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How to Find Your XUID for Bedrock Server Admin Permissions

Use Bedrock Dedicated Server’s allowlist to resolve a gamertag into a XUID, then apply that identifier in the version-specific permissions file.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team

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On a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server, the dependable way to discover an account’s XUID is to add its gamertag to the allowlist, let that account join once, and copy the server-populated xuid value from allowlist.json. Use that value in the permissions configuration for your server build, then reload permissions after editing the file.

What a XUID is—and why Bedrock permissions use it

XUID means Xbox User ID. Microsoft defines it as a 64-bit unsigned integer that identifies a player account. On Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS), that account identifier is distinct from the name shown in game and from the UUID format used by Minecraft Java Edition.

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A gamertag is readable and can change. A XUID is the account identity the server can use to distinguish players reliably. That is why administrative roles in BDS are normally associated with XUIDs rather than with text names alone. If you enter a stale, mistyped, or unrelated identifier, the intended player may not receive the role—or another account could receive it.

The procedure in this guide applies to a self-hosted Bedrock Dedicated Server on Windows or Ubuntu Linux. It is not a Java Edition procedure, and it does not describe ordinary Bedrock worlds hosted from a console or the in-game client.

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What you need before starting

  • A running Bedrock Dedicated Server installation and access to its server console or command context.
  • The exact Microsoft account and gamertag that should receive access.
  • Permission to edit the server files, including allowlist.json and, where applicable, permissions.json.
  • A recent backup of those JSON files before making manual changes.
  • The BDS how-to documentation shipped for the version you are running, because the permissions-file layout and reload behavior should be verified against that build.

BDS keeps core configuration in files such as server.properties and allowlist.json. The files are normally in the server directory you chose when extracting or installing BDS. A managed Bedrock server host may expose the same files through a control panel instead of a normal filesystem; the identity workflow is still the same, but the panel’s file editor and console labels can differ.

The supported XUID discovery method

  1. Start the Bedrock Dedicated Server

    Launch BDS on Windows or Ubuntu and wait until it has finished starting. Use the server console, not the chat window of an unrelated client world, when entering administrative commands.

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  2. Add the gamertag to the allowlist

    At the server command prompt, enter:

    /allowlist add <GamerTag>

    Replace the angle-bracketed text with the exact gamertag. Microsoft describes this as the easiest way to add a user to the allowlist. If the name contains spaces, enclose it in quotation marks:

    /allowlist add "Gamer Tag"

    Do not add a nickname, an Xbox profile URL, or a Java username. The value must identify the account that will actually connect to this Bedrock server.

  3. Have that account connect once

    Sign in with the same account and join the server. The optional xuid property in an allowlist entry is filled when a player with the matching name connects. A command that merely adds a name does not guarantee that the XUID has already been written; the account must complete a connection attempt.

  4. Open allowlist.json and locate the entry

    After the connection, open allowlist.json in the BDS directory. Find the object whose name matches the gamertag you added. A populated entry commonly contains the player name, a string-valued XUID, and an ignoresPlayerLimit setting. For example, the shape may look like this:

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    [
      {
        "name": "ExamplePlayer",
        "xuid": "2812345678901234",
        "ignoresPlayerLimit": false
      }
    ]

    The number in this sample is illustrative. Copy the complete value generated in your own file, including every digit, and keep it as a string. Do not remove leading zeroes if your file contains them, and do not convert it to a shorter number.

  5. Copy the XUID into the permissions configuration

    Open the permissions file used by your BDS build, usually permissions.json. The BDS how-to describes entries keyed by XUID and roles including operator, member, and visitor. A representative entry has this form:

    [
      {
        "permission": "operator",
        "xuid": "2812345678901234"
      }
    ]

    Use the exact property names, capitalization, and array structure shown in the how-to file for your installed version. The role mapping is build-sensitive, so do not replace a file supplied with a newer or older server release with an example copied from an unrelated version. Keep the XUID paired with the same account name you verified in allowlist.json, even when the permissions file itself stores only the identifier.

