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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.
Minecraft Bedrock multiplayer comes in five practical forms: a friend-hosted world, a LAN world, a Realm or Realms Plus subscription, a featured public server, and a self-hosted Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS). Choose based on whether the world must stay online without its owner, who should handle maintenance, whether players are local or remote, what consoles permit, and how much control you need. You do not need a separate server for a normal session with friends: opening a Bedrock world is enough while the host remains in the game.
The five Bedrock server types at a glance
These options are not interchangeable. A “server” can mean a temporary multiplayer session, a private hosted service, a curated public network, or software you operate yourself. The table shows the practical differences before the detailed explanations.
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| Type | Does the world continue when the owner leaves? | Typical network scope | Who handles administration? | Customization and control | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friend-hosted world | No; the host session must be running | Invited online friends | The player who opens the world | Normal Bedrock world settings and packs | A quick session with a small group |
| LAN world | No; the host session must be running | Devices on the same local network | The local host | Normal world settings; local discovery | Homes, classrooms and local events |
| Realm or Realms Plus | Yes, while the subscription service is active | Invited online players | Microsoft operates the service; the owner manages invitations and the world | Private-world controls without server-machine administration | An always-available private world with minimal setup |
| Featured server | Yes; the partner network operates it | Public internet | The featured-server operator | Whatever experiences that network provides | Public minigames and curated communities |
| Bedrock Dedicated Server | Yes, while your host and process are running | LAN or public internet | You or a managed hosting provider | Server properties, allow-list, worlds, behavior packs and resource packs | Owners who need control, policies or a persistent community world |
1. Friend-hosted Bedrock world
A friend-hosted world is an ordinary Bedrock world opened for multiplayer. The host starts Minecraft, loads the world and invites friends through the game’s multiplayer interface. Minecraft Help lists joining a friend’s world as a standard online route.
How it behaves
- The world is available only while the host is playing and connected.
- The host controls the world’s game mode, difficulty, permissions and installed packs through normal Bedrock settings.
- There is no separate server process, port-forwarding task or server machine to maintain.
- Friends need to be signed in appropriately for online play, and every player must run a compatible Bedrock version.
This is the right answer when someone asks, “Do I need a server for friends to play?” Usually, no. Start a multiplayer world and have friends join it. The limitation is persistence: a friend cannot enter after the host has closed the game, and the world is not an independently running service.
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When to move beyond a friend-hosted world
Consider a Realm or BDS when players need to build while the usual host is away, when several people need predictable access, or when you need server-wide files and policies rather than one player’s local session.
2. LAN worlds
LAN means local area network. It is designed for devices connected to the same home, school or event network, such as a console and phones using the same router. Minecraft’s LAN guidance explains that Bedrock can expose a local multiplayer game for discovery.
What LAN does and does not provide
- LAN discovery can let nearby Bedrock devices see and join the host’s game without making the world a public internet server.
- The host still has to keep the world open; LAN does not make it persistent.
- LAN alone does not provide internet hosting for a friend in another house.
- Players who are already Microsoft/Xbox friends and online may see a direct “join friend” route instead of relying on LAN discovery.
For a classroom or household, LAN is often the simplest and safest scope because traffic stays on the local network. If a player cannot see the world, verify that both devices are on the same network and that the host’s firewall allows Minecraft local-network traffic.
3. Realms and Realms Plus
Realms and Realms Plus are official subscription-based services for creating private Bedrock servers. Microsoft operates the underlying service, so the owner does not have to keep a Windows or Ubuntu computer running, open router ports or maintain a server process.
What the owner manages
- Which friends are invited and who can join.
- The private world and its normal Bedrock gameplay settings.
- World content and any supported packs available through the service.
The trade-off
Convenience comes at the cost of lower infrastructure control than BDS. You do not administer the operating system, server executable, firewall or server files. Subscription prices, player limits and tier features can change by region and date; those details should be checked on the current Minecraft account and Realms pages rather than assumed from an old guide.
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- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
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Choose a Realm when the priority is an always-available private world and the group does not want to perform technical administration. It is especially useful for families and small friend groups that want persistence without running their own host.
