How to play minecraft with friends? The simple yet limitless game of Minecraft has millions of players, so it’s easy to find friends to play with. However, it’s not always clear how to play multiplayer with your friends. How you play multiplayer Minecraft will vary depending on whether you have the newer, console-friendly Bedrock edition, or the classic Java edition. Whichever edition you have, you can only play with friends who have the same version.

If that version is Java, there are few different ways to go about playing with your friends.

Whether you feel up to the task of joining a public server or creating your own server (which is less scary than it sounds), want to host a local LAN server, or would prefer to use the paid “Realms” server-hosting option, hosting a multiplayer Minecraft game should only take a short time.

How to play with friends on Minecraft: Java

Servers are the basic building block of Minecraft’s multiplayer mode. Anyone playing together will need to be on the same server.

There are thousands of Minecraft servers already out there, which you and your friends can join to play together in moments — see the section below on how to join a friend’s or a public server for more details. The only downside there is that you’ll be sharing these servers with lots of other people you don’t know.

If you and your friends want to have a private game, you can create a Minecraft server for free. Just know that it takes some work, and whoever makes the server will need to have a good computer with a fast internet connection. If that doesn’t fit your bill, check out one of the other options.

Here’s the steps you’ll need to follow to either join an existing Minecraft: Java Edition server, or create your own multiplayer server.

How to Make a Minecraft Server For Friends

Owning a Minecraft server is one of the best ways for you and your friends to connect with each other through Minecraft. Having your own server stands on top of the other options for a few reasons: You can set it to any version of Minecraft, you can modify it past Vanilla, and servers don’t cap the number of players who can join (of course, you would need a powerful server depending on the number of players you want online.) Playing Minecraft Java Edition with friends on a modded server is one of the most flexible, and fun, ways to enjoy the game.

Keep in mind that you cannot join a Bedrock Edition server off of your Xbox, PS4, Nintendo Switch, or any other similar platform. It can only be joined from PC (Windows 10 Edition), IOS, and Android.

The directions on creating a server are directed to creating one through Apex Hosting. You can also create one on your home computer, but this is not recommended as many factors play into owning a server such as DDoS protection, 24/7 uptime, support, etc. All of which are provided by Apex.

Minecraft Bedrock Edition

A quick note before jumping in: when looking into ways to play Minecraft with friends, it’s important to note that the Java and Bedrock editions of the game will offer different options. And though there is certainly overlap between the two, it’s helpful to know what your child is working with for accurate guidance!

On one hand, Minecraft Java edition is compatible with Mac, Linux, and PC, so it works for connecting with friends using computers. When it comes to making Minecraft mods, which requires Java, it’ll be no surprise that the Java edition is easier to use.

The Minecraft Bedrock version is console compatible, and it’s perfect if kids want to play using Nintendo products or Xboxes.

Both Bedrock and Java versions of the game offer ways to connect via realms and private servers (more on that later!)

So, should you use Bedrock or Java while playing Minecraft? The answer is : it depends! Part of the beauty of this game lies in the limitless ways it can be customized for different players’ preferences.

Private Minecraft server

“Server” can be a scary word, especially when you have kids connecting to random public servers filled with strangers and unknowns.

By setting up your own private server, though, much of that risk is mitigated, as you’ll have a much better grasp on who is connecting with and playing in your child’s worlds.

With that said, we are still talking IP addresses, so these instructions are meant for parents who are assisting their kids with setup. In other words, kids shouldn’t be going about any of this without parental permission.

Why is that? Setting up and running an online server means that anyone with your external IP address will be able to join your server and play in your Minecraft world. Naturally, that’s something for adults to keep an eye on.

On that note, it’s also a good idea to keep a running list of who you and your kids are inviting to play on the server. Of course, the best way to ensure online play is as safe as possible is to only invite those you know and trust.

A good way to think about it is: would you invite these people into your home physically? Going through this type of thought process will help reduce surprises and uncertainties.

Minecraft Realms

Another option to consider is Minecraft Realms, which can be thought of as renting a Mojang server to allow for kids to play with their friends.

While similar to setting up your own server, Realms allows for a much easier and perhaps even safer experience. For instance, in terms of console setup, players simply need to create a world and then click the “create” Realms button to kick-off the straightforward process.

Then, in terms of safety, Realms has built-in protections. The only way for players to connect to a Realms world is via official invite, whereas with the server we described above, anyone with the IP address can jump in.

So, if kids truly just want to play with close friends, Realms is a great option.

These added benefits of Realms come at a cost, though; they require a monthly subscription of $7.99 for a max of 10 players per month (cheaper options are available for fewer players: more Realms overview here).

There will also be differences in terms of the gameplay experience. For instance, according to gamesradar.com, worlds in Realms live on and are accessible even when the creator is offline. That means anyone on the guest list can jump in and out at their will, which, on one hand, can be seen as a fun benefit.

But on the other hand, for those who want to play with mods and plugins, Realms doesn’t currently support the capability of doing so. (Additional content, texture packs, skins, and more can be found with Realms Plus, though.)

Above is information how to play minecraft with friends.   Hopefully, through the above content, you have a more detailed understanding of how to play minecraft with friends .Thank you for reading our post.