How to make a Minecraft server
A Minecraft server is a copy of the game that keeps running when you log off, so your world is there whenever one of your friends wants to play. You can run one on your own computer or rent one that stays online for you.
This guide walks through the choices in the order they matter. Most problems people run into later, like a world that lags or friends who cannot join, come from a choice made in the first ten minutes.
Decide who is going to play
Before anything else, find out which version of Minecraft your friends have. This decides the whole setup.
- Everyone plays on a PC (Windows, Mac or Linux) with the launcher from Mojang: that is Java Edition. You get the most freedom: plugins, mods and modpacks.
- Everyone plays on a phone, tablet, console or the Windows store version: that is Bedrock Edition.
- A mix of both: you want a crossplay server. It runs Java, and Bedrock players join through a translator called Geyser.
Not sure? Read Java or Bedrock: which server do you need first. It takes two minutes and saves you from starting over.
Home computer or hosted server
Running a server on your own PC is free, but it comes with three catches.
- The PC has to stay on for as long as anyone wants to play, and the game takes memory away from everything else you do on it.
- Friends outside your house can only join if you open a port on your router. That means logging into the router, and it shows your home address to everyone who joins.
- Upload speed at home is usually far lower than download speed, and that is the direction a server needs.
A hosted server avoids all three. It runs in a data centre, it has its own address, and your PC can be off. That is what the rest of this guide assumes.
Choose the memory
Memory (RAM) is the one number that decides how many players and how many mods fit. A small world for a few friends needs far less than a modpack.
| What you run | Good starting point |
|---|---|
| The normal game, up to 5 friends | 4 GB |
| The normal game with plugins, 10 to 20 players | 8 GB |
| A light modpack, a handful of friends | 8 GB |
| A heavy modpack such as All The Mods | 12 GB or more |
These are starting points, not limits. How much RAM a Minecraft server needs shows the sum behind them, and the server finder does it for you in three questions.
Order and start the server
- Pick a plan on the plans page, or build your own size with the memory slider.
- On the configure page, choose the edition (Java, Bedrock or Crossplay), the server software and the Minecraft version. If you are not sure, Paper on the newest version is the safe choice for Java.
- Give the server a name and pick its address. This is the address your friends type in, so keep it short.
- Create your account and pay. The server is set up for you; you do not install anything yourself.
- Open the server from your dashboard. The Console tab shows it starting. When the console says
Done, the world is ready.
The first start takes longest, because the world is being generated. Later starts are much quicker.
Set the rules of your world
A fresh server uses the default settings of Minecraft. A few are worth changing before anyone joins, because they are awkward to change once people have built things.
- Difficulty: easy, normal or hard. Peaceful removes hostile mobs completely.
- Game mode: survival for most worlds, creative for a building server.
- PvP: whether players can hurt each other. Turn it off for a relaxed friends server.
- Seed: the number a world is generated from. It only matters before the world exists; changing it later means a new world.
- Whitelist: when it is on, only the names you add can join. For a private server, turn it on.
Most of these live in a file called server.properties, which you can open in the Files tab. The server name in the multiplayer list (the MOTD) and the server icon are in Settings.
Make yourself an operator
An operator, or op, can use admin commands such as changing the time or teleporting players. Give that to yourself first.
- Open the Players tab of your server.
- Under operators, type your exact Minecraft username and add it.
- Join the server and try
/time set day. If it works, you are an operator.
Only give op to people you trust completely. Whitelist and operator levels explains the four levels and when to use which.
Invite your friends
The address of your server is on the Overview tab. Send that to your friends. On Java they add it under Multiplayer, Add Server. On Bedrock phones, tablets and Windows it goes under Servers, Add Server, together with the port the panel shows.
If someone cannot get in, Can't connect to your Minecraft server goes through the causes one by one, from the most common to the rare.
Before you start building
Two things are worth doing on day one.
- Make a backup in the Backups tab. If a plugin or a mistake ruins the world, you can go back to this moment.
- Decide on plugins or mods now, not after a week of building. Switching from Paper to Fabric or Forge later is possible, but mods and plugins do not mix, so it is easier to choose once.
Questions
Can I make a Minecraft server for free?
Yes, on your own computer: Mojang offers the server software for free. It only runs while your PC is on, and friends outside your home need you to open a port on your router. A hosted server costs money but runs without your PC.
Do my friends need to buy Minecraft to join?
Yes. Every player needs their own copy of the game. A server does not give anyone access to Minecraft; it only gives them a world to join.
Can Java and Bedrock players play on the same server?
Yes, with a crossplay server. It runs Java Edition, and Bedrock players join through Geyser, which translates between the two versions. Choose Crossplay when you order and it is set up for you.
How long does it take before I can play?
Once the order is paid the server is created and installed on its own. The first start generates the world, which takes a minute or two. After that you can join straight away.
Checked against Minecraft Java 26.2 and our control panel, September 2026. Written by the Cheapest Minecraft Hosting team, updated .