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If you're an avid Minecraft player and want to create your own server to play with friends, you'll need to know how to port forward. Port forwarding is a technique used to allow external devices to access your network and communicate with a specific device or service on your local network. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to port forward your Minecraft server.
The first step is to determine your local IP address. This is the IP address assigned to your computer or device on your local network. You can find your local IP address by using the command prompt on Windows.
Set the Port on Minecraft Configuration
Open the Minecraft server directory and locate the server.properties file:
Windows local Minecraft installation folder in file explorer with server.properties file highlighted
Right-click on it and open the file with a text editor.
Find the server-port line:
server.properties file with server-port highlighted
Here are the default port numbers for Minecraft:
25565 – for Java Edition.
19132-19133 – TCP and UDP ports for Bedrock.
Users can change the port by changing the server-port value to any in the range from 1 to 65535, although we recommend sticking with the default one.
To ensure the server works correctly, you must allow the Minecraft port number via your firewall. In this section, we will go over the process of three operating systems – Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
Windows Defender Firewall desktop app, where users can access the advanced settings of Windows Defender
Click on Inbound Rules and select New Rule.
Windows Defender view with "new rule" option highlighted
Choose Port and click Next.
Rule creation window with the Port option selected
Select TCP, and enter the Minecraft port number. In this case, it’s 25565. Once done, click Next.
Firewall rule applied to TCP and to default Minecraft server port
Select Allow the connection and click the Next button until the final step. Before clicking Finish, give your rule a name, like in this example:
Last step for Windows Firewall rule creation. This will allow incoming traffic to the user's Minecraft server
After you have created the rule, make a new one with the same configuration, just for UDP.
Next, you'll need to log in to your router's settings. This is typically done by entering your router's IP address into a web browser and entering your router's login credentials. If you're not sure how to do this, check your router's manual or contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance.
Once logged in to your router's settings, you must find the port forwarding section. This may be labeled differently depending on your router's make and model. Look for terms like "NAT" or "Virtual Server."
You'll need to set up a new port forwarding rule in the port forwarding section. You'll need to specify the protocol (TCP or UDP), the external port (the port number that will be used to access your server from outside your network), the internal port (the port number your Minecraft server is using), and the IP address of your computer or device running the Minecraft server.
After you've entered all the necessary information, save your settings. Your router will then forward all incoming requests on the external port to your computer or device running the Minecraft server.
Port forwarding can be a complex process, but by following these steps, you'll be able to set up your Minecraft server to accept incoming connections from outside your network. Remember to keep your server and router updated and secure to prevent unauthorized access.
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