The correct Minecraft server address depends on whether you are joining or hosting, your edition, and whether players are on the same computer, the same LAN, or the wider Internet. Use this guide to identify the exact address and port that applies.
The address you need depends on what you are trying to join: a public server, your own server, a Java LAN world, a Bedrock Dedicated Server, a Realm, or a friend’s hosted world. Minecraft has no universal “show my server address” button.
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| Situation | Address to use | Port |
|---|---|---|
| Joining someone else’s server | Address supplied by the owner, host, or official listing | Use the supplied port if one is specified |
| Java server on your computer | localhost or 127.0.0.1 |
Usually 25565 |
| Java LAN world | Host computer’s local IPv4 address | Temporary port shown after Open to LAN |
| Bedrock Dedicated Server | Local IP, public IP, or domain name | Usually 19132 for IPv4 |
| Paid server host | Address shown in the provider’s control panel | Use the provider’s port |
| Realm or friend-hosted world | Realm or Friends menu | No normal IP lookup is required |
First identify your edition. Java Edition runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Bedrock Edition is used on Windows, mobile devices, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and other supported platforms. Java and Bedrock servers are not automatically interchangeable; the client and server must also use compatible versions. Cross-play normally requires a bridge such as Geyser, which may use a separate Bedrock-facing port.
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These terms are often mixed together, but they are not the same:
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- Server name: a label you choose, such as My SMP. It is only for identifying the saved entry.
- Server address: a hostname or IP address, such as
play.example.comor203.0.113.25. - Port: the numbered network entry point. Java commonly uses
25565; Bedrock Dedicated Server commonly uses19132, but hosts can change either value. - Complete endpoint: the address and port together, often written as
address:port, for example203.0.113.25:25565. Bedrock generally puts the address and port in separate fields.
Minecraft’s Java multiplayer instructions describe the server address as an IP address or URL. The Bedrock instructions provide separate fields for the address and port.
If you are joining someone else’s public server
You cannot normally discover an unknown public server’s address from inside Minecraft. Get it from one of these sources:
- the server’s official website;
- the server owner or administrator;
- a reputable server listing, such as Minecraft’s official server list;
- the hosting provider’s documentation or control panel.
Java Edition
- Launch Java Edition.
- Select Multiplayer.
- Select Direct Connection to use the address once, or select Add Server to save it.
- Enter the server address. Add a port only when the owner or host gives you a non-default port.
- Select Join Server.
For example, a Java server might use play.example.com. If it uses a custom port, the complete address may be play.example.com:25580.
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Bedrock Edition
On supported computer and mobile versions, the usual path is:
- Launch Minecraft.
- Select Play.
- Open Servers.
- Select Add Server.
- Enter the server name, address, and port in their separate fields.
- Select Add and Play or Add Server.
Console support is different. The current official Bedrock multiplayer guidance limits manual external-server entry to computer and mobile clients and presents console players with featured-server options. Platform-specific DNS workarounds are separate, unofficial, and should not be treated as normal Minecraft behavior.
If the server is already saved in Minecraft
The address is already stored in your server list, so you do not need to find your computer’s IP address.
Java Edition
- Open Multiplayer.
- Select the saved server.
- Select Edit.
- Read or copy the address and port from the saved entry.
Bedrock Edition
- Open Play.
- Select Servers.
- Scroll to Additional Servers.
- Use the edit or pencil control for the saved server.
- Read the address and port fields.
Button names and edit icons can vary slightly by device and release. The important distinction is that the saved server entry contains the connection details. The Java F3 debug screen is not a dependable current method for retrieving a server address.
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A Java LAN world does not normally use your public IP address or the dedicated-server default port. Minecraft creates a temporary LAN port when you share the world.
- Open the world in Java Edition.
- Press Esc.
- Select Open to LAN.
- Choose the game settings and, if desired, a port.
- Select Start LAN World.
- Read the chat message Minecraft displays. It contains the temporary LAN port.
Players on the same local network should normally see the world automatically on the Multiplayer screen. If discovery does not work, give them the host computer’s local IPv4 address and the temporary port in this format:
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host-computer-local-IPv4:LAN-portExample:
192.168.1.50:54321The port may be different every time you open the world to LAN. It is not necessarily 25565. See Minecraft’s Java LAN guidance if the world does not appear.
