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Godlike.Host offers hosted Minecraft Bedrock servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
The reliable way to host Minecraft Bedrock is to run Mojang’s Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) on a Windows or Linux computer, then forward the correct UDP port. Download the archive from minecraft.net, extract it into its own folder, start the server executable, allow it through the firewall, and forward UDP 19132 on your router (UDP 19133 is used for IPv6). The first launch creates the world and configuration files. Keep the console open while players are connected, and type stop before shutting down so the world is saved cleanly.
What you are setting up
Bedrock Dedicated Server is the official standalone server program for Minecraft Bedrock Edition. It runs independently of the game client, so the computer hosting it does not need to have Minecraft open. Players join using the server’s local address on a home network or its public address from the internet.
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This guide covers a direct installation on Windows and Ubuntu Linux, which are the platforms identified by the current official requirements. A virtual private server (VPS) or managed host uses the same BDS files and network ports, but the provider controls some operating-system and firewall details.
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Check the requirements before downloading
Official hardware minimums
The official download page lists the following minimum hardware. These figures are requirements for launching the server, not a guarantee of a particular view distance or player count.
| Component | Minimum listed requirement | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i3-3210, AMD A8-7600 APU, or equivalent | Higher clocks and newer cores leave more headroom for larger worlds and simultaneous players. |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | The requirement is for the host machine; the operating system and other applications also need memory. |
| Storage | 180 MB to 1 GB | The download is small, but the world, logs, backups and updates can grow substantially. |
Unlike Java Edition, Bedrock Dedicated Server does not expose initial or maximum memory settings such as -Xms or -Xmx. Do not copy Java launch flags into a Bedrock start command. The process manages its memory internally.
Supported operating systems
- Windows: Windows 10 version 1703 or later, or Windows Server 2016 or later.
- Linux: Use Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later for the current Linux build. Some Microsoft documentation mentions Ubuntu 18 or later, but the official download guidance is the safer baseline.
- Linux runtime: The Linux executable requires glibc 2.35 or later. Check with
ldd --versionif you are unsure whether a distribution is new enough.
Network access you will need
- Administrator access to the host computer.
- Permission to create a firewall rule.
- Access to the home router or cloud security group if people will connect from outside the local network.
- A stable local address for the host, preferably a DHCP reservation or static address, so port forwarding does not break after a reboot.
Choose where the server will run
| Option | Best fit | What you control | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Windows or Linux PC | A small group that wants to use existing hardware | Files, firewall, backups, world data and network configuration | The computer and internet connection must stay on; router setup and ISP restrictions are your responsibility. |
| VPS | Players in different locations who need an always-on machine | Operating system, BDS files, firewall and backups inside the virtual machine | You must administer Linux or Windows remotely and configure the provider’s security group as well as the guest firewall. |
| Managed game host | Players who want a control panel and provider-managed uptime | Usually the server settings and world files exposed by the panel | Port, operating-system and backup controls depend on the provider; verify that it supports the current Bedrock build. |
For a first installation, a spare Windows PC or Ubuntu machine is the simplest way to learn the files and console. Move to a VPS or managed service when uptime, a public IP or easier administration matters more than local control.
Download and prepare the server files
- Open the official Bedrock Dedicated Server download page.
- Choose the archive for Windows or Linux. Confirm that the package matches the operating system and note the version shown on the page; clients generally need to be on a compatible Bedrock release.
- Create a dedicated, empty folder. A practical Windows path is
C:MinecraftServer; on Ubuntu use~/MinecraftServeror another directory owned by the account that will run the service. - Extract every file from the ZIP directly into that folder. Do not run the executable from inside the compressed archive or mix multiple releases in one directory.
- Keep the folder separate from personal documents. It will contain the world, logs, configuration and permissions files after the first launch.
Only the official download is appropriate for production. Third-party mirrors can distribute modified or outdated binaries.
Install on Windows
1. Start the executable
- Open File Explorer and browse to
C:MinecraftServer(or the folder you chose). - Double-click
bedrock_server.exe. If Windows asks whether to allow the program through Microsoft Defender Firewall, continue to the network-selection step instead of cancelling. - Leave the console window open while the server is running. The first launch creates a
worldsfolder,server.propertiesandpermissions.json.
2. Select the correct firewall networks
For players on the same home network, allow the executable on Private networks. For friends connecting over the internet, the host also needs a router port-forward and the Windows firewall rule must allow the relevant traffic. Public-network access exposes the service more broadly, so use it only when the computer is on a trusted, hardened network and you understand the exposure.
