Are some of your friends on a phone (Bedrock) and others on PC (Java)? With Java + Bedrock cross-play both can meet on the same server. The server stays Java; Bedrock players connect through a bridge installed on the server and install nothing on their side.

Why can't the two editions connect directly?

Java and Bedrock are two separate games built by different teams on different technical foundations. They don't even speak the same language over the network. That's why typing a Java server address on a phone finds nothing — it isn't your mistake, the protocols simply differ.

How the bridge works

The bridge is two small system plugins that translate the Bedrock protocol into the Java protocol. A Bedrock client connects as if it were talking to a Bedrock server; the second plugin lets Bedrock players in without needing a separate Java account.

Working together, phone and PC players meet in the same world through the same address. Cross-play does not change how the Java side is verified; that is governed by the Allow unverified logins (offline mode) switch in Settings. It is on by default on newly created servers; you can turn it off and it stays off. Bedrock players are always verified through their Xbox account.

Three requirements

Cross-play is conditional. We'd rather say so up front, because finding out after buying is frustrating:

  • Plugin-family server software — Paper, Purpur, Spigot or CraftBukkit. Because the bridge runs as a plugin it cannot be used on mod loaders (Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge).
  • Minecraft 1.20.5 or newer.
  • At least 4 GB of RAM — the bridge adds load; it can't be enabled on the 2 GB Starter package.

Enabling it from the panel

On a server that qualifies, you switch it on from the Java + Bedrock card in the Settings section. The system installs the bridge at compatible versions and opens the network port; no downloads, version matching or config editing. The server restarts once when you enable it.

If your server doesn't qualify, the panel says so plainly and shows why: with mod-family (or vanilla) software the Java + Bedrock card does not appear at all; if your version is older than 1.20.5 or your package is below 4 GB the card appears but a short note replaces the switch. That avoids the "I turned it on but nothing works" situation.

The bridge updates itself every time your server starts. So when the phone side gets a Minecraft update, your players keep getting in without you doing anything. You can still see the installed bridge version in Settings and update it manually if you want.

How Bedrock players connect

In the Bedrock client they go to Servers → Add Server and enter the server address and the port number. Both values sit side by side in the panel and copy with one click.

Note: this port is not Bedrock's well-known default. Make sure they use exactly what the panel shows; it's by far the most common cause of connection problems.

Java players change nothing; they still connect with just the address, no port required.

There is one more difference: the waiting address works on Java only. With your server off, Java players can connect to the waiting address and have it started; Bedrock players cannot, so for them the server has to be up already. If your group plays mostly from phones, weigh the idle-sleep setting accordingly — detail is in the sleep mode article.

Who can join, and who can't?

Phone and Windows 10/11 (Bedrock) players can join: anyone signed in to a Microsoft/Xbox account in their game can connect. They don't need the Java Edition.

Players not signed into any Microsoft/Xbox account cannot join; the game shows them a "sign in to Xbox" prompt. That's Minecraft's own security rule, not our setting, and it can't be turned off.

Consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch) are not supported. We say that plainly, because Bedrock brings consoles to mind. The supported side is the phone and Windows 10/11 client.

Bedrock players should keep Minecraft up to date; a very old version may fail to connect. Your server's Java version doesn't matter here.

Example: three PCs, three Bedrock devices, one world

Picture a group of six friends: three play Java on PC, two play on phones and one uses the Bedrock edition on Windows 11. They want a survival world that outsiders can't join. The setup goes in this order:

  1. Create a server on the Standard package (4 GB / 2 cores) with Paper and version 1.20.5 or newer. If the server is on the Starter package, resize it first under Resources; your world stays as it is.
  2. On the Java + Bedrock card in Settings, turn on Open to Bedrock players too. If the server is running, it restarts once.
  3. Wait for the card to show Bedrock bridge is active. If it says the bridge is installed and stays there, give it a few minutes and press Check again.
  4. Send the three PC players just the server address; they add it under Multiplayer → Add Server.
  5. Copy the direct address and the port from the card's Connecting from Bedrock box and send both to the phone and Windows players. They type the two values into separate fields under Servers → Add Server.
  6. Have everyone join once. Bedrock players show up in chat with a leading dot, such as .Sam.
  7. Add the Java players from the Whitelist tab in Players, and the Bedrock players from the Console with whitelist add .Sam. Then turn on Whitelist in Settings and restart the server.
  8. Bedrock players can't use the waiting address, so they can't start a sleeping server themselves. Start it from the panel before your play session.

