Minecraft Servers & Multiplayer
Minecraft Multiplayer Guide: Join Servers & Play Together
How to play Minecraft with friends — join a Realm, add featured servers on Bedrock, join Java servers by IP, LAN play, and multiplayer safety settings.
9/29/2026 26.3 / 26.52 Minecraft Wiki Team Last updated: 9/29/2026 2 min read
FAQ
How do you play Minecraft with friends?
Bedrock: sign in with a Microsoft account, add friends via gamertag, and join their world from the Friends tab. Java: friends share a server IP, open to LAN, or join a Realm. No subscription needed to join — only Realms owners pay.
What are the featured servers on Bedrock?
Official partner servers vetted by Mojang — names like The Hive, CubeCraft, Lifeboat, and Galaxite — offering minigames like SkyWars and BedWars. They appear on the Servers tab and are free to join.
Is Minecraft multiplayer safe for kids?
Controls exist: Microsoft Family settings can disable multiplayer entirely, chat can be filtered or hidden, and Java 26.x includes chat reporting. Realms is the safest option — invite-only, no strangers.
How do you join friends on Bedrock?
Bedrock multiplayer runs on Xbox Live accounts (free):
- Sign in with a Microsoft account → Friends tab → Add Friend by gamertag
- Friends’ joinable worlds appear under Friends — join directly; no server needed
- Console players need their platform’s online subscription (Game Pass Essential+, Switch Online, PS+)
- Privacy: set worlds to invite-only in multiplayer settings
How do you join a server?
- Java: Multiplayer → Add Server → enter a name and the server IP (e.g.
play.example.net) → join. Java has no built-in featured list — find servers on community lists or friends’ recommendations - Bedrock: Servers tab → featured partner servers (The Hive, CubeCraft, Lifeboat, Galaxite and more — free to join, Mojang-vetted) or Add Server for community IPs — consoles restrict custom IPs, so most console players use featured servers or Realms
Realms — the private option
An invite-only world hosted by Mojang: 10 players on a Plus/Java subscription, owner-only payment, always online. Details and pricing are in our Realms vs server breakdown — it’s the recommended pick for families and small friend groups.
Playing together well
- Voice: Bedrock has no built-in voice chat — use Discord/console party chat; Java relies on external voice too
- Roles: on a shared world, agree on who hosts backups and who runs the server settings
- Mods: public servers are vanilla-compatible by design; for a modded group world see install mods
- Etiquette: claim distance, chest rules, and mob-farm sharing are the top friend-group flashpoints — set rules early
Safety settings worth knowing
- Microsoft Family can gate multiplayer, friend adds, and clubs per child account
- Chat reporting & filtering ship with Java; Bedrock mutes players per-account
- Invite-only Realms means no random players — the clean default for younger players
What to read next
- How to Make a Server — run your own
- Realms vs Server — pick the right hosting model
- Java vs Bedrock — multiplayer differences between editions
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