BEGINNER’S GUIDE · 2026

How to Play Minecraft With Friends

Never done this before? You’re in the right place. No jargon, no assumptions — just the exact steps for however you and your friends want to play, starting with the easiest option for your situation.

Read this first

Before anything else: check you and your friends match

This one thing causes more “why won’t it connect” confusion than everything else in this guide combined. Minecraft actually has two separate versions of the game, and every method below only works between people using the same one:

  • Java Edition — the original version. Played on Windows, Mac or Linux, bought from minecraft.net.
  • Bedrock Edition — the version on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, mobile, and also available on Windows through the Microsoft Store.

A Java player and a Bedrock player can’t connect to each other directly — you’ll need to know which one everyone in your group has. If you bought Minecraft from minecraft.net, you’re on Java. If you bought or downloaded it from an app store, Xbox, PlayStation or Switch, you’re on Bedrock. Not sure? Check the game’s title screen — Bedrock shows a simplified menu with a “Play” button and Marketplace access; Java shows a more text-heavy menu with a version number in the corner.

Quick answer

Which method is right for you?

Answer honestly and jump straight to your method below — no need to read the whole page.

🏠
Same house, same WiFi?
Use Method 1: LAN — zero setup, works in seconds.
🎮
On console, mobile, or Windows Bedrock?
Use Method 2: Xbox Live Friends — no IP addresses needed at all.
💻
PC (Java), different houses, want it free?
Use Method 3: Hamachi — free virtual LAN over the internet.
⏰
Want it online 24/7, don’t mind paying a little?
Use Method 4: Realms or Method 5: a hosted server.
All methods, in detail

Five ways to play Minecraft with friends

Ordered from easiest and free, to most control and paid. Pick the one that matches your situation from the quiz above, or read through all of them.

1
LAN — same house or WiFi
Zero setup · works instantly · same network only
Free
No accounts, no software

If everyone is physically in the same house, connected to the same WiFi router, this is by far the simplest option — Minecraft handles it automatically with no extra software.

1
Load your world as normal
Open Minecraft and load into any Singleplayer world. On Bedrock this works the same way — start the world, then check the “Friends” area for local games.
2
Open it to your network
On Java: press Escape to open the pause menu and click “Open to LAN”. Choose your game mode and whether cheats are allowed, then click “Start LAN World”. On Bedrock, local worlds are visible automatically to other devices on the same WiFi — nothing extra to click.
3
Have your friend join
On Java, a message appears in chat like “Local game hosted on port XXXXX” — your friend opens Minecraft, goes to Multiplayer, and your world should already be listed automatically. On Bedrock, they’ll see it appear under the Friends tab within a few seconds.
The catch: this only works while everyone is on the same physical network. If a friend goes home, they’ll need one of the methods below instead.
2
Xbox Live Friends — Bedrock only
Zero setup · works anywhere · console, mobile & Windows Bedrock
Free
Needs a Microsoft account

If everyone in your group is on Bedrock Edition — Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, mobile, or Windows through the Microsoft Store — this is the easiest way to play together across different houses, with no IP addresses, ports or software involved at all.

1
Sign in and add each other as friends
Everyone needs a Microsoft account signed into Minecraft, and you’ll need to add each other as Xbox Live friends (this works even if nobody owns an Xbox console — it’s the account system, not the hardware).
2
Start a world and enable multiplayer
Create or load a world, and in the world settings make sure “Multiplayer” and “Visible to Friends” are both switched on.
3
Your friend joins from their Friends tab
On their device, they open Minecraft, go to Play → Friends, and your world appears in the list automatically as long as you’re both online. They tap it to join — no address to type in anywhere.
The catch: Java Edition players cannot see or join Bedrock friends’ worlds this way — this method only works if your whole group is on Bedrock. Some console platforms may also require an active online subscription (Xbox Game Pass Core/Ultimate, PlayStation Plus, or Nintendo Switch Online) to play online at all — check your specific console’s requirements.
3
Hamachi — Java, different houses, still free
Free virtual LAN · no router configuration needed
Free
One small program to install

Hamachi is a free program that tricks your computers into thinking they’re on the same local network, even when you’re in different houses or cities. It’s the classic free way to play Minecraft Java with friends over the internet without touching your router settings.

1
Everyone installs Hamachi
Download and install Hamachi from LogMeIn’s website on every PC that wants to join, and create a free account.
2
One person creates a network
In Hamachi, click “Network” → “Create a new network”, and set any name and password you like. Share those two details with your friends.
3
Everyone else joins that network
Friends click “Network” → “Join an existing network” and enter the name and password you gave them. Once connected, everyone shows up in each other’s Hamachi window.
4
Open your world to LAN as normal
With everyone connected on Hamachi, load your Minecraft world and use “Open to LAN” exactly as in Method 1. Note the port number that appears in chat.
5
Friends connect using your Hamachi IP
In Hamachi, right-click your own name and copy your IPv4 address. Send that to your friends along with the port number from step 4. They go to Multiplayer → Direct Connect in Minecraft and enter it as your.hamachi.ip:port — for example 25.60.187.78:34567.
The catch: the person who opened the world to LAN has to stay online and playing the whole time — if they close the game, everyone gets disconnected. Free Hamachi accounts also cap you at a small number of connected devices, which is rarely an issue for a small friend group but is worth knowing.
4
Minecraft Realms — official, always online
Mojang’s own hosted servers · works on Java or Bedrock
$3.99–$7.99/mo
30-day free trial available

Realms is Mojang’s own official multiplayer service — you pay a small monthly fee and they run the server for you, so nobody needs to stay online or configure anything. It’s the option built specifically for people who want zero technical hassle.