4. Featured servers
Featured servers are public partner communities shown in Bedrock’s built-in server list. They commonly provide minigames, competitions, social hubs and other managed experiences. The operator, not an individual player, supplies the maps, moderation, updates and infrastructure.
Important console limitation
Minecraft Help states that console editions are limited to featured servers. Therefore, a custom IP-and-port workflow that works on a Windows, mobile or other Bedrock client should not be promised for every Xbox, PlayStation or Switch player. Console players can use the servers exposed through the platform’s supported interface, while access to an arbitrary self-hosted address may not be available through the normal menus.
Featured servers are suitable when you want public content immediately. They are not a substitute for a private survival world: you do not control the operator’s rules, uptime, moderation or world data.
5. Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS)
Bedrock Dedicated Server is the official downloadable server software for hosting a Bedrock Edition multiplayer world. Microsoft describes it as software that lets you host your own Bedrock servers for friends. Unlike a friend-hosted world, BDS runs as its own process, so players can join while the administrator is not personally inside the game, provided the host computer and process remain available.
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- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles.
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs.
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack;Compatible with Nintendo Switch only.
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes.
Supported host systems
The current BDS download requirements list Windows 10 version 10.0.15063 or later, Windows Server 2016 or later, and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later. These are operating-system requirements for the current package, not requirements for Realms or ordinary friend-hosted play.
You can run BDS on hardware in your home, a rented virtual machine or a managed Bedrock server hosting service. Self-hosting gives the most control but makes you responsible for uptime, updates, backups, firewall rules and troubleshooting.
What BDS lets you control
- The server name, default game mode and difficulty.
- LAN visibility, view distance, tick distance and idle timeout.
- Which world is active and whether an allow-list is enforced.
- Behavior packs and resource packs stored in the server’s corresponding directories.
- Operational policies such as who may join and when the server is restarted.
Microsoft documents survival, creative and adventure as valid game-mode values. View distance affects how much world data is sent around players, while tick distance affects how much of the world is actively simulated; raising either can increase CPU, memory and network demand.
How to set up a basic Bedrock Dedicated Server
The exact download archive and interface can change, but the official setup flow remains file-based. Use the current BDS package and documentation for your operating system.
- Prepare a supported host. Use Windows 10 version 10.0.15063 or later, Windows Server 2016 or later, or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later. Reserve enough resources for the number of players, simulation distance and packs you plan to use.
- Download and extract BDS. Put the extracted files in a dedicated folder that the service account can read and write. The installation creates a
worldsdirectory for Bedrock worlds. - Review
server.properties. Set the server name, game mode, difficulty, world name, distances, LAN visibility and allow-list behavior. Keep a copy of the original file so you can restore known-good settings. - Choose or import a world. Copy an existing Bedrock world into the server’s
worldsdirectory, then setlevel-nameto the folder name of the world you want active. BDS can contain multiple worlds, but only the world selected bylevel-nameruns at one time. - Add packs if needed. Place behavior packs and resource packs in the corresponding server directories and follow the pack’s Bedrock manifest requirements. Test packs on a copy of the world before applying them to an established community world.
- Start the server. On Windows, launch
bedrock_server. On Ubuntu, the official command isLD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server. Keep the process running; closing the terminal or service stops the world. - Configure network access. For internet play, allow the configured IPv4 and IPv6 server ports through the host firewall and any router or cloud firewall. Microsoft’s guide gives
19132and19133as the default ports. Do not expose more ports than the server needs. - Test locally, then remotely. First join from the host’s LAN using the server’s local address. Then test from an external network. Remote, non-LAN clients require Xbox Live authentication, so confirm that each player is signed in and using Bedrock.
- Document maintenance. Schedule backups, record the active world folder and properties, and plan controlled restarts for BDS updates. A persistent server without backups can turn a simple configuration error into permanent world loss.
