The fastest way to join a friend's world
The simplest way to play together in Minecraft on PC is through Realms, which is a subscription service that lets you and up to two friends play in the same world without setting up a server. You pay a monthly fee (around $8 USD, though this varies by region), and your friend creates a Realm, invites you through the game, and you join from your friends list. The world stays online even when nobody is playing, and Minecraft handles all the technical setup for you.
If you want to play without paying, you can join a friend's world directly if they're running it on their PC and you're on the same local network, or you can use a free third-party server hosting service. The trade-off is that someone has to keep their game running for others to play, or you both need to set up a server address and port forwarding on your router.
Key Takeaways
- Realms is the official paid option and requires only an invitation from your friend — no setup needed on your end.
- You can join a friend's world for free if you're both on the same WiFi network and they open their world to LAN (Local Area Network).
- Third-party server hosts like Aternos or Minehut let you run a free server that stays online, though they have limits on player count and world size.
- If you use port forwarding to connect over the internet without Realms, your friend's PC must stay on and running Minecraft the whole time you play.
Joining through Realms (the easiest paid option)
Your friend needs to own a Realms subscription first. They go to the Minecraft Launcher, click "Singleplayer," select their world, click "Edit World," then "Open to Realms." From there they can invite you by typing your Minecraft username. You'll get a notification in the game, and the Realm will show up in your "Friends" tab on the main menu — just click it to join.
Realms works on Windows 10, Windows 11, and the Java Edition of Minecraft on PC. Make sure you and your friend are both using the same edition (Java or Bedrock), because they don't connect to each other. You can check which version you own by looking at the launcher — Java Edition says "Minecraft: Java Edition" and Bedrock says "Minecraft for Windows" or just "Minecraft."
The subscription renews monthly, and your friend can cancel anytime. If they stop paying, the world goes offline but isn't deleted — they can restart the subscription later and pick up where you left off.
Joining a friend's world on the same WiFi (free, no setup)
If you're both at home on the same network, your friend can open their world to LAN without any subscription. They load a world in Singleplayer, press Escape, click "Open to LAN," choose a game mode, and click "Start LAN World." A message appears on their screen saying the world is open — they can tell you the port number if you need it, but usually you'll just see their world pop up in your multiplayer menu automatically.
On your end, go to Multiplayer, click "Direct Connection," and you should see their world listed. Click it and join. This only works if you're on the same WiFi — if one of you is on mobile data or a different network, it won't show up. This method is free and works in both Java and Bedrock editions, but only while your friend's game is running.
Using a free server host (Aternos or Minehut)
Services like Aternos and Minehut let you run a server for free that stays online even when you're not playing. You create an account, start a new server, and get a server address (something like "play.aternos.org"). You give this address to your friend, and they go to Multiplayer, click "Add Server," paste the address, and join.
Aternos is Java-only and has a 20-player limit. The server shuts down after 30 minutes of nobody playing, but you can restart it from the website anytime. Minehut supports both Java and Bedrock and lets you invite up to 10 friends on the free plan. Both services are ad-supported and may have slower performance than paid hosting, but they cost nothing.
The catch is that these services can be unreliable during peak hours, and they may reset your world or delete it if you don't log in for a long time (Aternos deletes inactive servers after 60 days). Read their terms before building something you care about.
Connecting over the internet without Realms (port forwarding)
If your friend wants to host their world without paying for Realms or a server, they can use port forwarding to let you connect from anywhere. This is more technical and requires access to your friend's router settings. Your friend goes to their router's admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 in a browser), finds the port forwarding section, and forwards an unused port (like 25566) to their PC's local IP address on port 25565.
Then your friend starts a world in Singleplayer, presses Escape, clicks "Open to LAN," and notes the port number shown. You connect by going to Multiplayer, clicking "Direct Connection," and entering your friend's public IP address followed by a colon and the port number (like 203.0.113.45:25566). Your friend's PC must stay on and running Minecraft the whole time you play, and their internet connection must be stable.
This method is free but risky — opening a port can expose your friend's network to attacks if not done carefully. Most people find Realms or a free server host safer and easier, even if it means a small monthly cost or occasional downtime.
Troubleshooting common connection problems
If you can't see your friend's world in the multiplayer menu, make sure you're both on the same WiFi network and their game is actually open to LAN. Ask them to check that "Open to LAN" is still active — if they pause the game or close it, the world closes automatically. If you're trying to use a server address, copy and paste it exactly, including any numbers or dots, because even a small typo will block the connection.
If you get a "Connection refused" or "Connection timed out" error, your friend's server may be offline or the address may be wrong. For Realms, make sure you're both logged into the same Microsoft account region — if one of you is in a different country, there can be connection issues. For free server hosts, check their website to see if the server is running; Aternos servers shut down after 30 minutes of inactivity, so your friend may need to restart it from the website.
If the game lags or keeps disconnecting, the problem is usually your internet speed or your friend's upload speed. Minecraft multiplayer doesn't need much bandwidth, but a very slow connection or WiFi interference can cause stuttering. Moving closer to the router or using a wired connection instead of WiFi often helps.
Comparing your options at a glance
| Method | Cost | Setup | Max Players | World Stays Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Realms | ~$8/month | Invitation only | 3 | Yes |
| LAN (same WiFi) | Free | Click "Open to LAN" | Unlimited | No |
| Aternos | Free | Create account, start server | 20 | Yes (restarts after 30 min idle) |
| Minehut | Free | Create account, start server | 10 | Yes |
| Port Forwarding | Free | Router config, technical | Unlimited | No (PC must stay on) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play with friends if we're using different editions of Minecraft?
No. Java Edition and Bedrock Edition (Windows 10/11) cannot connect to each other. You and your friend both need to own the same edition. Check your launcher to see which one you have — Java Edition has a separate launcher icon and says "Minecraft: Java Edition."
What if my friend doesn't want to pay for Realms?
Use Aternos or Minehut, both free server hosts. Aternos is simpler but Java-only; Minehut supports both editions. Both have limits on player count and may have performance issues during busy times, but they cost nothing and the world stays online.
Do I need to download anything to join a friend's world?
No. You only need Minecraft itself. If your friend is using mods or custom resource packs, you may need to download those separately, but the base game requires no extra software to join multiplayer.
Why does my friend's world go offline when they close the game?
Because they're hosting it on their PC. When their game closes, the server stops. Realms and free server hosts keep the world online even when nobody is playing — that's the main reason people use them instead of hosting from home.
Is it safe to use port forwarding to let friends join?
It can be, but it requires careful router configuration. If done wrong, it can expose your friend's network to attacks. Realms and free server hosts are safer because they handle the networking for you. If your friend is not comfortable with routers, stick to those options.