To add a Minecraft server to a listing, first make it reachable from the public internet, then submit its address through each list’s add-server form. Java servers that need live player counts generally must enable the Query protocol. Bedrock servers use their own UDP port and should not be advertised as Query-enabled unless the specific list documents verified Bedrock support. The official Minecraft Server List also requires an online server, proof that it follows the Minecraft Usage Guidelines, official contact information, a description of its purpose and audience, and basic community-management practices.
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What a server list actually checks
A server-list entry is useful only when visitors can connect to the address and port you publish. Listing software may also poll the server for its online status, version, MOTD, latency, and player count. A server can therefore be running on your computer and still appear offline to a list if your router, firewall, hosting panel, DNS record, or query settings prevent external access.
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There are two broad kinds of listing services:
- The official Minecraft Server List is a Mojang Studios and GamerSafer project. It does not accept paid placements or advertisements. Its application process is gated: you must demonstrate compliance with the Minecraft Usage Guidelines and provide the requested administrative and community information.
- Third-party lists set their own submission, verification, moderation, bumping, and voting rules. Those rules differ by site and can change, so read the current add-server page for every list before submitting. Do not assume that approval by one list implies approval by another.
Prepare one accurate set of details before you begin: the public hostname or IP address, the port, edition (Java or Bedrock), supported game versions, server type, a short description, website or community contact, and the rules players must follow. Never publish a private management address, database endpoint, or an internal LAN address such as 192.168.x.x.
Pre-submission checklist
Complete these checks in order. Fixing connectivity first prevents an otherwise valid application from being rejected as offline.
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- Start the server and leave it running. The official list will not accept an offline server. Keep the process fully started, not paused at a configuration prompt or waiting for an EULA confirmation.
- Identify the public endpoint. Players outside your home or office network need your public IP address or a DNS hostname that resolves to it. If your provider changes the address, use a hostname that you can update, but verify that it resolves correctly before submission.
- Test from outside your network. Use the mcsrvstat.us status checker to test Java (1.7 and newer), Bedrock, and Java servers with Query enabled. A test from the same LAN can succeed even when internet users are blocked by router or ISP settings, so confirm from an external connection as well.
- Confirm the edition and port. Java and Bedrock do not use the same default transport or port. Put the correct edition and port in every form and in your player instructions.
- Check the firewall and forwarding rule. The host firewall must allow the server process, and the router or hosting provider must forward the public port to the machine running Minecraft. Forward only the ports you actually need.
- Record the exact values. Keep a copy of the hostname, port, Query port (if used), software version, and contact address. Inconsistent values across lists make troubleshooting and moderation harder.
Java Edition: enable live player counts with Query
Many lists obtain a Java server’s live player count through the Query protocol. In the server’s server.properties file, set:
enable-query=true
query.port=25565The query.port value may be any number from 1 through 65535. If you omit it, the default is the value of server-port. Use a different Query port only when your list, host, or network design requires one, and then publish and forward that exact number.
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After editing server.properties, stop and restart the server so the setting is loaded. A text editor may add formatting or duplicate keys; keep one active line for each property. If a control panel generates the file, make the change in the panel’s server-properties editor or confirm that the panel did not overwrite it during restart.
Which protocol to forward
Java gameplay uses TCP 25565 by default. Query uses UDP on the same port number when enabled. If your public Java port is 25565 and you want live counts, your forwarding and firewall rules normally need both TCP 25565 and UDP 25565 directed to the Minecraft host. If you choose another server-port or query.port, substitute those values exactly.
| Java function | Default value | Transport | What to expose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player connections | 25565 (the default server-port) |
TCP | The public gameplay port |
| Query status | The query.port value; by default it follows server-port |
UDP | Only when a list needs Query data |
The table describes defaults, not a requirement to use 25565. A non-default port is valid if it is open, forwarded, and entered correctly in the listing.
Network setup: router, host, and firewall
Home or office hosting
Give the Minecraft computer a stable address on your local network, preferably through a DHCP reservation in the router. Create a port-forwarding rule from the public port to that machine’s local address. If the machine’s local address changes, the old rule will point at the wrong device and the list will report the server as offline.
