The More RAM You Give It

There are three ways to play multiplayer Minecraft: Java Edition, which is free. - You have three options: join a public Minecraft server, create your own or buy a Minecraft Realm. - If your friends are on the same network, you can set up a LAN Minecraft server for local multiplayer.

Minecraft is a simple but endless game that has millions of players. It's easy to find new friends. However, it can be confusing to figure out how to play multiplayer games with your friends.

The way you play multiplayer Minecraft will depend on whether your version is the console-friendly Bedrock or the classic Java edition. You can only play with your friends, regardless of which edition you have.

Java can be used to play with friends in a variety of ways.

Hosting a multiplayer Minecraft Server should take only a few minutes.

Here's what you should know.

Quick tip: To play together, you must all be using the same version Minecraft.

How to play Minecraft with your friends

Minecraft's multiplayer mode is built around servers. 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. You'll have to share these servers with many other people you don’t know. Srvlst

A Minecraft server is free for you and your friends to host a private game. 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 this doesn't work for you, there are other options.

Here are the steps you need to follow in order to join an existing Minecraft Java Edition server or create your own multiplayer servers.

Join a server

1. Launch Minecraft and choose Multiplayer.

2. Click Add Server.

3. In the Server Address box, enter the host server's address and click Done. This could be an IP address or a URL.

4. Wait for the server to connect. When it appears in your list, click on it and click Join Server.

Register and join your server

These steps will show you how to set up a Windows 10 server. The steps are similar for both Mac and Linux computers, but not necessarily the same.

1. Launch a web browser of your choice and navigate to minecraft.net/download. Scroll down and select Java Edition Server.

2. Next, find and download Minecraft server software. Put it somewhere you'll find it. The file will contain a.jar extension.

3. Make a folder on your computer, name it anything you like, and then place the.jar file that you downloaded inside it. This is where all your server files will be kept.

4. Next, you'll need to create a plain text document. Right-click on the folder and choose New, then Text document. Name the text file "start.txt".

Quick tip: You can create an.txt document on a Mac by using the TextEdit program. You can use "cat" to access Linux's terminal.

5. Navigate back to the Minecraft server download webpage. Copy the command text which is:

java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.18.2.jar nogui

Note that the numbers near the end will differ based on the most current version of Minecraft.

6. Paste the string of command text into your start.txt document.

7. Within the string of command text, you'll see the words "minecraft_server.1.18.2.jar." You'll need to rename that portion of the text "server.jar." That means that the new line of code will now read:

8. You can also modify the RAM allocation of your server using this line. The more RAM your server has, the faster it can run, and the more stress it puts on your computer.

9. The RAM is determined using the first two numbers in the code line. These numbers are the RAM amounts in megabytes (MB). It defaults to 1024MB RAM or one gigabyte, (GB).

Quick tip: RAM is not like storage space. One gigabyte equals 1,024 megabytes. Not 1,000. Set the RAM amount in multiples (1,024 megabytes).

1. Start Minecraft while your server's open and running. Then, select Multiplayer.

2. Select Add Server at the bottom-right corner.

3. In the Server Address field, simply put the number "0" or the word "localhost". Srvlst

Use a LAN Server

1. One player should launch a single game world and then enter the pause menu. They'll choose Open to LAN.

2. In the menu that appears, choose the game mode and whether cheats are allowed. Then click Start LAN World.

4. The other player or players on the same network should launch their Minecraft, but rather than jump into a world, click the Multiplayer option from the main menu.

5. Minecraft will automatically scan your shared local network for new games. When the right world appears, click Join Server.

6. If it fails to find the server, the players can click Direct Connection. Enter the IP address of your server in the Server Address section. Followed by a colon (:), and the five-digit port number, you will see the menu.