If you’ve ever wanted to create a Minecraft server, but were put off by file modification or confusing terminology, don’t fret. Creating your own server is a fairly simple endeavor, provided you accurately follow the necessary steps and commands. Admittedly, getting friends to connect with said server is an entirely different process, but we’ll cross that bridge in another article. For now, let’s focus on getting your Minecraft server up and running.
By creating your own Minecraft server, you can alter the game in ways you normally could not. For example, you can assign or deny roles to other players, control how objects spawn, or tweak the in-game physics. If you're a parent, you'll be pleased to know that creating a Minecraft server means you control who your children play with online—it's a form of parental control.
There are a few ways to create a Minecraft server, but there are two major avenues. You can pay a virtual private server (VPS) provider to host your Minecraft server, or you can host the server on your own computer. Both require a modicum of technical know-how, but the VPS route is generally much easier. Many web hosting services offer dedicated Minecraft-focused hosting that streamlines the entire process. This is a solid option if you don’t mind paying for the service. What’s more, many web hosts offer customer support, so if you are hesitant about setting up a server by yourself, the additional help will set your mind at ease.
There are strengths and challenges with both approaches. When hosting your own Minecraft server, you save money by not paying a web hosting service, and you have complete server control—assuming you know what you’re doing. However, the quality of your home internet connection directly impacts how other people connect with your server. A poor connection can result in a lag-filled gameplay experience. Other apps running on your PC can affect your hosting capabilities, too. To top it all off, you must figure out and resolve any issues that crop up with your server.
Sure, there is a wealth of online resources, but if you aren’t particularly tech savvy, this can result in a lot of work. A web hosting service removes most of the set up and work required to manage a server, but radically ups the cost. We'll touch on that in a bit. If you're interested in creating a Minecraft server, we'll walk you through what you need to know. But first, let's do some prep work.
What Do You Need to Set Up a Minecraft Server?
You need an internet connection, first and foremost. Besides that, consider whether you want to host via a web hosting service or your PC. If using a web host, you simply need the cash to purchase and maintain the servers for the task. If you’re hosting on your own PC, you need Minecraft Java Edition and command line knowledge.
How Difficult Is It to Set Up a Minecraft Server?
Not difficult at all! The challenge comes from fiddling with services or tasks you aren’t familiar with, which can be daunting at a glance. Fortunately, our how-to guide uses Hostinger’s Minecraft game servers as an example. It also contains a step-by-step guide for creating a Minecraft server on your PC.
How Long Does It Take to Set Up a Minecraft Server?
This depends on your own familiarity with web hosting services, or file and command editing on a PC. With web hosting services, payment and server activation can take up to a day. Sometimes it can take as little as an hour. Likewise, you can have a server running on your PC as soon as you download Minecraft Java Edition, if you know how to set things up on your end. Regardless, expect to take an evening to set things up if you’re doing this for the first time.
How to Make a Minecraft Server Using Hostinger
You can leverage nearly any web hosting plan to create a Minecraft server, but there are web hosts that offer plans with software explicitly designed for that purpose. Amazon Web Services, Apex, and PebbleHost are a few examples. One outstanding service is the Lithuania-based Hostinger, a company that offers streamlined and simplified Minecraft server hosting. It also supports software mods, such as CraftBukkit and Spigot, and full root access so you you install as many modpack JAR files as you like.
Your server requirements vary depending on your Minecraft world size, the number of players that'll connect to your server, and whether you want to install mods. ??The most important thing to consider is RAM and virtual CPU allocation. Your server quality and number of players hinge on the server's memory. 2-4GB of RAM should be able to support up to 10 players in a small world, but higher traffic or larger environments may introduce lag. Virtual CPU allocation affects gameplay, so the more CPUs (or higher quality CPUs) powering your server, the better.
A basic plan should suffice if you just want to play with a handful of friends. However, if you’re hoping to grow a community, you must invest money into a high-end hosting subscription. Naturally, you’ll pay more out of pocket if you purchase a larger plan, but Hostinger lets you upgrade from a lower-scale server to a higher service tier without too much fuss. If you’re just starting out, it may be safer to start with a smaller plan and scale up later as your needs grow.
Let’s take a look at Hostinger’s most economical plan, Game Panel 1. This plan lets you choose the Minecraft version you want to run, including the latest edition. These versions include the Official Java version and the highly customizable Spigot version. Game Panel 1 offers 4GB of RAM with full root access for $13.99 per month. Note that introductory rates for first-time signups have considerably lower prices. Likewise, purchasing an annual plan significantly drops the cost.
Ready to create a Minecraft server using Hostinger? Let's go!
1. Choose a Hostinger Minecraft Server Plan
Select a plan suitable for the RAM totals needed to properly run Minecraft. If you aren’t sure what you need, check out the handy Minecraft Wiki for recommendations.
2. Set Up Your Minecraft Server
If you purchase a server through Hostinger, log into your account to begin the setup process. Click the Setup button and follow the provided instructions, which include creating a server name and root password. Also, be sure to select a server location closest to where you and your friends reside. Once completed, your Minecraft server is accessible from the VPS Menu of your account homepage. You can also view additional information from here, such as IP address, operating system, panel access, resource usage, and SSH login credentials.
3. Configure Your Minecraft Server
With Hostinger, all Minecraft plans come with a Game Panel to easily run and manage games. Run your server by selecting Start in the VPS Management section, then selecting Panel Access. Click on Login URL and enter your login credentials.
