How to Host a Free Minecraft Bedrock Server

Hello Dev, are you looking to host a free Minecraft Bedrock server? This guide will show you step by step how to set up and host your own server without any cost. With a free server, you can invite your friends to join and start playing Minecraft Bedrock together. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Download the Server Software

The first step is to download the server software from the official Minecraft website. You can find the download link here: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server/bedrock/. Once the download is complete, extract the files to a folder on your computer.

Note: You will need a Microsoft account to download and run the Minecraft Bedrock server software.

System Requirements

Before proceeding, make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements to run a Minecraft Bedrock server:

Operating System	Processor	RAM	Storage
Windows 10	Intel Core i3-3210 3.2 GHz / AMD A8-7600 APU 3.1 GHz or equivalent	4 GB	1 GB
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS	Intel Core i3-3210 3.2 GHz / AMD A8-7600 APU 3.1 GHz or equivalent	4 GB	1 GB
macOS	Intel Core i3-3210 3.2 GHz / AMD A8-7600 APU 3.1 GHz or equivalent	4 GB	1 GB

FAQ

Q: Can I run the server on a Raspberry Pi?

A: Yes, you can run the server on a Raspberry Pi 3 or higher. However, performance may be limited.

Q: Can I run the server on a virtual machine?

A: Yes, you can run the server on a virtual machine. However, performance may be limited depending on the resources allocated to the virtual machine.

Q: Can I host a public server?

A: Yes, you can host a public server. However, you may need to configure your router and firewall to allow incoming connections to your server.

Step 2: Configure the Server

After downloading the server software, it’s time to configure the server settings. Open the server.properties file in a text editor and make the following changes:

Server Settings

• server-name: Set the name of your server.
• gamemode: Set the default game mode for the server (survival, creative, adventure).
• difficulty: Set the difficulty level for the server (peaceful, easy, normal, hard).
• max-players: Set the maximum number of players that can join the server.
• spawn-protection: Set the radius of the spawn protection area in blocks.
• view-distance: Set the maximum distance that chunks can be loaded in blocks.

Advanced Settings

• server-port: Set the port number for the server. The default port is 19132.
• server-authoritative-movement: Set to true to enable server authoritative movement, which helps prevent cheating.
• allow-cheats: Set to true to allow cheats to be used on the server.
• texturepack-required: Set to true to require players to use a specific texture pack on the server.
• online-mode: Set to true to require players to have a valid Microsoft account to join the server.

FAQ

Q: Can I use plugins on my server?

A: No, plugins are not supported on Minecraft Bedrock servers. However, you can use behavior packs and resource packs to modify the game.

Q: Can I use custom maps on my server?

A: Yes, you can use custom maps on your server by placing the .mcworld file in the world folder.

Q: How do I whitelist players on my server?

A: Add the player’s Xbox Live Gamertag to the whitelist.json file in the server folder.

Step 3: Start the Server

Once you have configured the server settings, it’s time to start the server. Double-click the start.bat file on Windows or run the start.sh file on Linux/Mac to start the server.

Your server is now up and running! Players can join your server by entering your IP address and port number in the “Add Server” section of the Minecraft Bedrock client.

FAQ

Q: How do I connect to my own server?

A: Open the Minecraft Bedrock client and select “Play”. Click the “Servers” tab and select “Add Server”. Enter your IP address and port number and click “Add Server”.

Q: Can I run the server in the background?

A: Yes, you can run the server in the background by running the start.sh script with the “&” symbol at the end (e.g. ./start.sh &).

Q: How do I stop the server?

A: Type “stop” in the server console or press Ctrl + C on the command line to stop the server.

Conclusion

Hosting a free Minecraft Bedrock server is a great way to play with friends without having to pay for a hosting service. By following this guide, you can easily set up and configure your own server and start playing Minecraft Bedrock together. Have fun!