Minecraft Realms: create one and invite friends

Realms is Mojang's own paid server: the world stays online when you are offline and your friends join without an address or a port. On Java Edition you create one from the Minecraft Realms button on the title screen and invite friends by name or with an invite code. On Bedrock Edition you create it like a new world and invite from the Members list or with a link.

Every plan is a monthly subscription with three world slots, one playable at a time, and free backups. New subscribers get a one-month free trial that renews automatically unless you cancel it. Prices depend on your country: check them on minecraft.net. Java and Bedrock players cannot join each other's Realms.

1. On the title screen, click Minecraft Realms.
2. Click "Buy a Realm!", or "Get a Trial!" if your account can start the free trial, and finish the purchase with your Microsoft account.
3. Back in the Realms list, click "Click to start your new Realm!" and give it a name.
4. Choose what to put on it: New World (with an optional seed), Upload world to send one of your singleplayer worlds, or a world template. Skip leaves the slot empty for later.
5. Select the Realm and click Play.

A Java Realm always runs the current release. Each subscription also comes with a free Snapshot Realm, separate from your normal one, if you want to test upcoming versions.

1. In the Realms list, select your Realm and click Configure.
2. Open Players and click Invite Player.
3. Type your friend's exact Java Edition name and confirm. "A player with the provided name does not exist" means the name is misspelled.

In 26.3 you can also open Invite Codes, click Create Invite Code and send the code with Copy. Set an Expiration Date from 30 minutes to Never; anyone with an active code can join, so keep the short durations for public chats.

In the Players list, the Operator toggle gives a friend access to commands and Remove takes them off the Realm.

• Invited by name: an icon appears on the Minecraft Realms button. Open it, go to Pending Invites and click Accept. The Realm now shows in your list: select it and click Play.
• With a code: click Minecraft Realms, then Join Code, paste the code and click Join Realm.

Your game must run the same version as the Realm. If the invite icon never shows up, check that Realms News & Invites is on in Options, Online.

1. Click Play, then Create New, and set up the world as usual.
2. Click Create on Realms Server, then choose "Add a 10 player Realm" or "Add a 2 player Realm".
3. Accept the terms and start the trial if it is offered, or subscribe.
4. To invite, click the pencil next to the Realm (Edit Realm), then Members. Add friends from your friends list by gamertag.
5. For players who are not on your friends list, use Invite Links: create a link (up to 5) and click Share link.

Your friends join from the Realm in their worlds list, or with Join Realm and the code from your link. Anyone with an active link becomes a member, so generate a new one when it has been shared too widely.

• Backups: in Java Edition, Configure, World Backups, Download Latest copies the world to your singleplayer worlds.
• Close for maintenance: Temporarily Close Realm locks everyone out without cancelling the subscription.
• New start: Reset World replaces the world in the active slot. Download a backup first.
• Lag: Select Region lets you choose where the server runs, or leave it on automatic.

To play with more friends at once or with mods, run your own server instead: see how to run a Java server and the ways to play multiplayer.

Turning off recurring billing takes effect at your next billing date. When the subscription expires, the Realm closes but your worlds stay available to download for 18 months; subscribe again within that time and the Realm comes back as you left it.