1. System Requirements#

• OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64‑bit)
• RAM: At least 4 GB total (Bedrock is lighter than Java)
• Storage: Minimum 5 GB free space
• Network: Stable internet connection
• Microsoft Account: Required for authentication

2. Software You’ll Need#

• Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server (official)
• Text editor (Notepad++ or VS Code recommended)
• Optional: Port forwarding tools (for online play)

Note: Bedrock servers do NOT require Java – that’s the biggest difference from Java Edition!

Option A: Official Bedrock Dedicated Server (Recommended)#

1. Visit the official download page
   https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server/bedrock

2. Choose the Windows version

   • Look for “Bedrock Dedicated Server for Windows”
   • Click the “Download” button – you’ll get a .zip file

3. Extract the files

   • Create a folder on D: or E: drive, e.g., D:\MC_Bedrock_Server
   • Right‑click the .zip → Extract Here
   • Copy all files into D:\MC_Bedrock_Server

4. File structure – after extraction, you should see:

   1
   D:\MC_Bedrock_Server\
   2
   ├── bedrock_server.exe          # Main executable
   3
   ├── bedrock_server_how_to.html  # Instructions
   4
   ├── permissions.json            # Permission config
   5
   ├── server.properties           # Server config
   6
   ├── whitelist.json              # Whitelist
   7
   ├── worlds\                     # World folder
   8
   └── ... other files
   

Option B: Third‑Party Server Software (More Features)#

If you want plugins or extra features, try these:

Popular alternatives:

• PocketMine‑MP: https://pmmp.io/ (plugin‑supported)
• Nukkit: https://cloudburstmc.org/ (Java‑based, cross‑platform)
• LeviLamina: https://lamina.levimc.org/ (lightweight)

For beginners: Start with the official server – it’s the simplest and most stable.

1. Direct Launch (Easiest)#

1. Navigate to D:\MC_Bedrock_Server
2. Double‑click bedrock_server.exe
3. A command prompt window will open
4. Wait until you see something like:

   1
   Server started.
   2
   IPv4 supported, port: 19132
   3
   IPv6 supported, port: 19133
   

5. Your server is running!

Note: The first launch generates a default world – this may take a minute or two.

2. Create a Startup Script (Recommended)#

For easier management, create a start.bat file:

1. In the server folder, right‑click → New → Text Document
2. Rename it to start.bat
3. Right‑click and edit with Notepad, paste this:

1
@echo off
2
title Minecraft Bedrock Server
3
echo Starting Minecraft Bedrock server...
4
echo.
5
bedrock_server.exe
6
pause

4. Save it – from now on, just double‑click start.bat to launch.

3. Firewall Configuration#

On first launch, Windows Firewall may pop up:

1. You’ll see a “Windows Security Alert” window
2. Check both “Private” and “Public” networks
3. Click “Allow access”

If you missed the popup, set it manually:

1. Control Panel → Windows Defender Firewall → Advanced Settings
2. Inbound Rules → New Rule
3. Port → UDP → Specific local ports: 19132,19133
4. Allow the connection
5. Name the rule (e.g., “Minecraft Bedrock Server”) and save

Important: Bedrock uses UDP protocol, not TCP!

1. Edit server.properties#

Shut down the server (press Ctrl + C in the command window), then open server.properties with Notepad.

Here are the key settings and what they do:

1
# ===== Basic Settings =====
2

3
# Server name (shown in the server list)
4
server-name=Minecraft Bedrock Server
5

6
# Game mode: survival, creative, adventure
7
gamemode=survival
8

9
# Difficulty: peaceful, easy, normal, hard
10
difficulty=normal
11

12
# Allow cheats (commands)
13
allow-cheats=false
14

15
# Maximum number of players
16
max-players=10
17

18
# Server port (UDP)
19
server-port=19132
20

21
# IPv6 port
22
server-portv6=19133
23

24
# Online mode (premium authentication)
25
online-mode=true
26

27
# Enable whitelist
28
white-list=false
29

30
# Allow player damage
31
player-damage=true
32

33
# Drop items on death
34
drop-items-on-death=true
35

36
# ===== World Settings =====
37

38
# World name
39
level-name=Bedrock level
40

41
# World seed (leave blank for random)
42
level-seed=
43

44
# World type: default, flat, legacy
45
level-type=default
46

47
# Default permission level: member, operator, visitor
48
default-player-permission-level=member
49

50
# Generate structures (villages, fortresses, etc.)
51
generate-structures=true
52