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Hosted servers and control panels
Many hosts assign a port that is not 25565. Use the port shown by the host, not the Java default, and make sure the list entry includes it. Some panels have separate toggles for gameplay and Query traffic; enable only the services your list requires. Restart after changing server properties and verify that the panel still reports the same allocation.
Firewall validation
Permit the Minecraft server’s listening port through the operating-system firewall and any cloud security group. For Java with Query, permit the UDP Query port in addition to the TCP gameplay port. A port-forwarding rule without a matching firewall rule is incomplete; so is an open firewall when the router forwards to the wrong local address.
Query exposure and sensible security boundaries
Query is a status interface, not a replacement for player authentication or server moderation. Reports have described Query responses that can reveal plugin lists or hardware details. Treat that as a security consideration rather than a guaranteed behavior: expose Query only when a listing needs it, keep server software and plugins updated, and avoid forwarding unrelated management ports.
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Use a dedicated server account with the minimum operating-system permissions needed to run Minecraft. Keep backups outside the public web root, restrict panel access to administrators, and do not paste Query credentials or private logs into a listing description. If a list supports a status endpoint without Query, use the documented method instead of opening extra ports.
Submitting to the official Minecraft Server List
The official list has a specific eligibility process in addition to network reachability. Before opening the form, prepare evidence that your server follows the Minecraft Usage Guidelines and write a clear explanation of what the server is for and who it is intended to serve. You also need official contact information and foundational community-management practices, such as published rules and a way for players to report problems.
- Open the official list’s Server Admin area.
- Choose Add Your Server.
- Select I Have One.
- Confirm that the server is currently running and reachable at the address you plan to submit.
- Enter the server address, port, edition, purpose, intended audience, contact details, and the requested compliance information exactly as they apply to your community.
- Submit the application and monitor the contact channel you supplied in case the list requests clarification.
An offline server cannot satisfy the process, even when the application text is complete. If your address changes after submission, update the official record through its administrative process rather than creating conflicting duplicate entries.
Adding the server to third-party lists
Use each site’s own add-server page and follow its current instructions. Because third-party eligibility and moderation criteria were not established consistently, check for requirements such as account verification, ownership confirmation, supported editions, required banners, voting rules, update frequency, and prohibited content before you submit.
Enter one canonical identity for the server. Keep the name, logo, description, address, edition, and community links consistent, while still respecting each site’s formatting limits. If a list asks for a vote URL or promotional text, use only the mechanism it documents; do not automate votes or create duplicate entries unless its rules explicitly permit it.
Some lists poll repeatedly after approval. Leave the server online during the initial check, and avoid changing ports while a review is pending. If the list offers a manual verification button, run it after DNS and forwarding changes have propagated and after an external status test succeeds.
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Bedrock Edition: ports and listing details
Bedrock uses UDP rather than Java’s TCP gameplay default. The default Bedrock port is UDP 19132. For IPv6, the default is UDP 19133. These values are configured with server-port and server-portv6. If you changed either setting, publish the changed value instead of the default.
| Bedrock setting | Default | Transport | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
server-port |
19132 | UDP | IPv4 player connections |
server-portv6 |
19133 | UDP | IPv6 player connections |
Bedrock players enter the server address and port in separate fields. Tell them to use 19132 only when you have retained the default; a custom port must be entered explicitly. Forward the selected UDP port to the Bedrock host and allow it through the host firewall and any cloud security group.
Do not assume Bedrock Query support
Available references conflict about whether Bedrock supports the Query protocol. One third-party reference says Bedrock has no Query protocol and ignores enable-query; an older community forum post shows Bedrock Query settings. Because primary confirmation is not established, do not promise live Query player counts for a Bedrock entry and do not tell readers to rely on enable-query for Bedrock. Use the listing site’s documented Bedrock status method or mark the capability as unsupported until the list explicitly confirms it.
