How to Play Minecraft Multiplayer

Fri Jan 6. 2023

Although Minecraft is great for solo play, it's also well-suited to having a few friends join the fun. It's easy to set up a multiplayer Minecraft game. However, it can be complicated depending on the platform you use and whether your friends live nearby or far away. Here are all the options for playing Minecraft multiplayer.

Minecraft multiplayer: The basics

There are four ways that Minecraft users can connect with one another, each with its own advantages. Before you join a multiplayer session with your friends, make sure that all players are using the same version of Minecraft. You'll need to make sure your version has the latest content patches. Otherwise, you might run into problems while trying to meet your friends. You can do this by visiting the Minecraft Help Center on your PC or going to the app store for your preferred platform.

It is important to ensure that all parties are using the same version of Minecraft, Java or Bedrock. Java is only available for PC players. If you're using Java on a mobile device or console, you don't have to worry about Java. Once you are certain that all players have the same version of the game, you can start adventuring together.

Minecraft: Java Edition LAN Setup

A LAN game is a great way to quickly create a world for your friends. You can see and connect to your server as long as everyone is connected to the same network.

For Java Edition users, here's how you can start a LAN-game.

Step 1: Open Minecraft and choose Single Player.

Step 2: Once the world has loaded, open the Menu screen by pressing Esc.

Step 3: Choose the Open to LAN option.

Step 4: Select the game mode that you would like to host.

Step 5: Select Start LAN World.

Step 6: Players who wish to join the game can select Multiplayer from their main menu.

Step 7: If they're connected to the same network then your LAN game should also be detected.

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition LAN Setup

It's a lot easier to play the Bedrock Edition on PC or Android, iOS, Android, or Xbox. Here are the steps to create a LAN game.

Step 1: Launch the game, press Play, then edit the world using the pen button.

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

Step 3: Launch the World

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

How to create an online server

Hosting your own server can make things more complicated. These platforms allow multiple players to join one session regardless of their location in the world. If you are looking for a lot more control over your world and don't mind learning a little technical jargon, creating your own server is a great option. There are many tutorials on Minecraft that explain the process of setting up a server, but here's a quick overview about how to launch and join them.

How to create a Minecraft: Java Edition online web server

Step 1: To create a server, download the server file from Minecraft's official website.

Step 2: After the server is created by you, or your tech-savvy friend (or both), you can join the world. Click the Multiplayer button, select Add Server, and enter the IP address.

Step 3: This method allows you to join public servers, provided that you have the official IP address. You can join public servers to get in on the multiplayer action quickly without building your own server.

Create a Minecraft: Bedrock Edition online Server

Step 1: The Bedrock Edition supports only three servers – InPVP, Mineplex, and Lifeboat.

Step 2: Navigate the Servers tab, and choose the one you want to join.

Step 3: Add external servers to your system by selecting the Add Server option. However, this feature is not available for consoles.

Minecraft Realms

This is how Minecraft wants you to experience its multiplayer. Realms was built from the ground up and is a collection of amazing worlds that you can explore. You can also create and host your own games. Although you can only have 10 friends, setup is much easier than most other methods.

Both versions use the same steps to connect to Realms. Here's how it works.

Step 1: Create a Realm to allow your friends to connect. Once you're done configuring the settings, click on Play and then choose the Create on Realms option.

Step 2: Next you will need to invite players. Click the Play button once more. Click the Edit icon to open the Members tab.

Step 3: Now you can send invites to your friends. After they accept the invitation, they will be able to join your Realm by clicking on the Minecraft Realms option in the main menu and clicking the world they are interested in joining. Mojang provides a detailed list of common problems with Realms on its official website.

Split-screen

Split-screen Minecraft is only available for consoles. However, it's quite simple to play. Make sure you have enough controllers to play with all four players and that they are properly connected. The screen should automatically split once you start your game.