.
7.Choose a new Realm.
8.Complete the subscription or trial flow.

To move an existing Bedrock world to a Realm, open Minecraft > Play, select the Edit button next to the world, adjust the game or multiplayer settings, choose Play on Realm, then select the Realm.

For Java Edition Realms, sign in with your Microsoft account on Minecraft.net, open Realms, choose Buy Now next to the Java Realms subscription, agree to the EULA, and finish checkout. In the game, use Minecraft Realms from the Minecraft launch screen to configure the Realm and invite players.

3. Open a LAN world for same-network play

1.Start or load a single-player world.
2.Press Esc.
3.Select Open to LAN.
4.Adjust the LAN world settings.
5.Select Start LAN World.

LAN play is the fast route when everyone is on the same local network, and it is temporary: the world stays available only while the host keeps it open. For Minecraft Java Edition, other Java players join from Multiplayer.

For Minecraft Bedrock Edition, open Play, select the pencil Edit button next to the world, open Multiplayer, turn on Multiplayer Game, turn on Visible to LAN Players, then select Play. Other Bedrock players join from Play > Friends by selecting the LAN world.

4. Invite Bedrock friends without buying Realms

Bedrock Edition can host a regular online world for friends, but it is not an always-on server because the host must stay in the world.

1.Sign in with a Microsoft account.
2.Add your friends in Minecraft.
3.Open or create a Bedrock world with multiplayer enabled.
4.Pause the game.
5.Select Social.
6.Invite or select friends.

Your friends join from Play > Friends > Joinable Friends.

For Bedrock Parties, open Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, select Play, choose the Social button in the top-right, open the Party tab, select Create party, and invite friends. Parties support up to 15 players and can move the group between Bedrock multiplayer worlds together.

5. Run a Java Edition dedicated server

1.Open the official Minecraft Java Edition server download page.
2.Download the current server .jar file.
3.Open a terminal or command prompt in the server folder.
4.Run java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar minecraft_server.{version}.jar nogui.
5.Open eula.txt when prompted.
6.Accept the Minecraft EULA in eula.txt.
7.Run java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar minecraft_server.{version}.jar nogui again.
8.Configure local firewall and router access, then share the server address and port with players.

This is the standard self-hosted server path for Minecraft Java Edition. It works on Windows, macOS, or Linux when Java is available from the command line.

Leave out nogui to start the server with the graphical user interface.

6. Install a Bedrock Dedicated Server

Use the official Bedrock Dedicated Server download page for Bedrock Edition; it lists Windows, Windows Preview, Ubuntu (Linux), and Ubuntu (Linux) Preview.

On Windows:

1.Open the Minecraft Bedrock Server Download page.
2.Choose Minecraft Dedicated Server Software for Windows.
3.Select Windows.
4.Check the Minecraft End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy consent box.
5.Select Download.
6.Unzip the download into an empty folder.
7.Run bedrock_server.exe.
8.Follow the bundled how-to guide to configure the server.

On Ubuntu:

1.Open the Minecraft Bedrock Server Download page.
2.Choose Minecraft Dedicated Server Software for Ubuntu (Linux).
3.Select Ubuntu (Linux).
4.Check the Minecraft End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy consent box.
5.Select Download.
6.Unzip the download into an empty folder.
7.Start the server with LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server.
8.Follow the bundled how-to guide to configure the server.

Bedrock Dedicated Server supports Windows 10 version 10.0.15063 or later, Windows Server 2016 or later, and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later. Mojang's vendor page does not support other Linux distributions.

For Java Edition, edit server.properties settings such as white-list, enforce-whitelist, max-players, server-port, and online-mode.
For Java Edition, add a player with /whitelist add <playername>.
For Java Edition, remove a player with /whitelist remove <playername>.
For Java Edition, grant operator privileges with /op <playername>.
For Java Edition, remove operator privileges with /deop <playername>.
For Bedrock Dedicated Server, set allow-list=true in server.properties.
For Bedrock Dedicated Server, add a player with /allowlist add <GamerTag>.
For Bedrock Dedicated Server, remove a player with /allowlist remove <GamerTag>.

Make the server private before you hand out the address. Java Edition and Bedrock Dedicated Server use different names for the access list, but both give you direct controls.

For Bedrock GamerTags with spaces, put the name in quotes, like /allowlist add "Gamer Tag". After editing allowlist.json directly, run /allowlist reload.

8. Clear account blocks and skip outdated advice

When a player cannot join a server, Realm, friend world, or online world, check account permissions before rebuilding the server.

1.Open Xbox family or safety settings.
2.Select Privacy & online safety.
3.Open Xbox privacy.
4.Select View details & customize.
5.Open the friends, clubs, or multiplayer settings.
6.Allow You can join multiplayer games.
7.Allow the related Minecraft online safety settings for creating and joining clubs, joining multiplayer games, and adding friends on Xbox Live.

Family organizers can also open the Xbox Family Settings app, choose Settings, select the Multiplayer tile, and toggle multiplayer access.

Skip old Bedrock instructions that mention Broadcast to LAN. The current Bedrock LAN path is World settings > Multiplayer > Multiplayer Game > Visible to LAN Players. Skip Java snapshot instructions for peer-to-peer online world hosting too, because Mojang removed that feature from the stable release after testing.

For Minecraft Education, hosted worlds with Join Codes are still available for peer-hosted multiplayer, and a tenant Global Admin can now also enable self-hosted Minecraft Education Dedicated Servers for persistent always-online worlds, installable on Windows or Ubuntu and managed through the Dedicated Server Admin Portal. Open Minecraft Education, select Play, choose a world in My Worlds, then select Host. For a new world, select Play > Create New > New, choose the options, then select Host. For an in-progress world, pause the game, open Friends, select Start Hosting, choose Confirm, then share the picture Join Code from Friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Java Edition players join a Bedrock server?

No. Java Edition dedicated servers are for Java players only, and Bedrock Dedicated Servers are for Bedrock players only.

Do I need Realms to play Minecraft with friends?

No. Use LAN play, a Bedrock friend-hosted world, a Java dedicated server, or a Bedrock Dedicated Server. Realms is the simplest official always-online option.

Why does my child account fail to join servers or Realms?

The Microsoft account has multiplayer blocked. A family organizer needs to allow multiplayer in Xbox privacy and online safety settings or in the Xbox Family Settings app.

Can Minecraft Education run a regular always-on server?

Yes, if a tenant Global Admin enables Minecraft Education Dedicated Servers. These self-hosted servers (on Windows or Ubuntu) can run persistent always-online worlds with no client host and are managed through the Dedicated Server Admin Portal. Peer-hosted Join Code worlds remain available as well.