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To join a Minecraft server on a PC, first identify whether you are running Java Edition or Bedrock Edition. They use separate server systems, so a Java player must use a Java server and a Bedrock player must use a Bedrock server. Java connects from Multiplayer; Bedrock connects from Play > Servers. You also need the server’s address, a compatible game release, a stable connection and a Microsoft Account.
Use the instructions below for your edition, then use the troubleshooting table if the connection is refused or the server does not appear.
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Java and Bedrock are different multiplayer systems
Minecraft on PC is available in Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. The official edition guide explains that they use different servers and cannot play together directly: a Java client cannot join a Bedrock-only server, and a Bedrock client cannot join a Java-only server. Confirm the edition before copying an address or changing settings.
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|---|---|---|
| Join menu | Multiplayer on the main menu | Play > Servers |
| Server types | Existing saved servers, direct connections and manually added servers | Featured servers and manually added servers |
| Address entry | Hostname/URL or IP address | Server address and, when required, a port |
| Default port detail | The server owner supplies the connection details | Minecraft Help documents 19132 as the default Bedrock port; a particular server can require another port |
| Direct cross-play | Does not directly play with Bedrock servers | Does not directly play with Java servers |
| LAN selection | LAN worlds appear in the Multiplayer screen | LAN worlds are selected from Play > Worlds |
If you are unsure which edition is installed, check the game name in the Minecraft Launcher and the title shown on its main menu. Do not assume that a server address works in both editions; ask the owner which edition and release the server supports.
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For the official explanation of the edition split, see Minecraft Java or Bedrock Edition.
Check these requirements before connecting
Most failed connections are caused by a mismatch or a missing prerequisite rather than by the server menu itself. Check each item before troubleshooting deeper.
- Correct edition: Use Java for a Java server and Bedrock for a Bedrock server.
- Compatible release: Use a current game release supported by the server. Snapshot and preview versions may fail to connect to ordinary servers.
- Exact address: Obtain the hostname/URL or IP address directly from the server owner. A single missing character can point the client to a different destination.
- Port, when applicable: Bedrock manual entries can require a separate port. Enter the value supplied by the owner instead of assuming the default.
- Microsoft Account: Multiplayer requires you to be signed in. Minecraft’s official guidance states, “To play multiplayer, you’ll need to be signed in with a Microsoft Account.”
- Child-account permissions: A child account may need multiplayer permissions enabled by the family account settings.
- Connection and hardware: Use a stable internet or local-network connection and a computer that meets Minecraft’s multiplayer requirements.
The complete prerequisite guidance is in Minecraft’s multiplayer requirements article.
How to join a Java Edition server
Java servers are joined from the Multiplayer screen. The owner may give you a hostname/URL, an IP address, and sometimes a port in a format the server expects. Copy the details exactly as provided.
Join a server you have already saved
- Open the Minecraft Launcher and start Minecraft: Java Edition.
- Wait for the main menu, then select Multiplayer.
- Click the saved server entry you want to use.
- Select Join Server.
A saved entry keeps the server details in your list, so you do not have to re-enter them each time. If the entry is marked unavailable, verify the address and the release selected in the launcher before trying again.
Connect once with Direct Connection
- Launch Java Edition and select Multiplayer.
- Select Direct Connection.
- Enter the server address supplied by the owner in the server-address field.
- Select Join Server.
Direct Connection is useful when you are testing an address or do not want to keep it in the saved list. It does not change the server or create an account on the server.
Save a new server with Add Server
- From the Java main menu, choose Multiplayer.
- Select Add Server.
- Enter a recognizable name in the server-name field.
- Enter the exact hostname/URL or IP address in the server-address field.
- Save the entry, select it in the server list and choose Join Server.
The name is only a label on your computer; it does not have to match the server’s public name. The address is the value that determines where Java attempts to connect. Minecraft’s Java instructions are documented in Play Minecraft: Java Edition Online in a Multiplayer Server and the broader walkthrough at How to play on a Minecraft server.
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Java does not automatically discover every internet server. If an owner gave you a server address, use Direct Connection or Add Server and enter it manually. If the server is on your local network, use the LAN procedure below instead of expecting it to appear as a public entry.
How to join a Bedrock Edition server on PC
Bedrock uses the Play menu. It includes a list of featured servers and a separate form for adding a server manually.
Join a featured Bedrock server
- Launch Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
- Select Play on the main menu.
- Open the Servers tab.
- Select a featured server from the list.
- Choose Play to connect.
Featured entries are presented inside Bedrock’s server list. You do not need to type an address for a featured entry; select the listed server and follow the on-screen connection flow. Minecraft maintains a current server page at Minecraft Servers.
Add an internet server manually
- Open Bedrock Edition and select Play.
- Open the Servers tab.
- Select Add Server.
- Enter a name so you can recognize the entry later.
- Enter the server address supplied by the owner.
- Enter the port when the owner provides one. Minecraft Help documents
19132as the default Bedrock port, but a server can use a different configuration. - Select Add and play to save the entry and connect immediately, or select Add server to save it without joining yet.
Use the owner’s address and port as a pair. If the address is correct but the port is wrong, Bedrock can still fail to connect because it is contacting the wrong service. The Bedrock server instructions are covered by Minecraft Help’s Bedrock multiplayer server article.
Return to a saved Bedrock server
- Choose Play, then Servers.
- Find the server in your saved list.
- Select it and choose the available play or connect option.
