Skip to main content

How to play Minecraft multiplayer

Minecraft is well-suited for solo play, but having a few friends join in on the action makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Setting up a multiplayer game in Minecraft is a simple process, but it varies slightly based on which platform you’re using and whether your friends are nearby or half a world away. Here are all the ways to play Minecraft multiplayer.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Minecraft

  • Stable internet connection

The basics of Minecraft multiplayer

Minecraft gives users four different ways to connect with each other, each one with its own advantages and disadvantages. But before you jump into a game with your friends, it’s important to verify that all players attempting to join the multiplayer session are running the same version of the game. This means you’ll want to check that your version is updated with the latest content patches; otherwise, you’ll run into some bumps while trying to meet up with your friends. This can be done by heading over to your preferred platforms app store, or by browsing the Minecraft Help Center on PC.

You’ll also want to make sure all interested parties are running the same edition of Minecraft — either Java or Bedrock. Java is only available to PC players, so if you’re playing on mobile or console, that’s one less thing you need to worry about. Once you’re certain that all players are running the same version and edition of the game, you’re ready to start adventuring together.

how to play minecraft multiplayer server running

Minecraft: Java Edition LAN setup

If you’re looking to quickly set up a world for friends who are in the same room as you, look no further than setting up a LAN game. As long as all players are connected to the same network, they’ll be able to see and join your server.

Here’s how to start a LAN game for those of you running the Java Edition:

Step 1: Start up Minecraft and select Single Player.

Step 2: After the world has finished loading, pull up the Menu screen by pressing the Esc key.

Step 3: Select the Open to LAN option.

Step 4: Choose the game mode you wish to host.

Step 5: Select Start LAN World.

Step 6: Players who want to join the game should select Multiplayer from the main menu.

Step 7: If they are connected to the same network, your LAN game should be detected.

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition LAN setup

Things are a bit easier if you’re playing the Bedrock Edition on PC, Xbox, iOS, or Android. Here’s all you’ll need to do to start a LAN game:

Step 1: Start the game and press Play, then create or edit the world by pressing the pen button.

Step 2: Select the Multiplayer option and turn on the Visible to LAN option.

Step 3: Launch the world.

Step 4: Players can join the game by going to the Play menu, navigating to the Friends section, and looking for the corresponding LAN game.

Brittany Vincent/Digital Trends

Creating an online server

Things get a bit more complex when you decide to host your own server. These platforms will allow multiple players to join a single session, regardless of location in the world. Creating your own server is ideal for people who want a lot of control over all aspects of their world, and don’t mind working through a bit of technical jargon. Minecraft has a bunch of tutorials that detail the server setup process, but here’s a quick overview of how to launch and join them.

Creating a Minecraft: Java Edition online server

Step 1: To create your own server, you’ll need to install the server file from the official Minecraft website.

Step 2: Once the server has been created by you or your most tech-savvy friend, you can join the world by clicking the Multiplayer button, then selecting Add Server and entering the appropriate IP address.

Step 3: You can also join public servers using this method, so long as you know its official IP address. Joining public servers is a great way to quickly get into some multiplayer action without having to build your own private server.

Creating a Minecraft: Bedrock Edition online server

Step 1: Only three official servers are supported by the Bedrock Edition — Mineplex, InPVP, and Lifeboat.

Step 2: Navigate to the Servers tab and select the one you’d like to join.

Step 3: External servers can be added using the Add Server option and inputting all the necessary info; however, this feature is restricted on consoles.

Using Minecraft Realms

Arguably, this is the way that Minecraft wants you to experience its multiplayer. Built from the ground up by Mojang, Realms offers dozens of incredible worlds to explore while also letting you create and host your own games. You’re limited to 10 friends, but setup is surprisingly easy compared to most other methods.

Both versions follow a similar set of steps for connecting to Realms. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: First, you’ll need to create a Realm for your friends to connect to. Simply click Play and then select the Create on Realms button once you’re done configuring its settings.

Step 2: Next, you’ll need to invite players. Head back to the main menu and click the Play button again. From here, select the Edit icon and click the Members tab.

