To make a Minecraft server, pick Java or Bedrock, choose a plan with enough RAM, give the server a name and start it. The first start takes under a minute for most servers. Then you and your friends join with the address shown on Overview, like castle.play.wilderack.com.
What you need
- Your own copy of Minecraft, and one for each friend. Nobody can join with a copy someone else owns.
- A plan with enough RAM (the server’s memory). Use this as a starting point:
| Your group | Server | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 friends | Java (Vanilla or Paper), or Bedrock | 2 GB |
| Up to 6 friends | Java (Paper) | 4 GB |
| Up to 8 friends | Java (Paper) | 5 GB |
| 10 or more friends | Bedrock | 4 GB |
| Up to 12 friends, or a small modpack | Java | 6 GB |
| Most modpacks | Java | 8 GB |
| Big modpacks with 200 mods or more | Java | 10 GB or more |
More players, more mods and a bigger view distance all need more RAM. The performance guide goes deeper, and the modpack guide has a table per pack size.
Java or Bedrock?
Minecraft comes in two editions that can’t join each other’s servers on their own. Pick the one your friends play.
| Java Edition | Bedrock Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Plays on | Windows, Mac and Linux PCs | Phones, tablets, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and Windows |
| Mods | Plugins, mods and full modpacks | Add-ons (behavior and resource packs) |
| Joining | Address only, no port | Address and port, in two boxes |
| Consoles | No | Yes, through a workaround (see consoles) |
Want both? Make a Java server and turn on the Bedrock addition. Bedrock players then join the same world. See Bedrock crossplay.
Create your server
- Pick Minecraft, then choose Java Edition or Bedrock Edition.
- For Java, pick a server type. Paper is the default and the best start for most groups. Choose Fabric, NeoForge or Forge for mods, or a modpack from the directory. The server types guide explains each one.
- Pick a plan from the table above.
- Pick the region closest to most of your players: EU or US East.
- Choose a name. It becomes your address, like
castle.play.wilderack.com. Names use 3 to 32 characters: lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens. - Read and accept the Minecraft End User License Agreement (EULA). We write
eula=trueintoeula.txtonly after you tick the box. The server won’t start without it.
The server files install straight from Mojang (and from the server type’s own project, such as PaperMC), never from us.
The first start
Press Start on Overview. The first start builds a new world, so it takes longer than later starts:
- Bedrock: a few seconds.
- Java, Vanilla or Paper: usually under a minute.
- Java with mods: one to three minutes, longer for very big modpacks.
Watch it happen in Console. A Java server is ready when it prints a line starting with Done. A Bedrock server prints Server started.
Java versions 26.1 and later need Java 25 to run, and 1.20.5 to 1.21.11 need Java 21. The panel picks the right Java for your version, so you don’t have to.
Make yourself admin
An admin in Minecraft is called an operator, or “op”. To make yourself one, do either of these:
- Add your Minecraft name in Settings > Players. If you entered your Minecraft name in your account, the Make me admin button there does it in one tap.
- Type
op YourNamein Console (no slash). On Bedrock, join the server first, then type it.
On Java 26.3 and later, the whitelist is on by default. Operators can still join, but your friends can’t until you add them. The ops and whitelist guide covers both, plus bans.
Invite your friends
To play: send them the address from the address card on Overview. It has a copy button.
- Java players type
castle.play.wilderack.com, with no port. - Bedrock players type
castle.play.wilderack.comin the address box and the port from the address card in the port box.
The How to join card on Overview shows the exact steps. For every device, see how to connect.
To help run it: open Friends and create an invite link with a role. A Moderator can restart the server and use the console. A Builder can change files, settings and mods. An Admin can do almost everything. Only you can see billing or delete the server.
Sleeping servers
Your server naps when nobody’s playing, so you aren’t paying for an empty server to sit awake. It wakes when someone joins, usually in a couple of seconds.
- Java: the server list shows that the server is sleeping. Press Join Server and you’re in.
- Bedrock: joining wakes it too. Console players who join through a workaround may need the wake link,
play.wilderack.com/w/castle, first. Open it in any browser and press the wake button.
A safe copy of your world is made each time the server goes to sleep. You can change how it sleeps in Settings > Sleep.
What to read next
- How to connect on PC, phones and consoles
- Ops, whitelist and bans
- Server types: Paper, Fabric, NeoForge and more
- Mods and plugins, or a whole modpack
- Bring your own world
- Fix common errors
Questions
Should I make a Java or a Bedrock Minecraft server?
Pick Java if your group plays on PC or Mac and wants mods, plugins or modpacks. Pick Bedrock if your group plays on phones, consoles or the Windows version from the Microsoft Store. A Java server with the Bedrock addition lets both join.
How much RAM does a Minecraft server need?
About 2 GB for a few friends on Bedrock or vanilla Java, 4 to 5 GB for up to 8 players on Paper, and 6 to 10 GB or more for modpacks, depending on how many mods the pack has.
Do my friends need to buy Minecraft to join my server?
Yes. Every player needs their own copy of the game. Java players need Minecraft Java Edition, and Bedrock players need Bedrock on their phone, console or PC.
Why can't my friends join my new Java server?
Minecraft 26.3 and later turn the whitelist on by default, so only players on the list (and operators) can join. Add your friends to the whitelist, or turn it off in Settings.
Sources we checked
- Download the Minecraft Java Edition serverMojang Studios
- Download the Bedrock Dedicated ServerMojang Studios
- Minecraft End User License AgreementMojang Studios
- Server.propertiesMinecraft Wiki
