The fastest way to join a friend's world

The simplest way to play together in Minecraft on PC is through Realms, which is a subscription service that lets you and up to two friends play in the same world at the same time without setting up a server. Your friend creates a Realm, you receive an invite, and you join from your friends list — no port forwarding or technical setup required. If neither of you has a Realm subscription, you can join a friend's single-player world directly if you're on the same local network, or use a free third-party server host like Aternos.

The method you choose depends on whether you want to play together regularly, how many friends you want to include, and whether you're willing to pay a small monthly fee. Realms costs about $8 per month and works when ready. Local network play is free but only works if you're in the same house or on the same WiFi. Third-party servers are free but require a bit more setup and can be slower.

Key Takeaways

  • Realms is the easiest paid option: your friend buys a subscription, invites you through the game, and you join from your friends list in under a minute.
  • Local network play (LAN) is free and works when ready if you're on the same WiFi, but only you and friends in your house can join.
  • Third-party server hosts like Aternos let you and friends play for free on a persistent world, though the server goes offline if nobody logs in for a while.
  • Multiplayer on PC requires a Microsoft account for each player, even if you own the Java Edition.
  • Port forwarding and running your own server are possible but require technical knowledge and are rarely necessary for casual play.

Using Realms to play together

To use Realms, your friend needs to own Minecraft Java Edition and pay for a Realm subscription through the launcher. They create a new Realm, which generates a world that stays online even when they're not playing. Once the Realm is set up, they go to the Members tab and send you an invite using your Microsoft username.

On your end, you open the Minecraft launcher, log in with your Microsoft account, and go to the Realms tab. You'll see the invite waiting there. Click it to join, and you'll be in your friend's world within seconds. Both of you can play at the same time, and the world saves automatically. If your friend stops paying for the Realm, the world is archived for 18 months — they can reactivate it later if they renew the subscription.

Realms has a limit of three players at once (the owner plus two friends), so it works well for small groups. If you want to play with more people, you'll need a different option.

Joining through local network (LAN)

If you and your friend are on the same WiFi network, you can play together without any subscription or server. One person opens their single-player world and enables LAN from the pause menu. The other person opens the multiplayer screen, and the world appears in the server list automatically — no IP address or password needed.

To enable LAN, pause the game, click "Open to LAN," choose your game mode (Survival or Creative), and click "Start LAN World." Your friend will see the world pop up in their multiplayer list within a few seconds. This method is completely free and works when ready, but it only works while both of you are on the same network. The moment one person leaves the WiFi, they disconnect.

LAN play is ideal for playing in the same room or house. It's also useful for testing a world before paying for a Realm subscription.

Setting up a free server with Aternos

Aternos is a free server host that lets you and your friends play on a persistent world without paying anything. You create an account, start a new server, and share the server address with your friends. They add it to their multiplayer server list and join whenever they want.

The main limitation is that the Aternos server goes offline after 30 minutes of inactivity. When someone logs back in, it starts up again automatically, but there's a 10 to 30 second wait. For casual play with friends who log in regularly, this is usually not a problem. If you want a server that stays online all the time, you'll need to pay for a commercial host or use Realms.

To set up Aternos, go to aternos.org, create a free account, click "Create," choose Minecraft Java Edition, and name your server. Once it's created, click "Start" to turn it on. You'll see the server address at the top of the page — give this to your friends. They open Minecraft, go to Multiplayer, click "Add Server," paste the address, and join.

What you need before you start

Every player needs a Microsoft account to play multiplayer on PC, even if you own the Java Edition. If you already play Minecraft, you have one. If not, you can create one for free at account.microsoft.com. Make sure everyone uses the same username they log into the launcher with — that's how invites and friends lists work.

You also need to know your friend's Microsoft username (not their display name) if you're using Realms. If you're using a third-party server, you just need the server address. For LAN play, you don't need anything except to be on the same WiFi.

Make sure everyone has the same version of Minecraft. If some people have Java Edition and others have Bedrock Edition (the Windows 10/11 version), they cannot play together — Java and Bedrock are separate games that don't connect.

Troubleshooting common problems

If you can't see your friend's world in the Realms tab, make sure you both logged in with the correct Microsoft account and that your friend actually sent you an invite. Check your email for an invite notification — sometimes it goes to spam. If the invite is there but not showing in the game, try restarting the launcher.

If LAN play isn't working, check that both computers are on the same WiFi network (not different networks, even if they have the same name). Make sure the person hosting the world has actually clicked "Open to LAN" — the world won't show up otherwise. If it still doesn't appear, try restarting both games.

If you can't connect to an Aternos server, the server might be offline. Go to the Aternos website and click "Start" to turn it on. Wait 30 seconds and try joining again. If the server address is wrong, you'll get a "Can't connect to server" message — double-check that you copied it correctly.

If you're getting a "outdated server" or "outdated client" message, one person has a different version of Minecraft than the other. Make sure everyone is running the latest version of Java Edition.

Port forwarding and running your own server

If you want to run a Minecraft server from your own computer without using a host like Aternos, you can read the server software from minecraft.net and set it up locally. This requires port forwarding — opening a port on your router so people outside your network can connect. Port forwarding is technical and can expose your computer to security risks if done incorrectly, so it's not recommended for casual play.

For most players, Realms or Aternos is a better choice. They handle all the technical work, and you don't have to worry about your computer staying on 24/7 or managing firewall settings. If you do want to run your own server, there are detailed guides available on the Minecraft wiki, but you should only do this if you're comfortable with networking basics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play with friends if we have different versions of Minecraft?

No. Java Edition and Bedrock Edition (Windows 10/11) are separate games that don't connect to each other. Everyone needs to own the same version. If some friends have Java and others have Bedrock, you'll need to play on separate servers or use a cross-platform option like Hypixel (a third-party server that runs on both versions, though it's not a private world).

How much does Realms cost?

Realms costs about $8 per month in the US, though the price varies by region and currency. Only the person who owns the Realm needs to pay — the friends who join don't pay anything. You can cancel anytime, and your world is saved for 18 months if you reactivate later.

What happens if my friend stops paying for their Realm?

The Realm goes offline, but the world is archived for 18 months. If your friend renews the subscription, the world comes back with all your progress intact. If they don't renew within 18 months, the world is deleted permanently.

Can I play with more than three people on Realms?

No. Realms supports a maximum of three players at once: the owner plus two invited friends. If you want to play with a larger group, use Aternos or another third-party server host, which can support dozens of players depending on the host.

Is Aternos safe to use?

Yes. Aternos is a legitimate, widely used free server host. It's been around since 2013 and is used by millions of players. The only downside is that servers go offline after 30 minutes of inactivity, so there's a startup delay when someone logs back in.