If the entry shows an error or no longer responds, edit the saved details with the current address and port from the owner. A saved entry does not guarantee that the server is still online or that its configuration has not changed.
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How to join a LAN world on the same network
A LAN world is hosted from one computer and discovered by another computer on the same local network. This is different from joining an internet server: you do not normally type a public server address.
Java Edition LAN
- Have the host open the desired single-player world in Java Edition.
- Open the in-game pause menu and choose the option to open the world to LAN.
- Set the available LAN options and start the LAN world.
- On the other computer, launch the same edition and open Multiplayer.
- Wait for the LAN world to appear, select it and choose Join Server.
Java LAN discovery depends on both computers being on the same local network. If the world does not appear, confirm the network connection and that both players are using Java Edition and compatible releases.
Bedrock Edition LAN
- Have the host open the world in Bedrock Edition.
- Confirm the host has started a LAN game and that the world is available for local multiplayer.
- On the joining computer, open Bedrock Edition and select Play.
- Open the Worlds tab.
- Select the world labeled for LAN play.
Both Bedrock devices must be connected to the same LAN. The official instructions are in Play Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on a Local Area Network (LAN).
Can Java and Bedrock players play together?
Not directly through the ordinary server menus. Java and Bedrock use different server systems, and Minecraft’s official edition guidance says the editions cannot play together directly. A Java player therefore needs a Java server, while a Bedrock player needs a Bedrock server.
When a server listing says it supports both editions, confirm the arrangement with its owner before connecting. The relevant question is not whether both players own Minecraft on PC; it is whether the particular server and its connection method support each player’s edition. If the owner supplies separate addresses or instructions for each edition, follow the instructions for your installed client.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a failed connection
A server can be online and still reject your connection. The official requirements and joining instructions identify edition, release, address, port, account permissions and network conditions as relevant prerequisites. The table below turns those prerequisites into a practical check order; it is a diagnostic framework rather than a universal error-code guide.
| What you see | Most useful checks | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The server is missing from the list | You may be looking in the wrong edition’s menu, or the server is not a featured/public entry. | Use Java Multiplayer > Direct Connection/Add Server or Bedrock Play > Servers > Add Server, then enter the owner’s details. |
| “Unable to connect” after manual entry | Check every character in the address and confirm whether a port is required. | Ask the owner to resend the current hostname/IP and port, then replace the saved entry rather than relying on an old copy. |
| The address works for a friend but not for you | Compare edition, game release, Microsoft Account sign-in and child-account multiplayer permissions. | Switch to the server-supported release, sign in, and have the family account enable multiplayer when applicable. |
| A LAN world does not appear | Check that both computers are on the same local network and the host actually opened the world to LAN. | Restart LAN hosting, return to the correct Multiplayer or Worlds tab, and verify that both clients use the same edition. |
| A snapshot or preview client is refused | The server may accept a regular release but not an experimental one. | Launch the compatible stable release specified by the server owner. |
| Bedrock reaches the server but cannot complete the connection | The address may be correct while the port is not. | Enter the port supplied by the owner. If none was supplied, ask whether the server uses the documented default 19132 or a custom port. |
| Multiplayer controls are unavailable | The game may not be signed in with a Microsoft Account, or an account restriction may be active. | Sign in and check the account’s multiplayer permissions before attempting another join. |
Use a clean, controlled retry
- Close the world or disconnect from the server.
- Confirm the edition shown in the launcher and the release selected for it.
- Sign in to the Microsoft Account used for Minecraft.
- Recheck the server address and port against the owner’s latest instructions.
- Reconnect from the correct menu: Multiplayer for Java or Play > Servers for Bedrock.
This sequence removes the most common variable mismatches without changing unrelated settings. If it still fails, ask the owner whether the server is currently accepting players and which edition and release it is configured to support.
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If you would rather run a server for your friends than join someone else’s, Godlike.Host offers Minecraft Java, Bedrock and modded server hosting with free DDoS protection and 24/7 live chat or ticket support. Once the server is running, send your friends its address (and the port for Bedrock) and they can join with the steps above.
Choosing the right connection method
| Your situation | Use this method | Information required |
|---|---|---|
| You received a Java server address | Java Multiplayer > Direct Connection | Hostname/URL or IP address; release compatible with the server |
| You will revisit a Java server | Java Add Server | Server label and the same address details |
| You want a listed Bedrock partner server | Bedrock Play > Servers, then select the featured entry | No typed address for the featured entry |
| You received Bedrock server details | Bedrock Add Server | Server name, address and port when required |
| A friend opened a local Java world | Java Multiplayer and select the LAN listing | Same LAN, same edition and compatible release |
| A friend opened a local Bedrock world | Bedrock Play > Worlds and select the LAN-labeled world | Same LAN and Bedrock Edition on both devices |
Final pre-join checklist
- Identify Java or Bedrock before using any server address.
- Confirm that the server supports your edition and selected game release.
- Copy the address exactly as supplied by the owner.
- Enter a Bedrock port when the server requires one;
19132is the documented default, not a guarantee for every server. - Sign in with a Microsoft Account.
- Check multiplayer permissions for a child account.
- Use a stable internet connection for internet servers or the same LAN for local worlds.
- Use Java’s Multiplayer menu or Bedrock’s Play > Servers menu.
Once those checks match the server’s instructions, select the server entry and connect. For further edition-specific procedures, consult Minecraft’s official server guide.
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