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If the prompt was dismissed, open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall, locate the Bedrock server executable, and enable the appropriate network profile. A narrowly scoped inbound UDP rule for the Bedrock port is preferable to disabling the firewall.
3. Confirm the first launch
Watch the console for a successful startup message and verify that the new files and worlds directory exist. If the process exits immediately, run it from Command Prompt in the server folder so the error remains visible, then correct the reported dependency or permission problem before opening ports.
Install on Ubuntu Linux
1. Extract and enter the directory
mkdir -p ~/MinecraftServer
cd ~/MinecraftServer
unzip /path/to/bedrock-server-*.zipUse the actual downloaded filename in place of the wildcard if your shell does not expand it. The executable should be named bedrock_server.
2. Make the binary executable
chmod +x bedrock_server3. Install the common runtime library if the launch reports it missing
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y libcurl4Some Linux packages also need the current directory in the library search path. If a clean Ubuntu installation reports a shared-library error, try:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_serverThis workaround is build-dependent. Read the exact error, confirm that the Ubuntu release meets the glibc 2.35 requirement, and do not download replacement libraries from random sites.
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4. Launch the server
./bedrock_serverRun it from the extracted directory so the program can find its libraries and write the world files beside the executable. The first successful launch creates worlds, server.properties and permissions.json, just as on Windows.
5. Keep it running after disconnecting
For a temporary test, an open SSH session is sufficient. For an always-on server, run BDS under a service manager or a terminal multiplexer and arrange a restart policy appropriate to your distribution. Whichever method you choose, make sure the process receives the stop command during planned shutdowns rather than being killed abruptly.
Configure the first world
Open server.properties with a plain-text editor after the first launch has created it. Each setting is stored as a key and value. Change one setting at a time, save the file, and restart BDS for changes that are read only at startup. Keep a copy of the original file so you can revert a mistake.
Use the configuration file for the world name, game mode, difficulty, player limits and other options exposed by the release you downloaded. The available keys can change between versions, so treat the comments and the current Microsoft instructions as authoritative: Getting Started with Bedrock Dedicated Server.
The generated permissions.json file controls elevated player permissions. Do not invent a JSON structure or leave trailing commas; make a backup before editing it. You can also grant operator status from the running console with the built-in op <gamertag> command, replacing the placeholder with the player’s exact name.
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Protect the configuration
- Do not publish the contents of
permissions.jsonor give operator status to an account you do not trust. - Keep the server directory writable only by the account that runs BDS and administrators who maintain it.
- Do not enable any setting that lowers authentication or permission checks unless you understand the consequences for a public server.
Open the Bedrock ports
Local firewall
Allow inbound UDP 19132 for IPv4. Bedrock’s IPv6 port is UDP 19133. Add the rule to Windows Defender Firewall, ufw, or the firewall supplied by your Linux distribution. The protocol matters: opening only TCP 19132 will not make a Bedrock server reachable.
Home router
- Give the host a stable LAN address, such as a DHCP reservation.
- Sign in to the router and create a port-forward for UDP 19132 from the internet to that LAN address and the same destination port.
- If you intend to accept IPv6 connections, permit UDP 19133 in the host and router IPv6 firewall. IPv6 usually does not use NAT, but the inbound firewall still has to allow it.
- Save the rule and restart the server if necessary. Test from a device outside the home Wi-Fi; testing from inside the same LAN can fail when the router does not support hairpin NAT.
VPS or cloud host
Open UDP 19132 in the provider’s security group or network ACL and in the operating-system firewall. Add UDP 19133 when using IPv6. A cloud rule alone is not enough if the guest firewall blocks the packet.
When port forwarding cannot work
Some internet providers place customers behind carrier-grade NAT, which prevents unsolicited inbound connections even when the router is configured correctly. If an external port check never sees the service and the router’s WAN address differs from the address shown by an independent “what is my IP” check, ask the ISP for a public address or use a hosting arrangement with a reachable address. Do not expose administrative services simply to work around CGNAT.
Connect players and verify the setup
Players on the same LAN
They can add the server using the host’s private IPv4 address and UDP port 19132. The host firewall must allow the private-network profile. If the server does not appear automatically, manual entry is more reliable.
Players on the internet
Give them the router’s public IPv4 address and port 19132, or the server’s public IPv6 address with port 19133 when IPv6 is configured. Never post the address together with administrator credentials, remote-desktop access or file-share credentials.
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Version matching
Keep the server and clients on compatible Bedrock releases. After an update, a client that is substantially older or newer may fail to join even when the port is open. Check the version displayed on the official download page before replacing the server binary.
