The quickest way to play together on Minecraft Bedrock PC

To add people on Minecraft Bedrock for PC, you need a Microsoft account for both players and then invite them through the game's Friends list or join their world directly using a code. Bedrock Edition uses your Microsoft account to connect you across devices, so the person you want to play with must have their own account set up and linked to the game.

The process takes about two minutes once both accounts are ready. You can invite friends to join your world, or they can send you an invite to theirs. If you want to play with someone right away without setting up a permanent world, you can also join their session using a temporary invite code that expires after a few hours.

Key Takeaways

  • Both players must have a Microsoft account linked to Minecraft Bedrock; you cannot play together using only a local account.
  • You can add friends through the Friends tab in the main menu, or invite specific players to your world from within the game.
  • Invites sent through the Friends list work best for regular play partners, while temporary world codes are faster for one-off sessions.
  • If an invite does not go through, check that both players are online, that you have typed the username correctly, and that neither player is in a world that does not allow visitors.

Setting up your Microsoft account and linking it to Bedrock

Before you can add anyone, you need a Microsoft account connected to your Minecraft Bedrock game. When you first launch Bedrock Edition on PC, you will be prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account. If you do not have one, you can create it for free at account.microsoft.com.

Once you are signed in, your Minecraft username appears in the top left corner of the main menu. This is the name other players will see and use to find you. Make sure both you and the person you want to play with are fully signed in before attempting to send or receive invites. If you see "Play Offline" or a local account name instead of your Microsoft username, you are not signed in to the correct account.

Adding someone through the Friends list

Open Minecraft Bedrock and go to the main menu. Look for the Friends tab on the left side of the screen (it looks like a person icon). Click it to open your Friends list.

At the top of the Friends panel, you will see an Add Friend button. Click it and type the exact Minecraft username of the person you want to add. Usernames are case-sensitive, so if their name is "SkyWalker42", typing "skywalker42" will not find them. Once you type the name, click the search icon or press Enter.

If the name is found, their profile will appear. Click Add Friend next to their name. They will receive a friend request notification in their game. Once they accept, you will both see each other in your Friends lists and can invite each other to worlds at any time.

Inviting a friend to your world

After someone accepts your friend request, you can invite them to play in your world. Start or load the world you want to share, then pause the game and look for the Invite to Game option in the pause menu. Click it to see your Friends list.

Select the friend you want to invite. They will receive a notification that you have invited them to your world. They can accept the invite from their notifications or from their Friends list, and they will join your world within a few seconds. If the invite does not go through, make sure your world is set to allow multiplayer visitors—check your world settings under Multiplayer and confirm it is not set to Friends Only or Invite Only with restrictions.

Joining someone else's world using an invite code

If you want to join a friend's world without being on their Friends list yet, or if you want a faster way to jump in for a quick session, you can use a world invite code. The person hosting the world pauses their game and selects Invite to Game. Instead of selecting a specific friend, they can copy the Invite Code that appears on screen.

They can share this code with you through any messaging app—Discord, text message, email, or chat. You open Minecraft Bedrock, go to the main menu, and select Play. Look for a field that says Join Code or Enter Code, paste the code, and press Enter. You will join their world when ready. These codes expire after a few hours, so if the code does not work, ask the host to generate a new one.

Troubleshooting when invites do not go through

If you send an invite and your friend does not receive it, start by checking that both of you are signed into Microsoft accounts and online in Minecraft. Invites do not send to players who are offline or playing in single-player mode. Ask your friend to make sure they are on the main menu or in a world that allows visitors.

Double-check that you typed their username exactly as it appears in their profile—spaces, numbers, and capitalization all matter. If you are still having trouble, try using an invite code instead of a friend request. Have your friend host a world, copy the invite code, and send it to you directly. This method bypasses the Friends list and often works when regular invites are slow or failing.

If neither method works, restart both games completely and try again. Sometimes the connection between your account and the server takes a moment to sync. If you still cannot connect after restarting, check that your internet connection is stable and that you are not behind a firewall that blocks multiplayer connections.

Understanding world settings that affect who can join

Your world has multiplayer settings that control who can enter. When you create or load a world, pause the game and go to World Settings. Look for the Multiplayer section. If it is set to Off, no one can join—you must turn it on.

Once multiplayer is on, you will see options like Friends Only, Invite Only, or Open to LAN. Friends Only means only people on your Friends list can join. Invite Only means you must send them an invite code or invite them directly from the pause menu. Open to LAN allows anyone on your local network to join without an invite. For most online play, Invite Only is the safest choice because you control exactly who gets in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be friends with someone before they can join my world?

No. You can invite anyone to your world using an invite code, even if you are not friends yet. However, if you want to invite them regularly, adding them as a friend first makes it faster—you can invite them directly from the pause menu without generating a new code each time.

Can I play with someone on a different device, like a phone or console?

Yes. Minecraft Bedrock Edition is cross-platform, so you can play with friends on PC, phone, tablet, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox as long as you are all using Bedrock Edition (not Java Edition). The process is the same—add them through the Friends list and invite them to your world.

What happens if I send an invite and the person does not accept it?

The invite stays in their notifications until they accept or decline it. You can send another invite, but they will see both in their list. If they decline, you can send a new invite anytime. There is no limit to how many invites you can send.

Can I add someone if I only know their real name, not their Minecraft username?

No. You need their exact Minecraft username to add them. If you do not know it, ask them directly or ask a mutual friend. Usernames are not the same as real names and cannot be looked up by real name in Bedrock Edition.

Why does the invite code say it expired?

Invite codes are temporary and expire after a few hours. If you need to invite someone again, have the host generate a new code. If you plan to play together regularly, it is easier to add each other as friends so you do not have to create new codes every time.