  6. Save valid JSON and reload permissions

    Save the file as UTF-8 JSON. A missing comma, an extra comma after the final object, an unmatched brace, or smart quotation marks can make the file unreadable. After an external edit, run the permissions reload command supported by your BDS build. The precise command and availability can vary, so check the server’s built-in help output and the how-to file shipped with that release rather than assuming a command from a different version.

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    If the server was running while you edited the file, confirm that it actually reloaded the new contents. Some builds can rewrite configuration during shutdown or startup; keeping a backup and watching the console for parse or reload errors prevents a working change from being silently replaced.

How the two JSON files work together

allowlist.json identifies who may join

The allowlist is the discovery point because BDS can resolve a gamertag to its account identifier when the matching player connects. Its entry models at least a name and xuid, with ignoresPlayerLimit available for the allowlist behavior documented by the server. The name helps you recognize the account; the XUID is the stable identity value you transfer to the permissions configuration.

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permissions.json assigns the role

The permissions file controls the role associated with an identity. In the documented model, operator grants administrative capability, while member and visitor represent less privileged roles. The exact schema should be treated as version-specific. Do not assume that a permissions object from a scripting example, a Java server, or another BDS release can be pasted unchanged.

Why the name still matters

Even when the permissions entry uses only a XUID, retain the corresponding name in your administrative notes. It gives you a human-readable audit trail and helps detect an accidental mix-up when a player changes their gamertag. If the account name in the allowlist and the XUID came from different accounts, the server may fail to match the player or apply the role to the wrong person.

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Can you use a gamertag instead of a XUID?

Use the gamertag to trigger discovery and allowlist the account, but use the XUID where the permissions file expects an identity key. A name is not a safe substitute for a XUID in a permissions entry unless your particular server build explicitly documents name-based permissions.

The allowlist command is therefore not an alternative identity format; it is the supported way to let BDS resolve the account. Once the player joins, read the server-generated value and use that value in the role assignment.

Making yourself an operator without guessing the identifier

To make your own account an administrator, follow the same sequence rather than searching a third-party lookup service:

  1. Confirm the gamertag shown on the Microsoft account that will join the server.
  2. Run /allowlist add "Your Gamertag", quoting it when it contains spaces.
  3. Join with that exact account and wait for the connection to complete.
  4. Open allowlist.json and copy the XUID from the matching name entry.
  5. Place that XUID in the operator entry format documented for your BDS version.
  6. Save the file, run the supported permissions reload command, disconnect, and reconnect to test the result.

Do not infer that a successful allowlist connection made you an operator. Allowlisting controls admission; the separate permissions configuration controls the role.

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Troubleshooting missing or incorrect XUIDs

The allowlist entry has no xuid field

  • Check that the account which joined is the same account represented by the gamertag in the entry. A similarly named profile does not establish the match.
  • Verify that the player connected to this BDS instance, not to a different server, a local world, or a Java server.
  • Confirm that the command was accepted by the server console and that the allowlist file you opened belongs to the running instance.
  • Stop making repeated manual edits until you have a backup. Let the account connect again, then inspect the file after the connection attempt.

The XUID is present but the player is not an operator

  • Compare every digit in permissions.json with the value in allowlist.json.
  • Check the role spelling and the object structure against the how-to file for the installed BDS version.
  • Validate the JSON syntax and look for a parse error in the server console.
  • Run the version-appropriate permissions reload command after saving. If the build requires a restart instead, follow its documented procedure.
  • Reconnect the player after the reload so you test the new session against the updated permissions.

The wrong person received access

Remove the incorrect permissions entry, reload permissions, and verify the name-to-XUID pairing again. A gamertag typo, a copied digit, or an old entry left in the array can produce an identity mismatch. Keep one authoritative record for each account instead of accumulating duplicate objects.

The file changes disappear after restart

Check whether the server was still running when you edited the file and whether it rewrote the file during shutdown. Make a backup, stop the server cleanly when the build’s instructions require it, edit the copy in the active server directory, and inspect the file after restarting. A control panel may also maintain its own permissions editor; changes made there can overwrite direct filesystem edits.