Why a server is not showing up
“Submitted” and “visible” are different states. Work through the failure that matches the symptom instead of repeatedly resubmitting.
The list says offline
- Run an external check with mcsrvstat.us and compare the tested address and port with the listing.
- Confirm the server process completed startup and is not bound only to localhost.
- Verify the router forwards to the current local address and that the host firewall permits the correct protocol.
- For Java live status, confirm
enable-query=true, the Query port, and UDP forwarding. A TCP-only rule permits players to connect but leaves a Query-based checker unable to read counts. - For Bedrock, verify UDP 19132 or your custom
server-port; a Java TCP rule will not make a Bedrock server reachable.
Players can connect, but the count is missing
Gameplay reachability proves only that the connection port works. Recheck the Java Query setting and UDP rule, then restart the server. If the list does not document Query for your edition, do not infer that a missing count is a network fault; it may be an unsupported feature.
The entry is rejected or never approved
Read the list’s current eligibility and moderation message. The official list may require additional proof of Usage Guidelines compliance, contact information, a defined purpose and audience, or evidence of community-management practices. Third-party lists may require account confirmation or reject content that their own rules prohibit. Correct the stated issue before applying again, and avoid creating duplicate entries.
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Check whether the public IP, DNS record, port allocation, software version, or server status changed. Re-run an external check, then update the listing rather than submitting a second identity. A host migration can require both DNS changes and new forwarding rules.
Choosing where to list
Use the following decision criteria when deciding whether a listing is worth maintaining:
| Criterion | Official Minecraft Server List | Third-party list |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Requires an online server and proof of Minecraft Usage Guidelines compliance, plus administrative and community information. | Varies by site; read the current add-server and moderation pages. |
| Paid placement | States that it does not accept paid placements or advertisements. | Not established here; check the site’s own commercial and ranking rules. |
| Live player count | Depends on the list’s status method; Java Query must be enabled when Query is required. | Depends on the site’s documented polling method and edition support. |
| Edition coverage | Confirm the form’s current Java and Bedrock fields. | Verify Java, Bedrock, or cross-play support individually. |
| Moderation | Uses its own eligibility and review process. | Rules, verification, voting, and removal criteria differ by site. |
For a small community, start with the official list if your server meets its requirements, then add only third-party lists whose audience and rules fit your server. Maintaining an entry that consistently reports the wrong port or edition is worse than having fewer entries.
Maintenance after approval
- Test after every network change. A new router, host migration, ISP change, or firewall update can break reachability without changing the Minecraft configuration.
- Keep listing data current. Update the description, supported versions, port, address, and community links when they change.
- Monitor Java Query deliberately. If you no longer need live counts, close the UDP Query port and remove claims that depend on it. If you keep it, check that the reported count matches the server’s actual status.
- Document Bedrock ports clearly. State whether players need the default 19132 or a custom port, and distinguish IPv4 from IPv6 when both are offered.
- Follow each list’s anti-abuse rules. Do not manipulate votes, create duplicate listings, or use misleading player counts. Removal from a list can occur even when the server itself remains online.
- Review community safety. Keep rules, contact methods, and reporting procedures available to players, especially when they were part of the official-list application.
A repeatable publication workflow
- Choose Java or Bedrock and write down the actual public address and port.
- Start the server and verify it externally.
- For Java, decide whether live counts are needed; if so, enable Query and open the matching UDP port.
- For Bedrock, forward UDP 19132 by default or the configured custom port, and treat Query as unverified.
- Prepare the server’s purpose, audience, rules, contact information, supported versions, and compliance details.
- Apply through the official Server Admin path if eligible.
- Apply separately to suitable third-party lists using their current forms and requirements.
- After each approval, test the displayed address, edition, status, and player count from outside your network.
- Record every listing URL and review it whenever you change hosting, DNS, ports, or server software.
This workflow separates the three issues that are most often confused: whether players can connect, whether a list can poll status, and whether the listing service approves the community. Solving them in that order gives you a server entry that is reachable, accurately described, and easier to maintain.
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