1
Choose your plan
On Java Edition, there’s one plan at $7.99/month supporting up to 10 players. On Bedrock, there’s a smaller Realms Core plan at $3.99/month (2 players) and Realms Plus at $7.99/month (10 players, plus free Marketplace content). Everyone gets one 30-day free trial the first time they use Realms.
2
Create your Realm
From the main menu, click “Minecraft Realms”, start a subscription, name your Realm, and either generate a fresh world or upload an existing one.
3
Invite your friends
In the Realm’s Members settings, invite friends by their username. They’ll see a notification on their main menu and can join whenever the Realm is online — which is always, since it runs on Mojang’s servers rather than your PC.
The catch: Java and Bedrock Realms are completely separate — a Java Realm can only be joined by Java players. Realms also doesn’t support mods or plugins on either edition, and you don’t get access to server files or configuration — for that, you need Method 5.
5
A dedicated server — most control, mods allowed
Self-host free, or rent one · full admin access
Free — from $9.99/mo
2-day free trial available

If your group wants mods, plugins, more than 10 players, or just a server that’s genuinely always online without anyone’s PC needing to run it, a dedicated server is the real answer. You have two options here: run the server software yourself for free, or rent one from a hosting company.

A
Run it yourself, for free
Minecraft’s server software is free to download and run on your own PC — you get full control over mods, plugins and settings at no cost, but your PC has to stay on and connected the whole time anyone wants to play, and you’ll need to configure port forwarding on your router. We’ve written a complete beginner walkthrough of this exact process — see our free Minecraft server hosting guide for the full steps.
B
Rent one, starting with a free trial
If you’d rather skip the router configuration and have someone else keep it online 24/7, Indifferent Broccoli offers a 2-day free trial with no credit card required — the exact same hardware and control panel you’d get as a paying customer, just capped at 48 hours. It’s a genuinely good way to test whether a “real” server is worth paying for, before you decide.
Worth knowing: unlike Realms, a dedicated server (self-hosted or rented) can support both Java and Bedrock players connecting together, but only with an extra plugin called Geyser installed — it doesn’t happen automatically like Method 2 does for Bedrock-only groups.
Side by side

All five methods compared

Method Cost Setup difficulty Works across houses? Always online? Mods/plugins?
1. LAN Free None ❌ Same WiFi only ❌ Host must be playing Java: yes · Bedrock: no
2. Xbox Live Friends Free Very easy ✅ Yes ❌ Host must be playing No (Bedrock)
3. Hamachi Free Easy ✅ Yes ❌ Host must be playing Java: yes
4. Realms $3.99–$7.99/mo Very easy ✅ Yes ✅ Always on No
5. Dedicated server Free (self-host) — from $9.99/mo (rented) Self-host: moderate · Rented: easy ✅ Yes Self-host: only while PC is on · Rented: ✅ always on ✅ Yes
FAQ

Playing Minecraft with friends — common questions

Not directly — Java and Bedrock are separate versions of the game and can’t connect to each other out of the box. The one way to bridge them is a dedicated server (self-hosted or rented) with a plugin called Geyser installed, which translates between the two. LAN, Xbox Live Friends, Hamachi and Realms all require everyone to be on the same edition.
Everyone needs to own Minecraft itself, but beyond that, no — LAN, Xbox Live Friends and Hamachi are all completely free ways to play together. Realms and rented dedicated servers cost a small monthly fee, but both offer free trials if you want to test them first.
If you’re on console, mobile, or Windows Bedrock, Xbox Live Friends (Method 2) is the simplest — no addresses or software involved at all. If you’re on Java and want something equally hands-off, Realms (Method 4) or a rented server’s free trial (Method 5) are built specifically to avoid any technical setup — you pay a small fee and someone else handles the rest.
The most common causes are: you’re not both actually connected to the same Hamachi network (double-check the network name and password match exactly), you gave them the wrong port number (it changes every time you open a new LAN world), or your firewall is blocking Minecraft — accept any Windows Defender prompt asking to allow the game through. If none of that fixes it, a Realm or hosted server sidesteps the whole problem, since there’s no port or firewall involved on your end.
Both keep your world online without anyone’s PC needing to run it. The difference is control: Realms is simple but locked down — no mods, no plugins, no access to server files, capped at 10 players. A dedicated server (self-hosted or rented from a host like Indifferent Broccoli) gives you full admin access, mod and plugin support, and no fixed player cap, at the cost of a bit more setup.
Ready for more control?

Outgrown LAN and Realms?

Once your group wants mods, more players, or a server that’s always online, our Best Minecraft Hosting UK guide compares every paid provider, or start with Indifferent Broccoli’s free trial to test the real thing first.

About the author
Linus — author at Game Server Hosting
Linus GSH Founder

SEO & Digital Marketer · Avid survival gamer · Sweden/UK

I'm an avid gamer from Sweden with a lot of time spent in England in the last 5 years who loves survival games — ARK, Palworld, Valheim, Sons of the Forest, V Rising and plenty of WoW and Dota 2 on the side. I created this site to help other gamers find the best server hosting without wasting money on laggy providers.

By day I work in SEO and Google Ads, helping businesses rank and convert. I've been hosting game servers since the Minecraft + Hamachi LAN days and have learned the hard way what separates a good host from a bad one. Every ranking on this site is based on real testing and price-to-performance — no paid placements.

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