To change a Minecraft server’s gameplay port, stop the server, edit the correct server.properties file, replace the existing port with an unused number, save it, and restart. Internet players will not be able to connect until the same port is allowed through the host firewall and forwarded by the router to the server computer. Java Edition uses server-port and defaults to 25565; Bedrock Dedicated Server uses server-port 19132 and server-portv6 19133.
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Which setting controls player connections?
The setting that moves normal gameplay traffic is server-port. On a Java Edition server, the default line is:
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server-port=25575The selected number must be available on the server computer. A different service already listening on that port can prevent Minecraft from starting or make the server unreachable.
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Do not substitute another port setting:
| Setting | What it does | Does it change the port players use? |
|---|---|---|
server-port |
Java gameplay listener | Yes |
query.port |
Optional server-query service | No |
rcon.port |
Remote console (RCON) service | No |
management-server-port |
Separate Minecraft Server Management Protocol service in recent Java releases | No |
Changing query.port, rcon.port, or management-server-port will not move the normal player listener.
Change the port on a Java Edition server
1. Stop the server cleanly
Save the world and stop the server before editing. From the server console, use the normal stop command and wait until the process has finished writing files. If you launch the server from a terminal, close it only after the stop operation completes. Editing while the process is running can be overwritten when the server saves its configuration or shuts down.
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Open the file in the directory from which that server instance runs. If you operate more than one server, each instance has its own folder and its own server.properties. Confirm the path before making changes; editing a similarly named backup or a different instance will have no effect.
3. Replace server-port
Find the line beginning with server-port=. Replace only its value with the unused port you selected, leaving the setting name intact. For port 25575, the complete line is:
server-port=25575Do not add a second server-port line. Save the file as plain text with the filename server.properties.
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4. Restart and verify the bind
Start the same server instance again. Read the startup log and confirm that it reports a successful bind on the new port. If startup fails with an address-in-use or bind error, stop the server, choose another unused port, and check which process is occupying the original choice. A restart without a successful bind does not complete the change.
5. Update the host firewall
Allow the selected Java gameplay port through the operating-system firewall. The rule must apply to the server process or to the port and protocol used by Java Edition. For example, if you changed the value to 25575, allow inbound TCP 25575 on the server computer. A router rule cannot compensate for a host firewall that drops the connection.
On Windows, create an inbound rule in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security for the selected TCP port, or for the Java executable, according to your organization’s policy. On a Linux host using a firewall manager, add an inbound rule for the selected port and reload the firewall. Verify that the rule is active after a reboot; a temporary shell command is not a substitute for a persistent rule.
6. Forward the same port on the router
Sign in to the router and open its port-forwarding or virtual-server page. Create a rule with all of these values:
- External (public) port: the new value, such as 25575.
- Internal (private) port: the same value, such as 25575.
- Destination address: the server computer’s current private LAN address, such as its 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x address.
- Protocol: the protocol required by the Java server; Java gameplay normally uses TCP.
Do not enter the router’s public address as the destination. The forwarding target is the computer inside your home or office network. If that computer receives a different private address later, the rule can silently point at the wrong device, so reserve its LAN address in the router or assign a stable address using your network’s supported method.
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7. Give players the right address
Players outside your network should use your public IPv4 address or public DNS name followed by a colon and the selected port, for example 203.0.113.25:25575 or play.example.net:25575. The colon-and-port suffix is required when you are not using the default Java port. Players on the same LAN can usually connect with the server computer’s private address and port, but that local test does not prove that internet forwarding works.
Keep the server running while testing from outside the LAN. If the server is stopped, an external port checker or a friend’s client will correctly report the port as closed.
Change the port on Bedrock Dedicated Server
Bedrock Dedicated Server has separate port settings from Java Edition. Microsoft’s documented defaults are:
| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
server-port |
19132 | Bedrock gameplay listener for the primary network configuration |
server-portv6 |
19133 | Bedrock listener for the IPv6 configuration |
Change the values
- Stop Bedrock Dedicated Server and wait for it to finish saving.
- Open that installation’s
server.properties. - Change
server-port=19132to the chosen port. - If you use the IPv6 listener, change
server-portv6=19133as well, choosing an available IPv6 port. - Save the file and restart the server.
- Read the startup output to confirm that the configured listeners opened successfully.
Allow the configured Bedrock ports in the host firewall and reproduce the same values in the router’s forwarding rules. A setup that changes only the file, while leaving 19132 or 19133 forwarded, still sends traffic to the old destination. Use the protocol and address-family options required by your Bedrock installation and network equipment.
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Players must be told the new address and port. Bedrock clients commonly present the server address and port as separate connection fields; enter the public address in the address field and the configured gameplay port in the port field.
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What must match for an internet connection?
For a remote player to reach the server, four parts of the path have to agree:
- The Minecraft configuration must specify the intended listener port.
