How do you play Minecraft with friends?
If you're in the same home, open your world to LAN; if you play over the internet and the world should also run without you, set up your own server or get Minecraft Realms. All of these work in Minecraft Java Edition, but they differ in who has to be online, whether you can add mods, and how much setup they need.
| Option | Where you play | World runs without the host | Mods and plugins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open to LAN | Same home network | No | Yes, if everyone has the same mods |
| LAN over the internet | Over the internet | No | Yes, as above |
| Minecraft Realms | Over the internet | Yes | No |
| Your own server (hosting) | Over the internet | Yes, 24/7 | Yes |
Every player needs the same game version as the world or server. This guide covers the Java Edition – Minecraft on computers with the launcher.
How do you play with friends over LAN?
Load your world, press Esc and click "Open to LAN" – friends on the same network will see it under "Multiplayer". It's the simplest option when you play on several computers in one home.
- Start the world in singleplayer.
- Press Esc and choose "Open to LAN".
- Pick the game mode for guests, optionally allow commands, and click the button to start the LAN world.
- Friends open "Multiplayer" – the world shows up at the bottom of the list as a LAN game. If it doesn't, they can add it manually as
host-local-IP:port(the game prints the port in chat after you open the world).
Limitations: the world only runs while the host is playing, and the host's computer runs the game and serves everyone else at the same time. When the host leaves, everyone gets disconnected.
How do you play with friends over the internet without a server?
Open your world to LAN and forward its port on your router, or use a program that creates a virtual LAN between your computers. Friends then connect to your computer over the internet.
- Port forwarding – on your router you point the LAN world's port to your computer's local address and give friends your public IP with the port. It won't work behind CGNAT (common on mobile internet and some fibre networks), because then you don't have your own public IP.
- Virtual LAN (e.g. ZeroTier) – everyone installs the program and joins the same network, and Minecraft sees your computers as if they were in one home.
- World-sharing mods – some mods expose a LAN world to the internet without any router setup. Everyone then needs the same mod and game version.
All of these share the LAN world's drawback: the game only runs while the host is online, and quality depends on the host's upload speed.
Is Minecraft Realms worth it?
Realms is a paid server from Mojang: convenient, but without custom mods or plugins and with a limit on how many players can be online at once. You create it in the game, invite friends by username, and the world keeps running when you're offline.
Realms works well if you play without mods in a small group and don't want to configure anything. It falls short when you want a modpack, plugins (e.g. land claims, ranks, login), more players at once or full control over the world files – that's when you need your own server.
How do you play with friends on your own server?
Set up a server, copy its address from the panel and send it to your friends – everyone adds it under "Multiplayer" → "Add Server". The server runs 24/7, so friends can join whenever they like, even when you're not online.
On Spot.gg it looks like this:
- Click "Activate a free server", choose Minecraft, an engine (e.g. Paper) or a ready-made modpack, and the same version you play.
- In the server panel click "How to connect?" and copy the server address.
- Send the address to your friends. In the game: "Multiplayer" → "Add Server" → paste it into "Server Address" → "Done".
- If the server should be just for your group, turn on the "Whitelist" in the "Console" tab and add your friends' usernames.
The first 24 hours are free, no card required; after that a server costs from $3.90 per month. The whole process, including picking the engine and RAM, is covered in how to make a Minecraft server, and joining step by step (IP, address, port) in how to join a Minecraft server.
How do you give a friend access to the server panel?
On a paid Spot.gg server you can share the server with another user in the "Subaccounts" tab. Your friend signs in with their own account and can manage the server, but only the owner can renew it.
If your friend only needs to help in the game (e.g. teleport players or change the weather), operator status or a rank from a permissions plugin is enough. The difference and the commands are covered in Minecraft server commands.
How do you play modded Minecraft with friends?
Everyone needs exactly the same mods and the same version as the server – it's easiest with a ready-made modpack. On a modpack server each player installs the same pack in the same version in the CurseForge launcher or the Modrinth App, and the "How to connect?" window in the panel tells you which pack and version to pick.
- A modded LAN world only works if guests have the same mods as the host.
- On a plugin server (Paper, Purpur) players don't install anything – plugins run on the server only.
- Voice chat mods such as Simple Voice Chat need their own port – on Spot.gg the extra ports are in the "Network" tab.
For pack ideas see the best Minecraft modpacks, and for setting up a modded server see how to make a modded Minecraft server.
What should you do when a friend can't join?
Compare game versions first, then check the address and the whitelist, and only then the network. The most common causes:
| Message or symptom | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "Outdated client" / "Outdated server" | Different game version than the server | Pick the server's version in the launcher or update the server |
| "You are not white-listed on this server!" | Whitelist is on and the player isn't on it | Add the username under "Console" → "Whitelist" |
| "Failed to verify username" | A player without a paid account on an online mode server | See Minecraft offline mode server |
| Error about missing or incompatible mods | The player has different mods or a different pack version | Install the same pack and version as the server |
| "Connection timed out" | Wrong address, server is off, or a closed port with a home host | Check the address and whether the server is running |
If one person keeps getting disconnected while everyone else plays fine, it's usually their connection (mobile internet, weak Wi-Fi, VPN).
FAQ
How can you play Minecraft with friends for free?
You can play for free over LAN, over the internet with a home host, or on a free server. On Spot.gg a server runs free for the first 24 hours, no card required. Why free hosts switch servers off is explained in Minecraft server 24/7.
Can a friend without a paid Minecraft account play with me?
On your own server, yes – if you set "Who can join" to "All players" and add a login plugin. On Minecraft Realms, no – Realms requires Microsoft accounts that own the game.
How many people can play together on a Minecraft server?
On your own server, as many as you set in "Player slots", as long as the server has enough RAM and CPU. For a few players without mods, 2–4 GB of RAM is usually enough.
Does the world keep running when I leave the game?
Not with a world opened to LAN – when the host leaves, everyone is disconnected. On a hosted server and on Realms the world keeps running while you're away.
Can I move our singleplayer world to a server?
Yes. Zip the world folder from the saves directory, upload it to the server in the "Files" tab, extract it and enter the folder name under "Configuration" → "World" → "World name". Details in how to make a Minecraft server.