With that in place, all six play in the same world and the same chat. The Bedrock players will notice that the inventory screen and some plugin menus look a little different; the terrain, the builds and the chests are the same for everyone. The joining steps for both editions are covered in detail in joining your server.

Limits and things to know

  • There are small mechanical differences between Java and Bedrock (inventory behaviour, some redstone rules).
  • Bedrock usernames appear on the server with a leading dot (.Ahmet, for example). That's normal bridge behaviour and admin commands use the same name.
  • Some plugins built around heavily customised interfaces (custom menus, complex books, certain visual tricks) may look different on Bedrock or not appear at all.
  • Cross-play does not work on modded servers; mods and the Bedrock bridge cannot be combined on the same server.
  • If your server sleeps for a long time and wakes, the port can rarely change. You'll get a notification if it does; updating the saved server on the phone with the new number is all that's needed.

Whitelisting, opping and banning Bedrock players

The name fields in the panel's Players section accept only letters, digits and underscores, so the leading dot of a Bedrock name can't be typed there. Handle Bedrock players from the Console instead, typing commands without a leading slash.

Once a player has joined the server at least once, the server knows their dotted name and the usual commands work:

whitelist add .Sam
op .Sam
ban .Sam

To whitelist a Bedrock player who has never joined, use the command that belongs to the bridge's Floodgate plugin: fwhitelist add Sam (type the Xbox name as it is, without the dot). Names on the list only take effect while the Whitelist switch in Settings is on; the full picture, including the Java side, is in managing whitelist, OP and bans.

Common problems

  • A Bedrock player can't connect — check the port first. It must match the panel exactly.
  • I can't find the switch — with mod-family (or vanilla) software the card does not appear at all; if your version is older than 1.20.5 or your package is below 4 GB the card appears but a note stands where the switch would be.
  • It worked yesterday, not today — the port may have changed on wake; put the current panel value into their saved server.
  • A "sign in to Xbox" prompt — the player needs to sign in with a free Microsoft/Xbox account.
  • Some commands don't work on Bedrock — the plugin's interface may not be supported there; use a text-based equivalent if one exists.
  • The card says the bridge is installed, but nobody can join — if the server has just started, the bridge can take a few minutes to get ready. Wait a little, then press Check again; Bedrock bridge is active means the port is listening.
  • The phone's server list shows no description or player count — the phone can't reach the server at all. The server may be off or asleep (Bedrock can't use the waiting address), or the address or port was mistyped. Start the server from the panel and enter both values again by copying them.
  • The card says the setting can't be changed right now — the server is in deep sleep. The port on the card is the last known value; once you start the server, the setting unlocks and the current port appears.

Cross-play is the easiest way to widen your player base — nobody has to change device. We cover the topic more broadly in the Java and Bedrock together guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does cross-play cost extra?

No. Cross-play has no extra charge and is included in your package; turning it on doesn't change the server's hourly price. The only condition is a package of at least 4 GB: if you're on Starter, move to Standard or larger under Resources. Cross-play can't be enabled on free-tier servers.

Can I start on my phone and carry on from Windows?

Yes, as long as you sign in with the same Microsoft/Xbox account. The bridge identifies Bedrock players by their Xbox account, and your inventory, position and progress are stored in the server's world under that account. You can switch freely between phone, tablet and Windows 10/11; join with a different account and the server treats you as a new player.

Can I upgrade my server to a new Minecraft version while cross-play is on?

Yes, if the bridge already supports that version. After a new Minecraft release the bridge needs some time to catch up. If you try to move a cross-play server to a version it doesn't support yet, the panel stops the change and tells you the newest version currently supported. You can wait for the bridge to update, or turn cross-play off in Settings and upgrade anyway; in that case Bedrock players can't join until you're able to turn it back on. The preparation steps are in the version upgrade guide.

Why can't my friend on Xbox, PlayStation or Switch join?

Consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch) are not supported. Minecraft on those devices doesn't let you add your own server address to the Servers tab; it only lists the servers the game features. Your friend can join with the same account from a phone, tablet or Windows 10/11 PC that has Minecraft installed.

Do Bedrock players count toward the player limit?

Yes. Every player who comes in through the bridge is an ordinary player to the server: they count toward Max player count in Settings, appear on the Online tab in Players and use memory and CPU like anyone else. If your mixed group is large, size the package for the total head count.