There are three ways to play multiplayer Minecraft: Java Edition, which is free. - You have three options: join a public Minecraft server, create your own or buy a Minecraft Realm. - If your friends are on the same network, you can set up a LAN Minecraft server for local multiplayer.
Minecraft is a simple but endless game that has millions of players. It's easy to find new friends. It can be confusing to know how to play multiplayer together with your friends.
The way you play multiplayer Minecraft will depend on whether your version is the console-friendly Bedrock or the classic Java edition. No matter which edition you choose, you can only play with other players who have the same version.
Java can be used to play with friends in a variety of ways.
Hosting a multiplayer Minecraft server should take no more than a few minutes.
Here's what you need to know.
Quick tip: You must all be playing the same version Minecraft to be able to play with other players.
How to play Minecraft with friends
Minecraft's multiplayer mode relies on servers as its basic building block. Anyone playing together will need to be on the same server.
There are thousands of Minecraft servers already out there, which you and your friends can join to play together in moments - see the section below on how to join a friend's or a public server for more details. The only downside there is that you'll be sharing these servers with lots of other people you don't know.
A Minecraft server is free for you and your friends to host a private game. It is not an easy task. The server creator will need a computer with good internet speed. If this doesn't work for you, there are other options.
Here are the steps you need to follow in order to join an existing Minecraft Java Edition server or create your own multiplayer servers.
Join a server
1. Launch Minecraft and select Multiplayer.
2. Click Add Server.
3. In the Server Address area, enter the address of the host-server and click Done. This could be an IP address or a URL.
4. Wait for the server to connect. When it appears in your list, click on it and click Join Server.
Join your server and create it
The steps below will guide you through setting up a Windows 10 server. The steps should be identical, if not entirely the same, for Mac and Linux computers.
1. Launch a web browser of your choice and navigate to minecraft.net/download. Scroll down and click Java Edition Server.
2. Next, find and download Minecraft server software. Put it somewhere you'll find it. The file will be named.jar.
3. Create a new folder in your computer. Name it whatever you want. Then, place the.jar file from the download inside. This is where your server files are kept.
4. Next, create a plain text file. Right-click in the folder and select New, then Text Document. Name the text document "start.txt."
Quick tip: You can create a.txt file on a Mac using the TextEdit app. You can use the terminal command "cat" in Linux.
5. Navigate back to the Minecraft server download webpage. Copy the command text as follows:
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.18.2.jar nogui
Notice that the numbers nearing the end will vary depending on Minecraft's latest version.
6. Copy the command text string into your start.txt file.
7. Within the string of command text, you'll see the words "minecraft_server.1.18.2.jar." You'll need to rename that portion of the text "server.jar." Premium Content The new line of code will now read as follows:
8. This line of code allows you to change the RAM allocation on your server. The more RAM your server has, the faster it can run, and the more stress it puts on your computer.
9. The RAM is determined based on the first two numbers of the code line, which are the RAM amount in megabytes. By default, it is set to 1024MB RAM, or 1 gigabyte (GB).
Quick tip: RAM is much more expensive than storage space. One gigabyte is equal to 1,024 megabytes. As such, set the RAM amount in multiples of 1,024 megabytes.
1. Launch Minecraft while your server has been up and running. Next, select Multiplayer.
2. Select Add Server in bottom-right corner.
3. Simply enter the number "0" in the Server Address field or the word "localhost" in the "Server Address" box.
Use a LAN server
1. One player should launch a single game world and then enter the pause menu. They'll choose Open to LAN.
2. Select the game mode and allow cheats from the menu. Click Start LAN World.
4. The other player or players in the same network should launch Minecraft. However, rather than jumping into a world, click on the Multiplayer option from main menu.
5. Minecraft will automatically scan the shared local network for games. Click Join Server when the right world appears.
6. If the server is not found, players can click Direct Connection. In this menu, under Server Address, enter the IP address of the computer hosting the server, followed by a colon (:) and the five-digit port number.
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