How to find the host computer’s local IP address
Use the address assigned to the computer running Minecraft or the dedicated server. Do not copy the router’s address or the loopback address.
Windows
- Open Command Prompt.
- Run:
ipconfigUnder the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter, find IPv4 Address. It may look like 192.168.1.50. Do not use Default Gateway; that is normally the router’s address, not the Minecraft host’s address. Microsoft documents this command in its ipconfig reference.
macOS
- Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Select Wi-Fi or Network.
- Select the connected network.
- Select Details.
- Read the IP address.
Apple’s network settings guide describes the current interface.
Linux
Open a terminal and run:
ip addrOr inspect a specific interface:
ip address show dev <interface>Read the IPv4 address on the active network interface. Ignore the loopback interface, usually shown as 127.0.0.1. Ubuntu’s networking documentation provides more detail.
Private IPv4 addresses commonly begin with 192.168., 10., or fall between 172.16. and 172.31.. These ranges are intended for private networks and are not directly reachable from the public Internet, as specified by RFC 1918.
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If friends are connecting over the Internet
A local address such as 192.168.1.50 works for devices on the relevant home network. It will not normally work for a friend connecting from another house.
For Internet access, a self-hosted server generally needs all of the following:
- The public IPv4 address shown by your router or a reputable external IP-checking service.
- Port forwarding from the router to the host computer’s local IPv4 address.
- An operating-system firewall rule allowing the Minecraft server or its configured port.
- The correct Java or Bedrock port.
- A running and correctly configured server.
Java server example
Java’s usual default server port is 25565, so an Internet endpoint might look like:
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203.0.113.25:25565Use the actual port in the server configuration. The default is not guaranteed, and a hostname such as play.example.com can be used instead of the numeric IP.
Bedrock Dedicated Server example
Bedrock normally places the address and port in separate fields:
Address: 203.0.113.25
Port: 19132Microsoft’s current Bedrock Dedicated Server documentation lists server-port=19132 for IPv4 and server-portv6=19133 for IPv6. The actual configured value, firewall rule, and router forwarding rule must agree.
Before sharing a home public IP, consider the security implications. Share it privately with trusted players, keep the server updated, and use a Java whitelist or an equivalent allowlist where appropriate. Do not disable the firewall entirely; allow the required application or port instead.
If you use a paid Minecraft host
Your provider normally supplies the address in its dashboard. Look under labels such as:
- Server Address
- IP:Port
- Connect
- Network
- Overview
- Allocations
Copy the complete connection information exactly. A provider may assign a custom port, so do not remove the port or replace it with 25565 or 19132 without checking the panel. Java and Bedrock services may have different addresses or ports. An example provider walkthrough is available from Apex Hosting, although panel labels differ between companies.
If you are using a Realm or a friend-hosted world
Searching for an IP address is usually the wrong approach.
Bedrock friend world
Use Play → Friends → Joinable Friends, assuming the friend is online and the world’s multiplayer settings allow you to join. You generally join through the friend’s gamertag rather than a manually entered address.
Java Realm
Open Minecraft Realms, select the Realm, and choose Play. A Realm invitation may also need to be accepted first. See Minecraft’s Java Realm instructions.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why common address attempts fail
“I used my local IP, but my friend cannot join.”
Your friend is probably outside your home network. A private address such as 192.168.1.50 is for local devices. Use your public IP or domain, configure port forwarding, and allow the port through the host firewall.
“I used my public IP, but nobody can connect.”
Check these items in order:
- The server is running.
- Both sides are using the same edition, or a compatible cross-play bridge is configured.
- The client and server versions are compatible.
- The port in
server.properties, Bedrock server properties, or the hosting panel is correct. - The router forwards that port to the correct local IPv4 address.
- The host firewall allows the server and the required protocol.
- Your ISP is not using CGNAT.
- Your public IP has not changed.
“It works on the host computer but not for friends.”
localhost and 127.0.0.1 refer only to the computer on which they are entered. Other LAN devices need the host’s local IPv4 address. Internet players need the public address or domain and the correctly forwarded port.
Microsoft’s Bedrock connection guidance uses 127.0.0.1 for a server running on the same computer and explains that other machines must connect using the appropriate IP address.
“The LAN world does not appear.”
- Confirm both players are on the same local network.