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Clean shutdown
Type stop in the BDS console and wait for the process to exit. This flushes the world to disk. Closing the terminal window or killing the process can interrupt a save and damage world data.
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- Send
stopand wait until BDS has exited. - Copy the entire
worldsdirectory to a different disk or an offline backup location. - Keep several dated generations rather than overwriting one backup.
- Start BDS again and test that players can join before deleting an older backup.
Back up server.properties and permissions.json as well, but do not place private permission data in a publicly accessible web directory.
Update to a newer release
- Announce maintenance and stop the running server cleanly.
- Make a verified backup of the world and configuration.
- Download the new archive from minecraft.net into a separate temporary directory.
- Replace the executable and release files while retaining your existing
worlds,server.propertiesandpermissions.json. Do not blindly overwrite configuration if the new release adds or changes keys. - Start the new binary locally, check the console for errors, and have an administrator join before reopening the server to everyone.
BDS 1.26.50 and later uses the NetherNet transport by default according to the Minecraft Wiki. When upgrading an existing installation, review networking behavior and firewall rules instead of assuming that an older setup is unchanged.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The executable will not start on Windows | Unsupported Windows version, blocked executable or a missing runtime error | Confirm Windows 10 1703+/Server 2016+, run it from Command Prompt, read the displayed error and allow the program through the firewall. |
| Linux says “permission denied” | The extracted file is not executable | Run chmod +x bedrock_server and launch it from the server directory. |
| Linux reports a missing shared library | libcurl4 or the local library path is unavailable |
Install libcurl4; if the error persists, try LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server and verify glibc 2.35 or later. |
| Players on the same network cannot join | Wrong private IP, local firewall profile or incorrect port | Use the host’s current LAN address, allow inbound UDP 19132 on the private profile and confirm the console is still running. |
| LAN works but internet players cannot connect | Missing router forward, wrong destination address, double NAT, CGNAT or cloud security-group rule | Reserve the host’s LAN address, forward UDP 19132, open the guest and provider firewalls, and check whether the WAN address is publicly reachable. |
| IPv6 players fail while IPv4 works | UDP 19133 is blocked or the host has no usable public IPv6 address | Permit UDP 19133 through the host and network firewalls and test with the server’s actual IPv6 address. |
| The world rolls back or becomes corrupted | The terminal was closed or the process was killed during a save | Restore the newest known-good backup and always use stop before maintenance. |
| The server starts but a client is rejected | Client/server release mismatch or incompatible configuration | Check the current BDS version and update clients or server during a planned maintenance window. |
Bedrock and Java cross-play
A Bedrock Dedicated Server accepts Bedrock clients; it does not load Java Edition plugins or mods. Java players cannot join it natively. A bridge such as Geyser is commonly used when Java-to-Bedrock cross-play is required, but that adds another component to install, update and secure. Test the bridge against the exact BDS version and your authentication setup before promising cross-platform access.
Behavior packs, resource packs and add-ons are also separate from Java server plugins. Keep copies of every pack and document its version before applying it to a live world, because an incompatible pack can prevent the world from loading.
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- Download BDS only from the official Minecraft page and keep the archive version recorded.
- Run the server under a dedicated, non-administrator operating-system account where practical.
- Open only UDP 19132 (and UDP 19133 if IPv6 is actually used); do not disable the host firewall.
- Use a stable backup routine and test restoring a copy of the world.
- Give operator permissions only to trusted accounts and protect
permissions.json. - Keep Windows, Ubuntu, router firmware and the server release patched.
- Monitor the console and disk space. A full disk can stop world saves even when the process appears healthy.
- If the server is no longer needed, remove the port-forward and firewall rules rather than leaving an unused service exposed.
When to move from a home server to hosting
A home machine is appropriate when the player group is small, someone can keep the computer and router online, and you want direct access to every file. A VPS is useful when you need a public address and predictable uptime but are comfortable managing the operating system. A managed host is convenient when you prefer a panel, scheduled backups and provider support over low-level control. In all three cases, the Bedrock-specific fundamentals remain the same: a compatible BDS build, the generated world and configuration files, UDP 19132, and clean shutdowns.
The Bottom Line
Install the current official Bedrock Dedicated Server in a dedicated folder, meet the Windows or Ubuntu requirements, allow UDP 19132 (and UDP 19133 for IPv6), and forward the port to the host. Back up the worlds directory and shut down with stop; those two habits prevent most avoidable data-loss and connectivity problems.
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