Once you’re in the Game Panel, click the Create Instance icon. Click Select Application and choose the Minecraft Edition you wish to play with (Minecraft Java Edition is the standard PC version). After the server setup process is complete, click Start Instance and wait until the instance appears on the main menu. Once it does, click it and select Manage to begin the configuration process. Select Start, accept the Minecraft EULA, and then hit Start again. This launches the server. You can connect to it via the Endpoint information, which you can view in the Manage section.
That's it! Enjoy your new, server-hosted Minecraft world, and share the IP address with friends so you can play together.
How to Host a Minecraft Server on Your PC
The process is a bit more involved if you wish to take a more hands-on approach and host a Minecraft server on your own PC. You can create a Minecraft server with a PC running either the Linux or Mac operating system, and the process is generally the same. However, we'll walk you through creating a Minecraft server on a Windows PC.
There are a few key pieces of software you need to get started if you want to host the Minecraft server on your PC. Firstly, you need Minecraft Java Edition. You cannot host your own custom server if you own any other version of Minecraft, be it the console or Windows 10 editions. If you have Minecraft Java, then you must install Java (or update to the latest version).
- Head over to the Java Devkit page, or click https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/javase-jdk8-downloads.html and search for Windows x64 Installer.
- Click the download link, accept the terms of service, and run the file when it finishes downloading.
This opens an installation wizard. Follow the installation process and close the window when you're done.
The Java Edition is essential for setting up a Minecraft Server on PC.
1. Create a Folder, Download the JAR File
Once you've gotten Minecraft Java and the latest version of Java, you can get started on that server. For simplicity’s sake, you should create a folder for all your files.
- Right-click your desktop, scroll down to New, and select Folder.
- Give this folder a name of your choosing. For this example, lets simply name it Server.
Now, you must grab additional key files, including the server JAR file. Fortunately Mojang Studios, Minecraft's developer, hosts the files.
- Head to the official site, https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download.
- Scroll down to the Server Software section, and look for the Java Edition Server link.
- Click it, and you’ll be taken to the download page for the latest version (currently JAR 1.21).
- Click the file link to begin the download process.
- Your browser may state that this file may be harmful to your computer, or something to that effect. You're downloading the file directly from the Mojang’s official site, so you don’t need to stress this. Click the Keep option.
- Once the file has finished downloading, which should not take long at all, drag it into the Server folder.
Open the Server folder; you should see the server.jar file inside. Technically, you could simply click the file, and let it create all the extra files you need. Don't do that. Instead, you're going to create a batch file, a script that launches the server for us. There's a reason for this: You'll want to specify commands as needed, and spot errors via the command window. Writing a batch file lets you do that. This isn't nearly as daunting as it sounds. In fact, the instructions to do this are on the server.jar download page.
2. Create a Batch File
- Right-click the open Server folder. Select New, and then Text Document.
- Give it a name. In this example, let's use "Startup."
- Right-click Startup, and select Edit. A notepad window should open. Here, you'll write the batch script. On the Minecraft download page, the suggested command is as follows: java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.19.3.jar nogui
This command tells Java to initialize 1024 megabytes of memory minimum/maximum to the Minecraft server.jar file. The nogui argument at the end prevents the Minecraft graphical user interface from popping up. This GUI eats up additional resources, and since you’ll be using the console window, it’s not really needed. However, as Mojang says on the download/server page, if you want to start the server with its default GUI, you can exclude the nogui argument.
It's also worth noting that if you wish to initialize the server with more memory, you can bump the min/max to 2048 or any multiple of 1024. 2048 is ideal, in which case the command should appear as follows: java -Xmx2048M -Xms2048M -jar minecraft_server.1.19.3.jar nogui
- Once you write, or copy and paste, this script in the text document, hit Enter, and type "pause." This suspends the processing of the batch file and keeps your command window open so you can keep an eye out for any errors. Your code should look something like this:
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.21.jar nogui
pause
- Save your changes, and close the file.
- Click the name of this text file, and rename the extension. You want a batch file, not a text file, so change the txt portion of the file to bat.
- Hit Enter, and Windows will warn you that editing the extensions may make the file unusable. Don't worry about this; simply click Yes.
Congratulations! You’ve written your own batch file and created a handy icon to launch your Minecraft server. Let’s test it out!
3. Edit the EULA and Connect
- Double-click the startup.bat file, or whatever you choose to call it, to see what happens. Assuming everything is up to date and you entered everything correctly, you'll see additional files in the server folder, such as the EULA, logs, and server properties. Close out of the command window.
- Right-click on the EULA and select Edit. To proceed, you must agree to the EULA, which means changing the false portion of the last line to true. Once you have done so, save and close the text document.
- Rerun the batch file. Windows' firewall will try to keep you safe by blocking access to your network. Network access is needed, so you can ignore the warning and click Allow Access.
- Your command window should show the server being prepared. It can take some time, but the command windows will notify you when it is done. When it is, you should be able to connect to the server.
- Launch Minecraft Java Edition.
- Click the Multiplayer tab, and then the Add Server option.
- Key in the hosting computer's IP address or simply type "localhost" in the server address bar.
You're connected! If you wish to play with friends or others online, you need to give them the Minecraft server's IP address. This comes with risks, naturally, so if you’re a cautious parent creating a cool virtual playground for your kids, you may want to stop here. That said, if your intent is to foster a community, you can port forward your router so people who are outside your local network can connect with the server. In any case, your Minecraft server should be up and running, so get in there and have fun!