Minecraft Bedrock is the version of Minecraft on Windows (from the Microsoft Store or Xbox app), iPhone, iPad, Android, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Joining your own Bedrock server works a little differently from Java: the game asks for the address and the port in two separate boxes, and on consoles there is no box at all. This guide covers what works on each device and what to do when it does not connect.
Playing Java Edition on a PC? You want our Java join guide instead.
What you need before you start
- Minecraft Bedrock, updated to the same version as your server
- A Microsoft account signed in inside the game
- Your Bedrock server in the game panel, with the status showing Running
Step 1: find the address and port in the panel
- Open the game panel and pick your Bedrock server
- On the Overview tab, find the Connection address card
For a Bedrock server the card shows two values on separate lines: the Connection address and the Port, each with its own copy button. Keep them apart. Pasting address:port into the address box is the most common reason a Bedrock join fails, because the game then looks for a server called that whole string.
The Join button at the top of the server page opens the same card in a popup.
Step 2: add the server on Windows, iPhone, iPad or Android
The quick way: Open in Minecraft
On the device where you play, open the panel in a browser and press Open in Minecraft under the address. Minecraft opens with the server's name, address and port already filled in, so there is nothing to type.
This only works on a device that has Minecraft Bedrock installed. If nothing happens when you press it, add the server by hand instead.
By hand
- Start Minecraft and tap Play
- Open the Servers tab
- Tap Add Server (depending on your game version, you may have to scroll down to find it)
- Fill in the three boxes:
- Server Name: anything you like, only you see it
- Server Address: the address from the panel, without the port
- Port: the port from the panel. The box starts at 19132, which is only right if the panel says so
- Tap Save to keep it in your list, or Play to connect right away
Saved servers stay in the Servers tab alongside the featured ones. Tap yours to join.
Step 3: make sure the versions match
A Bedrock server only accepts players on the same version. Phones, tablets and Windows usually update Minecraft on their own, so the server is often the one that falls behind after a big game update.
- Open the Version tab in the panel to see which Bedrock version the server runs and to update it
- Your own version is shown on Minecraft's start screen
When they differ, the game refuses to connect with a message that either the server or your client is outdated. Update whichever one is older. Take a backup from the Backups tab before you update the server, so you have a way back if a world misbehaves on the new version.
Consoles: Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch
On consoles, the Servers tab only lists Minecraft's featured partner servers. There is no Add Server button, so a console cannot connect to your server by typing an address. That is a limit of the console versions of Minecraft, not of the server.
People get around it with third-party tricks, for example a DNS service that swaps a featured server for a list where you can type your own address, or a helper account on a PC that console friends can join through. These are run by other people, they break when Minecraft updates, and we cannot support them. If you try one, follow that project's own instructions.
If most of your group plays on consoles, keep this in mind before you plan around a dedicated Bedrock server.
Joining a Java server with Bedrock crossplay
If your server is a Java server with Bedrock crossplay turned on, the Connection address card usually has two sections. The Java Edition section is for PC Java players. Bedrock players use the Bedrock Edition section, which has its own Server Address and Port, and an Add to Minecraft Bedrock button that works like Open in Minecraft above. Add the server with those values, exactly as in step 2.
If the card shows no Bedrock Edition section even though crossplay is on, no port was free when crossplay was turned on, so Bedrock shares the Java port for now. Bedrock players then use the same address and port as Java players: the address goes in Server Address and the port number in Port.
On crossplay servers, Bedrock player names get a prefix on the server side, which matters if you use a whitelist. Our whitelist guide explains it.
Troubleshooting
"Unable to connect to world." Nothing answered. Check that the server is Running in the panel, that the address box holds only the address, and that the port matches the panel exactly.
The server shows no player count in your list. Same checks as above. A server that has just started may need a moment before it answers.
Outdated server or outdated client. The versions do not match. See step 3.
You are turned away even though the address is right. The allow list is probably switched on (Allow list in the Config tab, or allow-list in server.properties). New Bedrock servers start with it on, and it only lets in listed players. Either add the player or turn it off, then restart.
You are asked to sign in. Bedrock servers check players against their Microsoft account by default. Sign in with your Microsoft account in the game and try again.
It works on Wi-Fi at home but not on a school or work network. Some networks block the traffic games use. Try mobile data or another network to confirm.
Frequently asked questions
Can Java players join my Bedrock server? No. A Bedrock server only accepts Bedrock players. Mixing the two needs a Java server with crossplay.
Does the port ever change? Not on its own. If you change it yourself in the Network tab, everyone has to edit the saved server.
Why does the server not show up under Friends or LAN games? Those tabs are for worlds hosted by a player or on the same local network. A hosted server lives under Servers.
Can I rename the server in my list? Yes. The name in Server Name is only a label on your own device. Edit the saved entry and change it whenever you like.
Want a Bedrock server of your own? See our Minecraft Bedrock server hosting plans.
