There are two ways to play Minecraft Bedrock locally: use split-screen on one supported console, or connect separate devices over the same local network (LAN). Split-screen supports up to four players on one console display. LAN gives each player a separate screen, but every device must run the same Bedrock version and be connected to the same network.
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Java Edition cannot join a Bedrock world. Before troubleshooting, identify which local mode you want, then follow the matching setup below.
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Choose the right local multiplayer mode
| Feature | Same-console split-screen | Separate-device LAN |
|---|---|---|
| Screens | Everyone shares one console display. | Each player uses a separate supported device. |
| Hardware | One supported console and a compatible controller for each participant. | One LAN-capable device per player. |
| Network | Players can play on the same console without creating a LAN game. | Every device must be on the same local network. |
| Maximum local players | Up to four according to Minecraft’s product information. | Player capacity depends on the world, host device and platform limits; the cited local-play guidance does not promise one universal LAN number. |
| Edition | Bedrock console versions. | Bedrock devices only; Java players cannot join. |
| Accounts | Additional controller users may need platform or Microsoft-account sign-in, depending on console setup. | Microsoft-account sign-in is required on consoles and mobile devices; child accounts may need multiplayer permission. |
Supported Bedrock consoles for local split-screen include Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. A Windows PC running Bedrock can join a LAN world, but it should not be treated as a same-device split-screen system.
How to play split-screen on one console
Split-screen is the simplest option when everyone is in the same room and you have one supported console. Minecraft’s official product information says, “Playing split screen allows up to four players to play on the screen at the same time.” Each participant should have a compatible game controller.
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What you need
- An Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, or Nintendo Switch running Bedrock Edition.
- A compatible controller for every person who will play. The console’s built-in controls count as one controller only when the platform supports them for Minecraft.
- A Minecraft world on the console.
- Current game software and any required console-account permissions.
Start a split-screen world
- Connect and turn on the controllers. Assign each controller to a console profile when the platform asks.
- Launch Minecraft Bedrock and choose Play.
- Open an existing world or create a new one.
- After the world loads, have each additional player press the controller’s join button. The exact button prompt is displayed by the console and can vary by platform or account state.
- When Minecraft adds the player, that player’s view appears in a split-screen panel. Repeat the join action for the remaining participants.
If a controller is connected but no player joins, check that it is assigned to a separate active console profile and that the profile is allowed to play multiplayer. Do not enable Visible to LAN Players merely to make same-console split-screen work; that setting belongs to the separate-device LAN method.
How many people can use split-screen?
Minecraft reports up to four local players on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Minecraft’s help guidance recommends two players on Switch for playability, even though four-player support is reported. The practical experience also depends on display size, controller availability and the world’s performance.
| Console family | Officially reported local split-screen count | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S | Up to four | Requires compatible controllers and platform account permissions. |
| PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 | Up to four | Requires compatible controllers and platform account permissions. |
| Nintendo Switch | Up to four | Two players are recommended for playability in Minecraft’s help guidance. |
How to play Minecraft Bedrock over LAN
LAN means Local Area Network. Instead of sharing one display, each player launches Minecraft on a separate device connected to the same home network. Minecraft Help requires the latest Minecraft version for every player, LAN-capable devices and one shared network connection.
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Host: make a world visible on the LAN
- Connect the host device to the local network. Use the intended home network rather than a guest or isolated network.
- Launch Minecraft Bedrock and select Play.
- Find the world you want to share and select its pencil icon to open the world settings.
- Open Multiplayer.
- Turn on Multiplayer game.
- Turn on Visible to LAN Players.
- Select Play to start the world. Keep the world running while other players search for it.
Join: find the host’s LAN world
- Connect the joining device to the same local network as the host.
- Wait until the host has started the world. A world that has not been launched will not appear as an active LAN game.
- Open Minecraft and select Play.
- Open the Worlds tab.
- Select the world marked LAN.
The LAN label is the key visual check. If the world appears without that label, you may be looking at a different saved-world list or the host has not enabled LAN visibility.
Requirements that commonly block local play
Matching Bedrock versions
Every player must run the same current Bedrock version. A device that has not completed an update may fail to see or join the host even when both devices are on the same router. Check the version shown on each device’s Minecraft title screen, install pending updates, and restart the game after updating.
