What does "Invalid session" mean in Minecraft?
It means Mojang's session service rejected the sign-in token your game used to join the server – the service was reachable, but it no longer recognised your session as valid. You see it as:
Failed to login: Invalid session (Try restarting your game and the launcher)in older versions,Failed to log in: Invalid session (Try restarting your game and the launcher)in recent versions.
When you join an online-mode Java server, your game sends your sign-in token to Mojang's session service, and the server then checks with that service that you are who you say you are. The token comes from your launcher when it starts the game. If the token has expired, was replaced, or never belonged to a real Minecraft account, the service says no and you get "Invalid session".
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
Invalid session (Try restarting your game and the launcher) |
The session service answered, but rejected your token |
The authentication servers are currently down for maintenance. / …currently not reachable. Please try again. |
The session service didn't answer – see authentication servers down |
Multiplayer is disabled. Please check your Microsoft account settings. |
Your Microsoft account isn't allowed to play multiplayer |
You are banned from playing online |
The account itself is banned from online play |
Singleplayer and offline-mode servers don't use the session service, so they still work with an invalid session. That's why the error looks like it "only happens on some servers".
Why does the session become invalid?
Most often the token is simply old: the game was started long ago, or you signed in somewhere else in the meantime. Less often the account isn't a genuine Minecraft account at all.
- The game has been open for a long time. Sign-in tokens don't last forever. If the game has been running for many hours, or the PC woke up from sleep with the game still open, the token may have expired.
- The launcher refreshed your sign-in after the game started. The running game still holds the old token.
- You use the same account in another launcher or on another PC. Signing in again elsewhere can leave the old copy with a token that's no longer valid.
- Broken sign-in in the launcher – a half-finished Microsoft login, a changed password, or a launcher that lost its saved account.
- The account isn't a genuine Minecraft Java account. Unofficial launchers with "offline" or "cracked" accounts have no valid token to send. On an online-mode server that always ends with "Invalid session" or a similar refusal, and no restart fixes it.
How to fix "Invalid session" as a player
Close both the game and the launcher, start the launcher again, sign out and back in, then launch the game fresh. Do it in this order – closing only the game isn't enough.
1. Restart the game and the launcher properly
- Quit Minecraft.
- Close the launcher completely. On Windows, check the system tray next to the clock and quit it from there if it's still running.
- Start the launcher, then start the game from it and join the server.
The launcher hands a fresh token to every new game it starts, so this alone fixes most cases.
2. Sign out and sign in again
- Official Minecraft Launcher: open your account menu, sign out, then sign in with your Microsoft account again.
- CurseForge, Modrinth App, Prism Launcher and other third-party launchers: remove your Microsoft account from the launcher's account settings and add it again. Third-party launchers keep their own copy of your sign-in, separate from the official launcher.
3. Make sure you're signed in with the right account
If you have more than one Microsoft account, check that the launcher uses the one that owns Minecraft Java Edition. Sign in to minecraft.net in a browser with the same account – your profile should show Java Edition.
4. Don't run the same account in two places
Close the game on your other PC or in your other launcher, then do step 1 again on the PC you want to play on.
5. Check whether multiplayer is allowed
If the message changes to "Multiplayer is disabled. Please check your Microsoft account settings.", your Microsoft account (often a child account in a family group) isn't allowed to join multiplayer. A parent or the account owner can change it in the Xbox privacy and online safety settings of that account.
6. If it still fails: check for an outage
If nobody you know can join online-mode servers right now, the session service may be having problems, and during outages different messages can appear. Check the status channels listed in authentication servers down and try again later.
Using TLauncher or another unofficial launcher?
If you don't own Minecraft Java Edition, you can't fix "Invalid session" on an online-mode server – the server only accepts genuine accounts. You can still play on servers that run in offline mode. If you own the game but use an unofficial launcher, sign in there with your Microsoft account rather than an "offline" profile, or use the official launcher.
What should the server owner do?
Nothing on the server is broken: "Invalid session" is decided between the player's game and Mojang's session service. Send the player the checklist above – restarting both the game and the launcher solves almost every case.
- One player can't join, the rest can: it's that player's sign-in. Ask them to restart the launcher and sign in again.
- Many players at once: check whether Mojang's services are having trouble before changing anything.
- Players without an original game can't join: that's how online mode is supposed to work.
Should I turn off online mode so everyone can join?
Only if you understand what it changes. With online-mode=false:
- anyone can join under any nickname, including yours or an operator's, unless you install a login plugin or mod first,
- players get different UUIDs, so inventories and permissions saved under the old ones don't carry over.
If you really want players without the original game on your server, set it up deliberately with a login plugin – our Minecraft offline mode server guide shows how to do it safely, including running premium and non-premium players together.
Online mode on a Spot.gg server
On Spot.gg you choose who can join with one setting, and the panel warns you if the choice leaves your server open.
- In "Configuration", the field "Who can join" (
online-mode) has two options: "Original accounts only" – players log in with a Microsoft account and the nickname can't be faked – and "All players" – anyone can join, also with a non-original game. - When you pick "All players", the panel shows the warning "Anyone can join under any nickname, including yours." and suggests an add-on with password login, such as AuthMe or EasyAuth.
- If a server runs without any player authentication, the panel lists "No authentication" in "Detected errors" (the bug icon) with steps to secure it.
- "How to connect?" next to the server address opens step-by-step connection instructions you can send to your players.
You can create a Minecraft server on Spot.gg and try it free for 24 hours; paid servers start from $3.90 per month.
FAQ
How do I fix "Failed to login: Invalid session"?
Close the game and the launcher completely, start the launcher again and launch the game from it. If that doesn't help, sign out of your Microsoft account in the launcher and sign in again.
Why do I get "Invalid session" on one server but not another?
Only online-mode servers check your session. Offline-mode servers and singleplayer don't, so they keep working even when your session is invalid.
Why does "Invalid session" appear after the game has been open for hours?
Your sign-in token expires after a while. The running game keeps the old one, so restarting the game from the launcher gives it a new, valid token.
Can I fix "Invalid session" on TLauncher?
Not with an offline account on an online-mode server – those servers only accept genuine Minecraft accounts. Join offline-mode servers instead, or sign in with an account that owns Minecraft Java Edition.
Is "Invalid session" a ban?
No. A ban from online play has its own message, "You are banned from playing online", and a server ban says "You are banned from this server". "Invalid session" is only about your sign-in token.
Does the server owner need to do anything?
Usually not. The check happens between the player and Mojang's session service. Switching the server to offline mode hides the error but removes account protection, so only do it with a login plugin.