53
# Bonus chest at spawn
54
bonus-chest-enabled=false
55

56
# Spawn protection radius (blocks)
57
spawn-protection=16
58

59
# ===== Performance Settings =====
60

61
# View distance (in chunks)
62
tick-distance=4
63

64
# Max threads (0 = auto)
65
max-threads=8
66

67
# Enable education features
68
education-feature-enabled=false
69

70
# ===== Other Settings =====
71

72
# MOTD (message of the day)
73
motd=A Minecraft Bedrock Server
74

75
# Emit server telemetry
76
emit-server-telemetry=true
77

78
# Content log file
79
content-log-file-enabled=false
80

81
# Compression threshold
82
compression-threshold=1
83

84
# Allow flight
85
allow-flight=false
86

87
# Client-side chunk generation
88
client-side-chunk-generation-enabled=true
89

90
# Encryption
91
encryption-enabled=true
92

93
# Texture pack required
94
texturepack-required=false
95

96
# Server authoritative movement
97
server-authoritative-movement=server-auth
98

99
# Correct player movement
100
correct-player-movement=true
101

102
# Server authoritative block breaking
103
server-authoritative-block-breaking=true

2. Important Settings Explained#

1
gamemode=survival    # Survival (recommended)
2
gamemode=creative    # Creative
3
gamemode=adventure   # Adventure (can't break blocks)

1
# Max players (adjust based on your upload speed)
2
# LAN: 10‑20
3
# Online: 5‑10 (depends on upload bandwidth)
4
max-players=10
5

6
# Default permission level
7
# member = regular player
8
# operator = admin (can use commands)
9
# visitor = spectator only
10
default-player-permission-level=member

1
# true = only Microsoft‑authenticated accounts (recommended)
2
# false = offline accounts allowed (not recommended – security risk)
3
online-mode=true

1
# Custom seed – find nice ones online
2
level-seed=-1234567890
3

4
# Superflat world (great for creative building)
5
level-type=flat
6

7
# View distance (affects performance)
8
# Low‑end PC: 2‑3
9
# Mid‑range: 4‑6
10
# High‑end: 8‑12
11
tick-distance=4

1
# Allow flight in survival mode
2
# Creative mode always allows flight
3
allow-flight=false

3. Save and Restart#

1. Save server.properties (Ctrl + S)
2. Restart the server (double‑click start.bat or bedrock_server.exe)
3. New settings take effect

Local Connection (Same PC)#

1. Open Minecraft Bedrock client
2. Click Play → Servers
3. Scroll to the bottom and click Add Server
4. Fill in:
   • Server Name: Anything, e.g., “My Server”
   • Server Address: localhost or 127.0.0.1
   • Port: 19132 (if unchanged)
5. Click Save
6. Click the server name to join

LAN Connection (Same WiFi)#

Bedrock makes LAN discovery super easy!

Online Connection (Let Friends Join from the Internet)#

Common Console Commands#

In the server command window, type commands directly:

1
# Show help
2
help
3

4
# Stop the server
5
stop
6

7
# Save the world
8
save hold      # Pause auto‑save
9
save resume    # Resume auto‑save
10
save query     # Check save status
11

12
# Grant OP (admin) privileges
13
op PlayerName
14

15
# Remove OP
16
deop PlayerName
17

18
# Ban a player
19
ban PlayerName
20

21
# Unban a player
22
pardon PlayerName
23

24
# List online players
25
list
26

27
# Change game mode (in‑game or console)
28
gamemode survival PlayerName
29
gamemode creative PlayerName
30
gamemode adventure PlayerName
31

32
# Teleport
33
tp Player1 Player2
34
tp PlayerName x y z
35

36
# Broadcast a message
37
say Hello everyone, welcome to the server!
38

39
# Set world spawn
40
setworldspawn
41
setworldspawn x y z
42

43
# List all game rules
44
gamerule
45

46
# Keep inventory on death
47
gamerule keepinventory true
48

49
# Set time
50
time set day
51
time set night
52
time set noon
53

54
# Set weather
55
weather clear
56
weather rain
57
weather thunder
58

59
# Change difficulty
60
difficulty peaceful
61
difficulty easy
62
difficulty normal
63
difficulty hard
64

65
# Kick a player
66
kick PlayerName
67

68
# Check server performance
69
tickingarea list

Managing Player Permissions#

1
# In console:
2
op Steve
3

4
# In‑game (if already OP):
5
/op Steve

1
# Enable whitelist
2
whitelist on
3

4
# Add players (use Xbox Gamertag or Microsoft account name)
5
whitelist add Steve
6
whitelist add Alex
7

8
# Remove a player
9
whitelist remove Steve
10

11
# List whitelisted players
12
whitelist list
13

14
# Reload the whitelist
15
whitelist reload

1
white-list=true

1
[
2
  {
3
    "permission": "operator",
4
    "xuid": "1234567890123456"
5
  },
6
  {
7
    "permission": "member",
8
    "xuid": "9876543210987654"
9
  }
10
]

Backing Up World Data#

Regular backups are essential!