Manual XUID entry versus gamertag resolution

Method What you do Strength Risk or limitation
Gamertag resolution Add the name with /allowlist add, let the account connect, then copy the generated value. Uses the server’s own account matching and avoids guessing a numeric identifier. Requires the account to connect and depends on an exact name match.
Manual XUID entry Paste a known XUID directly into the permissions file. Useful when administering an account whose identifier is already verified. A single wrong digit or stale record can deny access or target another account; the server cannot validate your intent from the number alone.

For a new administrator, gamertag resolution is the safer starting point. Manual entry is appropriate only after you have independently confirmed that the identifier belongs to the intended account and matches the version-specific file format.

Commands versus JSON editing

Task Command-based approach File-based approach
Add a player to the allowlist /allowlist add <GamerTag>, with quotes around names containing spaces. Edit the allowlist manually only when you understand the schema and need to repair or bulk-manage entries.
Discover the XUID The command starts the process, but the value is written after the matching account connects. Read the resulting xuid from allowlist.json.
Assign an administrative role Use any role command your exact BDS build documents. Edit permissions.json using the build’s documented XUID and role structure.
Apply an external change Use the permissions reload command exposed by the server version. Save valid JSON, then reload or restart as that version requires.

Commands reduce the chance of malformed JSON for operations they support. File editing remains necessary when your build documents role mappings in permissions.json or when you need to audit several entries at once.

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Stable BDS administration versus experimental scripting APIs

The built-in allowlist workflow is the appropriate baseline for discovering a XUID. Microsoft’s scripting documentation labels the minecraft/server-admin allow-list API as experimental and dedicated-server-only. Experimental APIs can change or be removed, so a script written for one server version may stop working after an update.

If you automate administration with scripts, pin the API and BDS versions you support, test on a copy of the server, and keep the command-and-file method available as a recovery path. Do not replace a stable identity workflow with an experimental API merely to avoid opening allowlist.json.

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Self-hosted and managed Bedrock servers

With a self-hosted Windows or Ubuntu server, you normally have direct access to the BDS directory, console, and backups. You can inspect the generated allowlist entry and validate the permissions file with your preferred JSON-aware editor.

A managed host may restrict filesystem access or provide a web console. Look for controls labelled console, allowlist, permissions, or file manager. If the host automatically restarts the server after a file edit, wait for the restart to finish before testing. If it offers only a name-based permission button, use that documented feature; do not paste a XUID into an unrelated field.

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In either environment, the identity rules do not change: the XUID must come from the same account that will connect, and the role assignment must match the server build’s documented schema.

Operational and security practices

  • Use least privilege. Give operator only to accounts that need full administrative control. Use member or visitor for ordinary players when those roles meet the requirement.
  • Back up before editing. Keep dated copies of allowlist.json and permissions.json so you can restore a known-good state.
  • Protect the console. Anyone who can execute server commands or edit these files can change access. Restrict operating-system accounts, panel logins, and remote console credentials.
  • Preserve exact identifiers. Store XUIDs as strings and copy them without formatting, spaces, or rounding.
  • Audit changes. Record the verified gamertag, XUID, role, date, and person who approved the change. This makes a later name change or access review understandable.
  • Test with the real account. A syntactically valid file proves only that the server can parse it. Reconnect the intended player and confirm the effective role.

Important distinctions to remember

XUID is not a Java UUID

Do not copy an identifier from a Java Edition server, a Java player profile, or a Java permissions plugin. Bedrock Dedicated Server uses the Xbox identity identifier described above.

Allowlist access is not operator access

An allowlisted player may be permitted to join without receiving administrative commands. The allowlist and permissions files serve different purposes and must both be configured when you want a player to be an operator.

A name change does not mean a new account

Gamertags are the visible label used during discovery. Keep the XUID tied to the verified account, and update the readable name in your records or allowlist according to the behavior documented by your BDS version.

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Dedicated-server APIs are not universal Bedrock APIs

The experimental administration API is explicitly for dedicated servers. It should not be assumed to work in a standard single-player world, a realm, or every hosted Bedrock environment.

Bottom line

Do not hunt for a Bedrock XUID by guessing or by substituting a Java UUID. Let the dedicated server resolve the identity: add the exact gamertag to the allowlist, have that account connect, copy the generated xuid from allowlist.json, place it in the role entry required by your BDS version, and reload permissions using that build’s documented procedure.

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