If you’ve ever spent hours building a cozy cottage or digging out a diamond mine alone, you know how much more fun those moments get when you can share them with people you care about. We get dozens of questions every month from players who are confused about crossplay restrictions, paid subscription requirements, and setup hoops they don’t want to jump through just to game with their crew. Learning how to play Minecraft with your friends doesn’t have to be a headache, even if you’re all playing on different devices or don’t want to spend extra cash on a server subscription. We’ve tested every common method over years of playing the game with our own friend groups, so we’ve broken down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and what fits your specific setup.
How to play Minecraft with your friends on a local LAN network for in-person groups
LAN play works best if you and your friends are all in the same physical location, like a sleepover, dorm floor, or family gathering, and all connected to the same Wi-Fi network. You don’t need any subscriptions or extra software to make it work, and setup takes less than a minute. Just load up your single player world, open the pause menu, and select “Open to LAN” — you can adjust game mode, turn cheats on or off, and hit confirm. Your friends will see your world pop up in their multiplayer menu automatically, no IP address or special settings needed. But keep in mind this only works if everyone is on the same network, and you all have the same version of the game installed. If someone is playing on a different console or a different edition (Java vs Bedrock), this method won’t work for you. Also, if you have a slow Wi-Fi connection, you might notice lag if more than 3 or 4 people join at once.
Use a Realms server for simple, low-maintenance crossplay
If you and your friends live in different places and don’t want to mess with setting up your own server, Realms is Mojang’s official hosted server option that takes all the work out of your hands. Realms supports crossplay across all Bedrock edition devices, including Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, mobile, and Windows PC, so you don’t have to worry about everyone being on the same platform. If you’re looking for a low-fuss way how to play Minecraft with your friends without dealing with IP addresses or port forwarding, Realms is the perfect fit. You pay a small monthly fee, and Mojang handles all the server up-time, updates, and security, so you never have to leave your computer on for other people to play. There’s also a separate Realms option for Java edition players if your whole group uses Java. The biggest downside here is the cost, and the limited player slots: most basic Realms plans only let 10 people join at once, and you can’t install large mod packs unless you use the specialized Realms Plus plan. It’s also not a good fit if you want full control over server settings, custom plugins, or heavily modded gameplay.
Host a custom self-run server for full control over gameplay
If you want more control over your world, want to run mod packs, or have a large group of friends who want to join at the same time, hosting your own custom server is the best option. You can either host it on your own home computer if you have a strong internet connection, or pay a small fee to a third-party hosting company to handle the server hardware for you. Self-run servers work for both Java and Bedrock editions, and you can adjust every single setting from mob spawn rates to custom in-game events to fit exactly what your friend group wants to play. Before you set up a server, make sure you have these basics covered:
- A consistent internet connection with at least 10mbps upload speed if you’re hosting from home
- The same game version or mod pack installed for every player who wants to join
- Basic knowledge of how to share your public IP address safely, or use a virtual LAN tool if you don’t want to share your IP publicly
- A plan to manage user permissions if you’re letting people you don’t know well join the server
We recommend starting with a cheap third-party host if you’ve never run a server before, as they handle most security and uptime issues for you. Many new server owners get nervous about setup, but there are dozens of free step-by-step guides for every operating system, and most third-party hosting companies have one-click setup for popular mod packs and server types. The only real downsides are the extra work if you’re managing the server yourself, and the cost if you opt for a third-party host. You also have to make sure you follow all Mojang’s server guidelines to avoid getting your account restricted.
Join a public community server for larger group gameplay
If you don’t just want to play with your existing friend group, or you want to meet other players while you hang out with your crew, joining a public community server is a great option. There are thousands of public servers for both Java and Bedrock edition, with every game mode you can imagine, from survival and creative to mini-games, roleplay, and custom adventure maps. Most large public servers have dedicated moderation teams to prevent griefing and keep gameplay fun for everyone, so you don’t have to worry about someone destroying your base after you spend hours building it. It’s also a great low-effort option if you want to test out how to play Minecraft with your friends without committing to a paid subscription first. You can even find servers focused on specific interests, like medieval building, eco-friendly survival, or modded tech play, so you and your friends can join a community that matches the type of game you want to play. Just make sure you read the server rules before you join, as many servers have strict guidelines around chat, griefing, and mod use that can get you banned if you break them. You also won’t have full control over the world settings, so if you want to make specific changes to gameplay, this isn’t the right option for you.
At the end of the day, the right way to play with your crew comes down to where your friends are located, what devices you all use, and how much control you want over your world. You don’t have to spend a ton of money or learn complicated technical skills to have a good time building, exploring, and fighting mobs together. If you’re still not sure which method to try, start with the simplest option that fits your group first: LAN if you’re all together, Realms if you’re spread out and don’t want extra work. No matter what you pick, figuring out how to play Minecraft with your friends will make every play session feel more fun and memorable, even when you’re all just digging for coal or arguing over where to build the group base.