1
@echo off
2
set backup_folder=D:\MC_Bedrock_Backup
3
set server_folder=D:\MC_Bedrock_Server
4
set date_str=%date:~0,4%%date:~5,2%%date:~8,2%_%time:~0,2%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,2%
5
set date_str=%date_str: =0%
6

7
if not exist "%backup_folder%" mkdir "%backup_folder%"
8

9
echo Backing up Bedrock server...
10
xcopy "%server_folder%\worlds" "%backup_folder%\worlds_%date_str%" /E /I /Y
11

12
echo Backup complete!
13
pause

Windows 10/11 PC#

• Buy Minecraft for Windows from the Microsoft Store
• Log in with a Microsoft account
• Fully compatible with mobile versions

Mobile / Tablet (iOS / Android)#

• Download from App Store or Google Play
• Paid purchase required (~$6.99‑$7.99)
• Touch‑optimised interface
• Fully cross‑plays with PC

Xbox One / Series#

• Requires Xbox Live Gold (for online play)
• Controller‑based
• Full cross‑platform support

Nintendo Switch#

• Requires Nintendo Switch Online membership
• Portable mode works too
• Slightly lower performance than other platforms

PlayStation 4 / 5#

• Requires PlayStation Plus membership
• Supports cross‑play (requires linking Sony account to Microsoft account)

Tip: All players need a Microsoft account for cross‑platform play.

1. server.properties Optimisation#

1
# Lower view distance (biggest impact)
2
tick-distance=4
3

4
# Limit max players
5
max-players=10
6

7
# Adjust threads (based on CPU cores)
8
max-threads=4
9

10
# Disable unnecessary features
11
education-feature-enabled=false
12
content-log-file-enabled=false

2. System Optimisation#

Close background apps:

• Browsers, video software, etc. – they steal CPU and RAM

Set process priority:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
2. Find bedrock_server.exe
3. Right‑click → Go to Details
4. Right‑click the process → Set Priority → High

Power plan:

• Control Panel → Power Options
• Select “High Performance”

3. Network Optimisation#

Check upload speed:

• Test at https://speedtest.net
• Bedrock requires ~0.1‑0.5 Mbps per player
• 10 players = at least 5‑10 Mbps upload

Use a wired connection:

• Ethernet is better than WiFi – less lag and packet loss

Port forwarding best practices:

• Only open necessary ports (19132 UDP)
• Don’t open extra ports on your firewall

1. Server Won’t Start#

Symptom: bedrock_server.exe opens and closes instantly.

Fixes:

• Check if antivirus is blocking it – add folder to whitelist
• Ensure no other server instance is running
• Check if the port is already in use
• Run as Administrator

2. Friends Can’t Connect#

Symptom: “Can’t connect to world” or “Connection timed out”.

Fixes:

• Is the server actually running?
• Double‑check IP address and port
• Confirm firewall allows UDP ports 19132‑19133
• LAN: make sure everyone is on the same WiFi
• Online: check port forwarding (UDP!)

Test connectivity:

1
# On friend's PC
2
ping your.ip.address
3

4
# Test port (requires telnet)
5
telnet your.ip.address 19132

3. LAN Auto‑Discovery Not Working#

Symptom: Server doesn’t show up on mobile devices.

Fixes:

• Ensure all devices are on the same WiFi network
• Check if router has AP isolation enabled (turn it off)
• Try manually adding the server (use IP)
• Restart router and all devices
• Make sure everyone is logged into Microsoft accounts

4. Server is Laggy / High Ping#

Symptom: Low TPS, players experience delays.

Fixes:

• Lower tick-distance (view distance)
• Reduce max-players
• Disable redstone machines near spawn
• Clear excess entities (animals, monsters, items)
• Check upload bandwidth
• Use a wired network connection

Clear entities command:

1
# Remove all dropped items
2
kill @e[type=item]
3

4
# Remove experience orbs
5
kill @e[type=xp_orb]
6

7
# Remove entities within a radius (except players)
8
kill @e[r=50,type=!player]

5. Authentication Issues#

Symptom: Friends get “Failed to authenticate” errors.

Fixes:

• Ensure all players own a legitimate copy of Minecraft
• Make sure everyone is logged into Microsoft accounts
• If everyone uses offline/cracked launchers, set online-mode=false
• Warning: Offline mode is insecure – anyone can join with any name

6. Port Already in Use#

Symptom: Error says port is already occupied.

Fixes:

• Change server-port in server.properties to another value (e.g., 19134)
• Or find and kill the process using the port:

  1
  netstat -ano | findstr :19132
  2
  taskkill /PID process_id /F
  

7. World Corruption#

Symptom: Server fails to load the world.

Fixes:

• Restore from a backup
• Delete the corrupted world and generate a new one
• Use third‑party repair tools (e.g., Universal Minecraft Editor)

8. Xbox Live Connectivity#

Symptom: Error about Xbox Live service being unavailable.

Fixes:

• Check Xbox Live status: https://support.xbox.com/
• Ensure all players are signed into Microsoft accounts
• Restart the game and server
• Check network connection