How to play Minecraft cross-platform

Minecraft is one of the most popular sandbox games in the world. This simple yet powerful title allows players to build, explore, and survive in a blocky world. One of the features that has significantly contributed to its popularity is cross-platform play. With this feature, fans can connect and play together regardless of the device they are using.

To do so, you need to first understand what edition of Minecraft you are on because this is a major factor in deciding which cross-play method to use. The game has two main editions: Bedrock and Java.

Bedrock is designed for cross-platform play and is available on consoles, mobile devices, and Windows PCs. In contrast, Java is specific to PC platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and does not natively support cross-platform play with consoles or mobile devices.

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How to play Minecraft cross-platform

The Bedrock Edition allows cross-play (Image via Mojang Studios)

First, confirm that all parties who want to play together have Minecraft: Bedrock Edition installed. This version is commonly available on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Windows 10/11 PCs, and mobile platforms (iOS and Android).

Follow these steps to play cross-platform in Bedrock:

• Create a Microsoft account: Cross-platform play in Bedrock Edition requires a Microsoft account. If you don’t have one, visit the Microsoft website to create a free account. Once you have an account, log in to it using Minecraft.
• Set up a multiplayer world: Open Minecraft and either create a new world or load an existing one. Ensure the world’s multiplayer settings are enabled, allowing other players to join.
• Add friends: Navigate to the "Friends" tab in the game menu. Using your Microsoft account, search for your friends by their Gamertags and send them friend requests.
• Join a game: If you’re hosting the world, invite your friends from the friends list. If you want to join someone else’s game, look for their active world in your "Friends" tab and select it.
• Adjust settings for a better experience: Ensure that all players are using the latest version of Bedrock Edition to avoid compatibility issues. That’s it. You can start playing the game with your friends.

Players using Java Edition cannot connect with Bedrock Edition users. Moreover, some features, such as mods, shaders, and custom resource packs, are only available in Java Edition and are not shared across platforms. With the normal multiplayer, you can play the game with those on other platforms, such as Xbox, PC, PlayStation, iOS, and more.

If you have Java Edition, you need to use third-party tools such as GeyserMC. Here are the steps to download and install it:

Make sure you have:

• A Minecraft Java Edition server (such as Paper, Spigot, or Purpur)
• Java 17 or later
• Access to the server’s file system (to install plugins)
• Internet access to download GeyserMC and optional Floodgate

Step 1: Download required files

• Go to the official website and download the tool. Click here to go to the page.
• Under the “Geyser” section, download the Spigot version (Geyser-Spigot.jar).
• (Optional) If your server runs in offline mode and you want Bedrock players to connect without Xbox login, download Floodgate-Spigot.jar from the same page.

Step 2: Install GeyserMC

• Place the downloaded Geyser-Spigot.jar into your server's plugins folder.
• If using Floodgate, place Floodgate-Spigot.jar in the same plugins folder.

Step 3: Start the server

• Launch or restart your Minecraft Java server.
• Geyser will create a folder named Geyser-Spigot with a config.yml file inside.
• If you installed Floodgate, it will also generate its own configuration folder.

Step 4: Configure Geyser

• Open the config.yml inside the Geyser-Spigot folder.
• Find this section:

bedrock:

address: 0.0.0.0

port: 19132

• This is the port Bedrock players will connect to. You can leave it as is unless it's already in use.
• Ensure the remote section points to your local server if you're using proxies or custom setups. For most standard server setups, you don't need to change it.

Step 5: Configure Floodgate (Optional)

• If you're using Floodgate, Geyser will automatically integrate with it.
• This allows Bedrock players to join without needing a Java Edition account if your server is in offline mode.
• Floodgate will prefix Bedrock usernames with a . or * by default to avoid conflicts.

Step 6: Allow Bedrock Players to Join

• On Bedrock Edition (Windows, iOS, Android, etc.), go to "Add Server" in the multiplayer tab.
• Enter your Java server’s IP.
• Set the port to the Bedrock port specified in Geyser’s config (default is 19132).
• Save and connect.

Things might be a little complicated, but after carefully following each step, you will be able to play the game with other players using Bedrock Edition.