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Godlike.Host offers hosted Minecraft Bedrock servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
For a quick session, use Play → create or load a world → Invite to Game. For a world that is available when you are away, use Realms or an always-on BDS computer. BDS gives you the most control over files, settings and add-ons, but you must maintain the computer, firewall and router.
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Choose the right kind of Bedrock server
The word “server” can mean several different arrangements in Bedrock. Decide whether the world must stay online without you before changing any settings.
| Option | Setup effort | Must the host stay online? | Ongoing cost | Files, settings and add-ons | Player access | Network administration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invite friends to your world | Lowest; no server software | Yes. The host normally needs to be playing in that world. | Free | Use the normal world controls; no separate server files | Friends join through the Friends tab after an invitation | None beyond normal account and privacy controls |
| Minecraft Realms | Low; Mojang hosts the world | No. The Realm remains available according to the subscription service. | Paid subscription; current price and regional terms appear on the official purchase screen | Less server administration than BDS; use the controls provided by Realms | Join from the Friends tab with an invitation or code | Mojang handles hosting; you manage members and world access |
| Bedrock Dedicated Server | Highest; install, configure and expose a computer | Yes, for continuous availability. The BDS computer and process must be running. | The software is free; you provide the computer, storage, internet connection and electricity | Maximum control over world folders, server.properties, allow-lists and server-side content supported by your build |
Players enter an administrator-provided address and port | You manage firewall rules, router forwarding, updates, accounts and moderation |
Use world invites if everyone plays at the same time and you want zero administration. Use Realms if you want hosted availability without operating a computer. Choose BDS when control over the files or network matters and you are comfortable maintaining an always-on machine.
#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
What you need before making a BDS server
Hardware and operating-system requirements
Minecraft’s current Bedrock Dedicated Server requirements list an Intel Core i3-3210 or AMD A8-7600 equivalent processor, 4 GB of RAM and between 180 MB and 1 GB of available storage. The listed operating systems are Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later for Linux, or Windows 10 version 10.0.15063 or later and Windows Server 2016 or later for Windows. You also need broadband internet.
| Requirement | Current listed baseline |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i3-3210 or AMD A8-7600 equivalent |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM |
| Storage | 180 MB–1 GB available space |
| Linux | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later |
| Windows | Windows 10 build 10.0.15063 or later, or Windows Server 2016 or later |
| Connectivity | Broadband internet for Internet play |
These are server-software requirements, not a guarantee of a particular frame rate or world size. Keep the computer powered on and prevent it from sleeping if players need access while you are away.
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Every player needs to sign in with a Microsoft Account to use multiplayer. The phone or tablet and the BDS installation must use compatible Bedrock protocol versions. A normal release and a Preview release can be different even when their major version looks similar, so update deliberately rather than mixing them.
Option 1: Invite friends to a running mobile world
This is the simplest free method and does not create a separate, independently running server.
- Open Minecraft on the Android, iPhone or iPad that contains the world.
- Select Play, then create a new Bedrock world or load an existing one.
- Open the in-game menu and choose Invite to Game.
- Select the friends’ Microsoft/Xbox gamertags and send the invitations.
- Keep playing in the world while friends join. The host’s world generally needs the host to remain in the game.
This approach is appropriate for a family session or a short cooperative game. It does not provide a fixed address for people to use later, and the world is not normally available when the host leaves.
Option 2: Use Minecraft Realms
Realms is Mojang’s hosted online-world service for Bedrock. It removes the need to run a computer, configure a home router or maintain a server process.
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- Explore randomly-generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in Creative Mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armour to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Open Minecraft Bedrock and use the Realms option shown in the Play interface.
- Choose the available Bedrock Realm plan and review the price and regional terms on the official purchase screen. Those terms can change, so do not rely on an old price quoted elsewhere.
- Create a Realm or select an existing one, then upload or select the world you want to use.
- Invite friends through the Realm controls. Bedrock players can join from the Friends tab with an invitation or code.
- Manage membership from the Realm controls and remove access for anyone who should no longer play.
Realms is the middle ground: administration is simpler than BDS, while the world can be available without the original mobile host actively playing. You have fewer low-level file and network controls than with self-hosting.
Option 3: Build a Bedrock Dedicated Server
Bedrock Dedicated Server is the official software that lets you host a multiplayer world for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. It is free to download, but the computer running it, the connection and the administration are your responsibility.
1. Download and extract the server
- Download the Bedrock Dedicated Server package for your operating system from the official Minecraft download page.
- Create an empty folder dedicated to the server. Examples are
C:MinecraftServeron Windows or~/MinecraftServeron Linux. - Extract the ZIP contents into that folder. Keeping the server in its own directory makes world files, logs, configuration and updates easier to identify.
Do not extract over an unrelated folder that already contains another world or an older installation. Keep a separate backup of any existing mobile world before copying or modifying it.
2. Start BDS once
On Windows, launch bedrock_server.exe from the extracted folder. On Linux, launch the Linux server executable from that directory. The first start creates the folders and configuration files that you will edit. Leave the process running while you test locally, and stop it using the server’s normal console stop command before replacing files.
3. Set the essential server properties
Open server.properties in a plain-text editor. The following values are the controls most mobile groups need:
| Property | Value or default | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
gamemode |
survival, creative or adventure |
The default game mode for players entering the world |
difficulty |
peaceful, easy, normal or hard |
The world’s difficulty setting |
max-players |
10 by default | The maximum number of simultaneous players allowed by the configuration |
online-mode |
true |
Microsoft account authentication; keep this enabled for an Internet-facing server |
allow-list |
true when you want a private server |
Restricts entry to approved gamertags |
level-name |
The exact world-folder name | Selects which folder inside worlds/ BDS loads |
server-port |
19132 by default | The main Bedrock connection port |
server-portv6 |
19133 by default | The IPv6 connection port |
Save the file and restart BDS after changing properties. Use simple folder names without accidental spaces or spelling differences, especially for level-name.