- The server process must be running and bound to that port.
- The host firewall must permit inbound traffic on that port.
- The router must forward the public port to the server computer’s current private LAN address.
The client then needs the public address and the selected port. Changing the configuration file satisfies only the first requirement; it does not create a route through the router or open the host firewall.
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Use an unused, non-conflicting value
Choose a port that is not occupied by another application on the same computer and that your router and firewall can configure. There is no gameplay advantage to a particular non-default number. A high, uncommon value can reduce accidental collisions with other services, but it does not provide meaningful security by itself.
Keep the mapping simple
Using the same external and internal number makes troubleshooting easier. You can translate between different numbers if your router supports it, but then players use the external value while the server listens on the internal value. Document both values so a later firewall or router change does not create confusion.
Change one layer at a time
First change the Minecraft setting and confirm the server binds. Then update the host firewall, followed by the router. Testing after each stage shows where a failure begins and avoids changing several unknowns simultaneously.
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Troubleshooting: players cannot connect after the change
The server log still shows the old port
- Stop the server again and verify that you edited the active instance’s
server.properties, not a backup or another server folder. - Check for duplicate lines or a typo such as
server-port =with an unexpected format. - Confirm that the file was saved before restarting and that the process was fully stopped during the edit.
The server will not start or reports that the address is already in use
Another process has claimed the selected port, or a second Minecraft instance is already running. Stop the conflicting service or select another unused port. Only one process can normally bind the same address and port combination.
Local players connect, but internet players cannot
- Compare the router’s external and internal ports with the value in
server-port(or the Bedrock value you selected). - Make sure the forwarding destination is the server computer’s private LAN IP, not the public IP.
- Check the host firewall rule and confirm it covers the selected port and required protocol.
- Test from a phone using cellular data or from a friend’s network. Testing from inside the same LAN can fail because some routers do not support NAT loopback or hairpin connections.
- Give remote players the public address and the new port, not the private address used inside your home.
The port appears closed from outside
Leave the server running during the test and confirm that its log shows a successful bind. Then investigate whether the internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT or blocks inbound connections. Under carrier-grade NAT, your router may not receive a uniquely reachable public IPv4 address, so ordinary port forwarding cannot expose the server directly.
Only IPv6 or only IPv4 clients fail on Bedrock
Check the corresponding Bedrock setting: server-port for the primary listener and server-portv6 for the IPv6 listener. Confirm that the address family, firewall rule, and router configuration match the listener that the player is trying to use.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Changing a port is straightforward when you control the server computer and router. The choice becomes different when your network cannot accept inbound connections or you do not want to maintain the network path.
| Consideration | Self-hosting at home or in your own facility | Managed Minecraft server hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration control | Full control of the server files, port, operating system, and network rules | Control depends on the host’s panel and policies |
| Router and firewall work | You must configure the host firewall and port forwarding yourself | The provider normally supplies the reachable endpoint; local forwarding is not required |
| Public reachability | Depends on a usable public route and an ISP that permits inbound traffic | Usually provided by the service, subject to its network design |
| Recurring cost | No hosting subscription, but you pay your own electricity, connectivity, and hardware costs | Recurring service charges apply |
| Performance | Depends on your hardware, upload capacity, latency, and other household traffic | Depends on the allocated resources, location, and provider network |
| Backups and recovery | You must design and verify your own backups | Backup tools and retention vary by provider; verify them before relying on them |
| Support | You troubleshoot the operating system, router, firewall, and server | Support scope varies and may not include custom networking or game configuration |
Managed hosting is a fallback for users behind carrier-grade NAT, an ISP that blocks inbound connections, or a network where they cannot access router settings. It is not required merely because you want a non-default port.
Port-change checklist
- Identify whether the server is Java Edition or Bedrock Dedicated Server.
- Stop the correct server instance before editing.
- For Java, change
server-port; for Bedrock, check bothserver-portand, when used,server-portv6. - Choose a port that no other local service occupies.
- Save the correct
server.propertiesfile. - Restart and confirm the log shows a successful bind on the intended port.
- Allow that port through the host firewall.
- Forward the same public and internal port to the server computer’s current private LAN IP.
- Keep the server running and test from outside the LAN.
- Tell players the public address and the new port, using the required client fields.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use any number instead of 25565?
You can use an available port that your operating system, firewall, router, and internet connection permit. The number itself does not improve server performance or security; it must simply be unused and configured consistently.
Does changing the port reset the world or player data?
Changing the listener value in server.properties does not select a different world or erase player data. Those files remain in the server directory, provided you restart the same server instance.
Do players need a new address after every restart?
They need the same public address and selected port as long as your public address, DNS record, forwarding rule, and server configuration remain unchanged. If your ISP changes the public IP, the address players use must be updated unless you have a DNS name that tracks it.
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