Playing Minecraft by yourself is a blast... but playing Minecraft with friends is an entirely new world of fun. If you're not sure how to play Minecraft with friends yet, fear not! We'll make it quick and easy for you in this article.
You have more than a few options for Minecraft Multiplayer; some of which require an internet connection, while you can play other methods offline and from the same room.
Regardless of how you want to craft, we'll look at how to play Minecraft with friends!
Note: We've included instructions for both Minecraft Java Edition (JE) and Minecraft Bedrock Edition (BE).
Minecraft Multiplayer for Public Servers
Java Edition
Public servers are what most Java players use to link up with others. Servers are free to join and you can find them by using any of the many server-listing sites such as MinecraftServers.org (just search "Minecraft Servers" in your web browser to find more listing sites).
We've covered an in-depth guide on How to Join a Minecraft Server already, but here's a quick rundown:
- Copy the IP Address of the server you want to join. This will look something like "makeuseof.example.com"
- Navigate to the Multiplayer screen in your Minecraft client. Click on Add Server or Direct Connection.
- Paste the IP address into the box labeled Server Address.
- If you chose Add Server on step 3, give the server a name and click Done, then double click on the server from your list or select it and choose Join Server. If you chose Direct Connection, click Join Server.
Enjoy playing Minecraft with friends!
Bedrock Edition
While your range is narrower than Java Edition players', there are definitely public servers you can join to play Minecraft with your friends in Bedrock Edition.
- Start Minecraft BE. Click Play and navigate to the Servers tab.
- You can choose from the list of Featured Servers which have a high player count and feature game modes like Skywars, Build Battle, and more.
- You can also add another server by clicking Add Server.
- Enter the server's name, IP address, and port. Click Save to keep this server bookmarked.
You're all set! Enjoy Minecraft multiplayer in Bedrock Edition.
Minecraft Multiplayer for Private Servers
If your friend is running a private server, either from their own PC or through third-party hosting services, you'll need the server's IP address. Copy and paste it as you would a public server address to join.
If you're not sure how to find an IP address for a public server, it's covered in How to Join a Minecraft Server.
Make Minecraft Multiplayer Easy With Realms
Realms work for both Minecraft Bedrock Edition and Minecraft Java Edition, though they are not cross-compatible (a friend who plays on Java Edition cannot play on a Bedrock Edition player's realm).
Realms are Minecraft's version of personal servers. This is the easiest way to create a private world to craft and build with your friends.
How to Create a Realm
Java Edition: First, you'll need to purchase a subscription for a Realm (you can check the pricing plans on Minecraft's website). You can activate a 30-day free trial to test the waters and cancel anytime.
Once you have a subscription plan, open Minecraft and click Minecraft Realms. If this is your first time creating a Realm, click on click to start your new Realm. Here you can name your Realm and enter a brief description before choosing your world type.
Choose between generating a new world, uploading a previous world save, or explore Realms' World templates, Adventures, and Experiences.
Now that you've created your Realm, choose Configure Realm (the wrench icon) and click on Players. Now all you have to do to whitelist a friend on your server is click Invite player and type in their username before clicking Invite player again. Your friend will receive an invitation to join your Realm.
Bedrock Edition: Minecraft BE is slightly different.
- Start Minecraft BE and click Play. Head to Worlds and choose Create New.
- Choose Create New World again.
- Select Create on Realms from the left pane. Choose a 2 or 10 player Realm capacity.
- For a 2 Player Realm: Name your Realm, read and agree to the terms and conditions, and select Create Realm.
- For a 10 Player Realm: Select Buy Now from the navigation list. Name your Realm, read and agree to the terms and conditions, and select Start Free Trial.
How to Join a Minecraft Realm
Java Edition: If you've received an invitation to join your friend's Realm, open Minecraft and navigate to Minecraft Realms.
At the top of the screen, to the right of where it says Minecraft Realms, is a small envelope icon. This envelope contains any pending invites you've received; click it to join your friend's Realm.
Bedrock Edition: Ask for the invite code from the creator of the Realm. This should look like "realms.gg/abcxyz"—we only need the characters after "realms.gg/".
Launch Minecraft, then click Play. Head to Friends and click on Join Realm. Enter the invite code you received from the Realm owner and click Join. You're all set!
How to Play Minecraft With Friends: Cross-Platform
Minecraft Bedrock Edition is part of the growing list of games that features cross-platform play. The only caveat here is you'll need to be on the same version; Java Edition players cannot play with Bedrock Edition players.
However, if you want to play Bedrock Edition on your iPhone or Android while your friend plays on their Xbox, PC, or Switch, you absolutely can. Use one of the methods in this list to link up with other players—Realms is your best bet for a hassle-free experience.
How to Play Minecraft LAN
Java Edition
If you're under the same local IP address as the player you want to join, you can do this pretty easily. Launch Minecraft and click on Multiplayer. Minecraft will automatically scan for games on your local network.
If another player has a LAN world available to join, it'll show up in your list of servers. You can either double-tap the server or highlight it and click Join Server.
Bedrock Edition
LAN play is on by default in Bedrock Edition. Just navigate to the Worlds tab, and if there are any available games on your network, they'll appear here for you to join.
Minecraft Split screen
You can also play Minecraft Bedrock Edition (for consoles only) in split screen while on LAN, supporting up to four players at a time.
Now You Can Play Minecraft Multiplayer
Now that you know how to play Minecraft with friends, you can partner or party up with your pals and really open up your Minecraft experiences.
With that in mind, you may be interested in spicing things up with some mods. Forge is the best way to manage your mods and make sure your game doesn't crash on startup.
In the meantime, get those servers ready and get playing Minecraft multiplayer!