Step 3: You’ll now be able to send out invites to any of your friends. Once they accept the invite, they can join your Realm by selecting the Minecraft Realms option from the main menu and clicking on your corresponding world. If you’re having issues with Realms, Mojang has a detailed rundown of common issues on its official website.

Split-screen

Although it’s only available on consoles, playing Minecraft in split-screen is pretty straightforward. Just make sure you have enough controllers for all your players (up to four) and they are properly connected to your system. Once you start your game, the screen should automatically split to accommodate everyone playing.

Editors' Recommendations

The best PS5 games for 2023
Leon parries a chainsaw villager in Resident Evil 4.

The PlayStation 4's success was largely due to its stellar game library, which featured some of the best titles of the past generation. Now, the PlayStation 5 is looking to repeat that success, though it's going to have to overcome some initial bumps in the road to reach that point.

Sony suffered some road bumps bringing major titles to market over the course of 2022 but new hit games are finally punching through. God of War Ragnarok, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Overwatch 2 are the most recent top titles to hit PS5, but there are plenty of other killer games for every kind of gamer out on the platform. As always, there's a running list of great upcoming PS5 games. Currently, there's no shortage of incredible experiences to be had right now on PS5.

Read more
Marvel Snap road map reveals new competitive mode, token shop rework
marvel snap friendly battle mode impressions key art

Second Dinner released a road map that revealed several significant updates coming to Marvel Snap over the next couple of months, including a new competitive mode called Conquest and revamps of the mobile card game's Token Shop and ranked modes.
The developer went into more detail about all of these features in Marvel Snap's in-game blog. Conquest was thoroughly explained, and we learned it's a competitive version of Friendly Battles' health-based fights. Conquest mode will be split into multiple leagues (Proving Grounds, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Vibranium, Infinite), and players must win three consecutive battles in one to move up to the next and get better rewards. Players will be rewarded with Conquest medals, which can then be used in a new cosmetic-driven Conquest Shop. This major new feature is expected to launch in June, but some updates are coming before then.
In Marvel Snap's next patch, Second Dinner will increase the number of Collector's Tokens players get from opening Collector's Caches and Collector's Reserve, and add the ability for players to claim a free Series 3 card once per season. This should shorten the amount of time it takes to get new cards, and set the stage for a Token Shop revamp in April. That rework will make the Marvel Snap Token Shop much more comprehensive by featuring new Series 5 cards in a weekly spotlight and giving Series 4 and 5 cards their own dedicated shop sections.
More modes and easier card acquisition have been some of the most-requested things from Marvel Snap players since launch, so it's great that Second Dinner will finally deliver on these fronts in the coming months. 

Looking at the long term, the road map also teases several features that are in the development in concept stages at Second Dinner. These updates include widescreen support on PC, Smart Decks, the ability to equip avatars and titles by deck, personalized shops, global matchmaking, social Guilds, card emotes and emojis, mythic variants, PC controller support, season audio, and a Test Deck mode that will let players try out certain deck builds in an unranked mode against AI.
Marvel Snap is available now for PC, iOS, and Android.

Read more
Skull and Bones: release date speculation, trailers, gameplay, and more
Two ships fire cannons at each other other a small island in Skull & Bones.

Ubisoft has a few notoriously troubled games in development that have left fans scratching their heads for years now. Aside from Beyond Good and Evil 2, the most curious game that has managed to avoid cancellation despite years of delays, restarts, and who knows what else behind the scenes is the pirate game Skull and Bones. It was first announced in 2017, and we've gotten almost nothing but bad news regarding this title in the years since. Despite having a playable build in 2018, for press only, the game has undergone major, if not complete overhauls.

Promised as a fully fleshed-out game built around the incredibly popular ship combat featured in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Skull and Bones was poised to make a big splash following that game's success. Gamers loved all the pirate activities seen in that game, so expanding on that should've been an easy move. However, public statements about the game have almost completely vanished, leaving many gamers high and dry regarding the status of this pirate epic. We pulled out our compass, plotted our course, and dug up all the details on Skull and Bones that you need to know.
Release date

Read more