Supported devices and the correct edition
LAN requires devices that support Bedrock multiplayer. Bedrock devices can join Bedrock worlds; Java Edition and Bedrock Edition are separate multiplayer ecosystems and cannot join one another’s worlds. A PC using Bedrock can participate in a LAN session, but local split-screen on that PC is not the same feature as console split-screen.
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One network, not merely one internet connection
LAN discovery depends on the devices being on the same local network. Two devices can both have internet access while still being separated by a guest network, wireless isolation or different routers. Connect them to the same home Wi-Fi or wired LAN and avoid guest SSIDs unless the network specifically permits device-to-device communication.
Accounts and child permissions
Microsoft-account sign-in is required on consoles and mobile devices. A child account may be blocked from multiplayer until a parent or organizer enables the relevant permission. If the game reports an account restriction, fix the account setting before changing router options.
Console online subscriptions
Console online multiplayer can require Xbox Game Pass Core, PlayStation Plus or Nintendo Switch Online. This is an online-subscription rule that can vary by platform and account. Minecraft’s LAN instructions separately describe same-network play, so do not assume that buying a subscription will fix a LAN discovery problem, or that a LAN setup overrides a platform’s account requirements.
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Split-screen versus LAN: which should you use?
Use split-screen when
- Everyone is physically together and one supported console is available.
- You want to start immediately without configuring a router or joining multiple devices.
- You have enough compatible controllers.
- A shared display is acceptable for the group.
Use LAN when
- Players want their own screens and independent camera views.
- You have separate Bedrock-capable consoles, PCs or mobile devices.
- All devices can join the same non-isolated home network.
- The host can leave the world running while others join.
Split-screen uses more of the console display as player count rises, while LAN shifts the hardware requirement from extra controllers to extra devices. Neither method makes Java and Bedrock cross-compatible.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a LAN world that does not appear
Work through these checks in order. Each one eliminates a different failure mode, so changing several settings at once makes the cause harder to identify.
1. Confirm the edition and version
- Verify that every player opened Bedrock Edition, not Java Edition.
- Compare the version on every device.
- Install all available updates and restart Minecraft.
2. Confirm the network path
- Check the Wi-Fi name or wired network on each device.
- Move devices off guest Wi-Fi and onto the same primary LAN.
- Disable or bypass router settings that isolate wireless clients from one another.
- If one device is using a second router, extender or phone hotspot, reconnect it to the same local network as the host.
3. Recheck the host world settings
- Open the world’s pencil-icon settings.
- Under Multiplayer, verify both Multiplayer game and Visible to LAN Players.
- Save the settings, start the world and leave it running.
4. Search from the correct screen
The joining player must choose Play, open Worlds, and select the entry marked LAN. Searching before the host starts the world will not produce a usable entry.
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5. Check account restrictions
Sign in on consoles and mobile devices. Review child-account multiplayer permissions and any platform privacy setting that blocks multiplayer. An account restriction can look like a network failure because the world never becomes selectable.
6. Check firewalls and platform-specific faults
On a PC, a firewall can block local discovery or Minecraft traffic; allow Minecraft through the firewall on the private home network, then restart the game. On consoles and mobile devices, platform restrictions, router isolation and version-specific bugs may require platform-specific diagnosis. Minecraft’s LAN guidance does not publish one universal fix for every discovery failure.
A reliable setup checklist
Use this short checklist before a group starts playing:
- Decide whether you need one-screen split-screen or separate-device LAN.
- For split-screen, prepare one compatible controller per player and assign each to a profile.
- For LAN, place every device on the same primary home network.
- Update every installation to the same current Bedrock version.
- Confirm that all players are using Bedrock, not Java.
- Sign in where the platform requires a Microsoft account and resolve child-account permissions.
- For LAN, enable Multiplayer game and Visible to LAN Players before starting the host world.
- Have joiners open Play and the Worlds tab only after the host is in the world.
- Select the entry carrying the LAN label.
What local multiplayer can and cannot do
- It can put up to four people on one supported console through split-screen.
- It can connect separate Bedrock devices over a shared local network.
- It cannot let Java Edition players join Bedrock worlds.
- It does not turn a Windows Bedrock installation into a same-device console split-screen system.
- It does not remove account permissions or platform subscription rules that apply to a particular console.
- It does not make devices on isolated guest networks discover one another.
For a shared-room game with one console, connect the controllers and use split-screen. For separate screens, update every Bedrock installation, place the devices on the same LAN, enable the two host multiplayer settings, and join the world carrying the LAN label.
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