- Check that neither device is on guest Wi-Fi or an isolated access point.
- Temporarily disable VPNs while testing.
- Confirm that the host actually started the LAN world.
- Allow Minecraft through the firewall.
- For Bedrock, confirm that Multiplayer and Visible to LAN Players are enabled.
“The port is correct, but port forwarding still fails.”
Possible causes include:
- Double NAT: another router sits between the computer’s router and the ISP.
- CGNAT: the ISP shares one public IPv4 address among multiple customers.
- The forwarding rule points to an old local IP address.
- The firewall blocks the port.
- The server is bound incorrectly.
- The provider allows only particular ports or protocols.
Compare the router’s WAN address with the address shown by an external IP lookup. If they differ, upstream NAT or CGNAT is possible. An address in 100.64.0.0/10 is reserved for carrier-grade NAT, but its presence is a diagnostic clue rather than proof by itself; see RFC 6598 and the IANA special-purpose IPv4 registry.
If inbound hosting is blocked, alternatives include asking the ISP for a public IPv4 address, using managed hosting, using Realms, or selecting a reputable tunnel or VPN solution after reviewing its security and privacy implications.
“I see Outdated Client or Outdated Server.”
Match the client and server versions. Bedrock Dedicated Server compatibility can fail across minor versions and, in some cases, patch versions. Snapshot and preview clients may need to switch to the latest full release. Check the current Minecraft multiplayer guide and Bedrock server troubleshooting guidance.
“Java players can join, but Bedrock players cannot.”
That is expected for a normal Java server. Bedrock access requires a configured bridge such as Geyser, with its own Bedrock-facing port and appropriate UDP firewall and forwarding rules. Geyser’s supported versions and setup details can change, so use its current documentation rather than relying on an old port value.
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Some guides tell users to copy server-ip from server.properties. That is often misleading. The setting is related to which local network interface the server binds to, and it may be blank. It does not reveal your router’s public IP address.
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For a connection, use the address appropriate to the player’s location:
- same computer:
localhostor127.0.0.1; - same LAN: the host’s local IPv4;
- outside the home network: the public IPv4 or domain;
- paid host: the provider’s supplied address and port.
A quick diagnosis checklist
- Edition: Java or Bedrock?
- Connection type: dedicated server, LAN world, Realm, friend world, or paid host?
- Network scope: same computer, same LAN, or Internet?
- Address: hostname, local IP, public IP, or provider allocation?
- Port: default or custom, and does it match the server configuration?
- Version: are the client and server compatible?
- Access: is the server running and allowed through the firewall?
- Routing: if online, does forwarding reach the correct computer, and is CGNAT blocking inbound connections?
In short, the “server address” is not always your computer’s IP. It is the connection detail appropriate to the network: a saved hostname from the server owner, a local IP for LAN play, a public IP or domain for Internet players, a provider allocation for hosted servers, or no IP at all for Realms and friend-hosted worlds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the F3 screen show my Minecraft server address?
No. F3 is a debug screen, not a dependable server-address lookup tool. If the server is saved, inspect it through Java Edition’s Multiplayer list or Bedrock’s Play → Servers → Additional Servers menu.
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Can my friends use localhost to join my server?
Only on the same computer. Other devices on your LAN need the host computer’s local IPv4 address, while players over the Internet need the public IP or domain and the correctly forwarded port.
Can Java and Bedrock players join the same server?
Usually not. Java and Bedrock use different server software and protocols. Cross-play requires a compatible bridge such as Geyser, with a separately configured Bedrock-facing port.
Is 25565 the Minecraft server port?
A Java server commonly uses 25565, and a Bedrock Dedicated Server commonly uses 19132 for IPv4. These are defaults, not guarantees; always use the port shown by the server owner, configuration, or hosting panel.
Can my Minecraft server address change?
It may change if your ISP assigns dynamic addresses. A dynamic-DNS hostname can provide a stable name, but it does not solve firewall, port-forwarding, double-NAT, or CGNAT problems.
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The Bottom Line
Use localhost on the host computer, the host’s local IPv4 for LAN players, and the public IP or domain plus the forwarded port for Internet players. Java usually uses port 25565; Bedrock Dedicated Server usually uses 19132. If you are joining a Realm or friend-hosted world, use the Friends or Realms menu instead of looking for an IP.
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