Important BDS settings
| Setting or file | Purpose | Practical guidance |
|---|---|---|
level-name |
Selects the active world folder | Use the exact folder name inside worlds; only this selected world is active. |
| Game mode | Sets the default mode for players | Microsoft documents survival, creative and adventure. |
enable-lan-visibility |
Controls whether the server advertises itself for LAN discovery | Enable it for a local event; it does not replace internet firewall configuration. |
| View distance | Controls the area of world data sent around players | Higher values can increase bandwidth and server load. |
| Tick distance | Controls the area actively simulated | Higher values can increase CPU load; reduce it when entities or redstone cause lag. |
| Idle timeout | Controls treatment of inactive players | Set it according to whether an always-on community should retain idle connections. |
| Allow-list behavior | Restricts joining to approved accounts | Use it for a private server and maintain the list as membership changes. |
worlds directory |
Stores server worlds | Back up the entire relevant world folder before upgrades or pack changes. |
| Behavior-pack and resource-pack directories | Store shared content for the server | Keep pack versions aligned with the world and client versions. |
Bedrock cross-play: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, mobile and PC
Bedrock is designed for cross-device multiplayer, but compatibility has two separate conditions. First, players must be running matching game versions. Minecraft Help states that matching versions are required to join a Bedrock world, server, Realm or LAN game. A version mismatch is therefore the first check whenever one player cannot connect.
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Second, the client’s platform determines which connection methods are exposed. Mobile and PC players can generally use the Bedrock multiplayer flows available to their editions, including friends, Realms and supported server entries. Consoles have the additional featured-server limitation described above, so cross-play does not mean that every device can enter every arbitrary IP address.
- Confirm that every player is using Bedrock Edition, not Java Edition.
- Update all clients to the same release before changing server settings.
- Make sure each remote player is signed in for the required Xbox Live authentication.
- For consoles, use the supported featured-server or Realm workflow when a custom address is unavailable.
Which type should you choose?
For a one-evening session
Use a friend-hosted world. It has almost no administration and is sufficient when everyone can play at the same time as the host.
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For a local classroom, party or household
Use LAN when all devices are on the same network. It keeps the scope local and avoids internet hosting, but the host still needs to remain in the world.
For a private world that should be available every day
Use a Realm when convenience matters more than low-level control. It removes server-machine maintenance and keeps the world available through the subscription service.
For public minigames
Use a featured server. Its operator supplies the public infrastructure and content; you join as a player rather than administer the world.
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For full operational control
Use BDS when you need custom properties, an allow-list, packs, imported worlds, scheduled backups or your own moderation policy. Choose self-hosting only if someone can maintain the operating system, server process, network and files. Otherwise, managed Bedrock server hosting can provide the BDS environment while shifting routine host and firewall work to a provider.
Troubleshooting by symptom
A player cannot join at all
- Check that every client is on the same Bedrock version.
- Verify that the player is signed in and that remote authentication is available.
- For BDS, confirm the process is running and that the configured IPv4 or IPv6 port is allowed through host, router and cloud firewalls.
- For LAN, confirm both devices are actually on the same local network rather than one using guest Wi-Fi or mobile data.
The server appears, but the world is wrong
Inspect level-name and compare it with the exact directory name under worlds. BDS can store several worlds, but it activates only the selected one.
Players experience lag
Reduce view distance or tick distance, especially when the host is CPU- or bandwidth-limited. Test behavior and resource packs separately, and make backups before changing a long-running world.
A console player cannot enter a custom server
This may be a platform limitation rather than a server fault. Console editions are limited to featured servers through the normal Bedrock interface, so use a Realm or a supported featured server for that player, or verify whether the console’s current account and platform workflow offers another approved route.
The world disappeared after closing the host
That is expected for a friend-hosted or LAN world: those sessions are host-dependent. Move the world to a Realm or BDS if players need access when the original host is offline.
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Friend-hosted and LAN worlds minimize setup but stop with the host. Realms provide persistent private access with subscription-based convenience. Featured servers provide public, curated content but little personal control. BDS is the flexible option for owners who are prepared to operate a real server: it supports imported worlds, packs, allow-lists and detailed performance settings, while also requiring responsibility for updates, backups, authentication, networking and uptime.
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