Rank #3
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
4. Open the host firewall
Permit traffic to the ports configured by server-port and server-portv6. The defaults are 19132 and 19133. Create the inbound rules on the computer running BDS, then restart or reload the firewall rules if your operating system requires it. If you later choose different port numbers, the firewall and router must use those same numbers.
5. Forward a port for Internet play
Players outside your home network need the router to forward the selected Bedrock port to the computer’s private network address. Router menus differ by manufacturer and firmware, so there is no single reliable click path. In the router’s port-forwarding area, select the BDS computer as the destination and use the same port number that appears in server.properties. Keep the computer’s local address stable enough that the forwarding rule does not point at a different device after a reboot.
For LAN-only play, do not expose the service to the public Internet. Keep the phones and the server computer on the same network and give players the server computer’s private address.
6. Connect from an Android or iPhone
- Open Minecraft Bedrock on the phone or tablet.
- Select Play → Servers → Add Server.
- Enter a recognizable server name.
- Enter the address supplied by the server administrator. Use the computer’s private address for LAN play or the public address for Internet play.
- Enter the port. Use the configured port rather than assuming the default if it was changed.
- Save the entry or choose Play to connect.
The official multiplayer guidance requires the administrator-provided address and, when applicable, a port. Players still need compatible Bedrock versions and Microsoft account sign-in.
Move an existing Pocket Edition world into BDS
You can copy a Bedrock world from a mobile device into the dedicated server’s worlds/ directory. Make an independent backup of the original world first; copying is not a substitute for a rollback plan.
- Start BDS once and stop it cleanly so the
worlds/folder exists. - Locate the Bedrock world folder exported from the phone or tablet.
- Copy that folder into the server’s
worlds/directory. Do not merge it into another world folder. - Rename the copied folder to a short, sensible name if necessary.
- Open
server.propertiesand setlevel-nameto exactly that folder name, including capitalization. - Start BDS and watch the console for the selected world. Join from a phone and check the builds, inventory and player permissions before inviting everyone.
If BDS creates a new world instead, stop the process and compare the spelling and case of level-name with the actual directory name. A mismatch causes the server to load a different world.
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Make the server private and safer
Authentication and allow-listing
Leave online-mode=true on an Internet-accessible server. This keeps account authentication enabled. Set allow-list=true when only a known group should enter, then add trusted gamertags from the server console with:
/allowlist add <GamerTag>
If you edit allowlist.json while the server is stopped or outside the game, run:
/allowlist reload
Use the exact gamertag supplied by each player and test one account before distributing the address. Do not post a private server address in a public forum.
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- Share personal details only with people you know and trust.
- Mute or block abusive players using Minecraft’s in-game controls.
- Report disruptive behavior through the appropriate Minecraft reporting tools.
- Remove former players from the allow-list and review membership whenever the group changes.
Diagnose connection failures in the right order
Check one layer at a time rather than changing several settings at once.
- Server process: Confirm the BDS executable is still running and has not stopped with an error.
- Address: Verify that the player entered the administrator-provided address without a typo. Use the private address for a LAN test.
- Port: Compare the phone’s entry with
server-portinserver.properties. If IPv6 is being used, checkserver-portv6as well. - Firewall: Confirm the host firewall permits the configured Bedrock ports.
- Router: For Internet play, verify that forwarding targets the current server computer and uses the same port as BDS.
- Version: Update both BDS and every mobile client to compatible Bedrock releases. Even patch-version differences can produce “Outdated Client” or “Outdated Server.”
- Account: Make sure the player is signed in with a Microsoft Account and is approved by the allow-list when it is enabled.
The “Outdated Client” and “Outdated Server” messages indicate a protocol-version mismatch. Do not mix a Preview client with a stable server unless the documentation for that specific build says it is supported.
LAN play versus Internet play
LAN-only setup
LAN play is the least exposed arrangement for a self-hosted server. Keep every phone and the BDS computer on the same local network, use the server computer’s private address in Add Server, and allow the selected port through the computer firewall. No public router forwarding is needed.
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Internet setup
Internet play requires a running BDS process, an address reachable by the players, firewall permission and router forwarding to the correct computer. Give friends only the address and port they need, keep account authentication enabled, and use an allow-list for a private group. If you change the port, update the BDS property, firewall rule, router rule and each player’s saved server entry together.
Ongoing maintenance
Back up before changes
Stop BDS cleanly before copying a world or replacing server files. Keep the original mobile world untouched until the copied version has been opened successfully. Make another backup before upgrades, configuration changes or installing content that changes the world.
Update as a coordinated set
When Minecraft updates, check the BDS build and the mobile clients as a group. A server that starts normally can still reject phones running a different protocol version. Schedule updates when nobody is playing, replace the server files, review server.properties, then test with one client before reopening the server to everyone.
Record the settings
- Write down the folder containing BDS and the selected
level-name. - Record the current
server-portandserver-portv6values. - Keep a private list of approved gamertags.
- Note which address is used for LAN play and which is used for Internet play.
This record makes recovery faster if the computer is replaced or the router settings are reset.
Which method should you use?
Choose Invite to Game when the same person will host every session and free, immediate play matters more than persistent availability. Choose Realms when you want a hosted world and do not want to administer a computer; review the current subscription terms in your region before buying. Choose BDS when you need control of world files, server properties or allow-list commands and can keep a compatible computer online. For a first self-hosted test, keep it LAN-only, confirm that one phone can connect, and only then add router forwarding for Internet players.
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