How to Find a Server Address in Minecraft

Whether you're trying to join a friend's private world or connect to a popular multiplayer server, knowing how to locate and use a server address is a fundamental Minecraft skill. The process is straightforward once you understand what a server address actually is — and where different types of addresses come from.

What Is a Minecraft Server Address?

A server address (sometimes called an IP address or hostname) is essentially the digital location of a Minecraft multiplayer server. Think of it like a street address for a building — it tells your game exactly where to connect on the internet or your local network.

Server addresses come in two basic formats:

IP address — a string of numbers like 192.168.1.10 or 104.21.45.67
Hostname — a readable domain name like play.hypixel.net or mc.example.com

Both work the same way inside Minecraft. Hostnames are just easier to remember and share.

How to Add and Connect to a Server in Minecraft Java Edition

Open Minecraft and click Multiplayer from the main menu
Click Add Server
Enter a name for the server (this is just for your list — it doesn't affect the connection)
Type or paste the server address into the Server Address field
Click Done, then select the server and click Join Server

If the address is correct and the server is online, you'll connect. If not, you'll see a connection error or a "Can't reach server" message.

How to Find the Address of a Server You Want to Join

Public Minecraft Servers

Public servers publish their addresses openly. The most reliable places to find them:

The server's official website — nearly every public server lists its address on the homepage or a dedicated "How to Join" page
Minecraft server listing sites — directories that aggregate hundreds of servers by category, player count, and game mode
Community forums and Reddit — subreddits dedicated to specific game modes or communities frequently share server addresses
Discord servers — many Minecraft communities post their server IP in a pinned channel

The address is almost always displayed in a copyable format. Just copy it directly and paste it into the Server Address field.

A Friend's Private Server 🖥️

If your friend is running a server, they need to share the address with you. Where they find it depends on how the server is hosted:

Self-hosted (running the server on their own PC):

If you're on the same local network (same Wi-Fi or router), the address is the server machine's local IP — something like 192.168.x.x. Your friend can find this by opening a terminal or command prompt and running ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig / ip a (Mac/Linux) and looking for the IPv4 address.
If you're connecting over the internet, your friend needs to share their public IP address, which they can find by searching "what is my IP" in a browser. They may also need to configure port forwarding on their router for port 25565 (the default Minecraft port).

Hosted on a server platform or hosting provider:

The hosting control panel will display the server's address or hostname. It's usually labeled as "Server IP," "Connection Address," or "Host." Your friend just copies it from there and sends it to you.

Servers You've Previously Visited

Minecraft saves servers you've added to your list. If you're returning to one:

Open Multiplayer — previously added servers appear in your list automatically
The address is stored but not always displayed by default. To view it, click Edit on any listed server and the address will be visible in the Server Address field

Minecraft Bedrock Edition: What's Different

On Bedrock Edition (Windows, console, mobile), the process is slightly different:

Go to Play, then select the Servers tab
Featured servers appear automatically — no address needed
To add a custom server, scroll down and click Add Server, then enter the address and port number

Bedrock servers often use port 19132 instead of Java's default 25565. When someone gives you a Bedrock server address, confirm whether a custom port is also required — it's sometimes provided separately as address:port (for example, play.example.com:19132).

Key Variables That Affect the Connection

Not every server address works the same way for every player. Several factors shape your experience:

Variable	Why It Matters
Java vs. Bedrock	Servers are version-specific; a Java address won't work in Bedrock and vice versa
Port number	Default ports are assumed, but custom ports must be included in the address
Local vs. public IP	Local IPs only work on the same network; public IPs work over the internet
Server version	Your Minecraft client version must match or be compatible with the server's version
Firewall / router settings	Port forwarding and firewall rules affect whether a private server is reachable

When the Address Doesn't Work

A few common reasons a server address fails to connect:

Typo in the address — double-check for misplaced dots, extra spaces, or wrong characters
Server is offline — public servers have downtime; private servers only run when the host has them active
Wrong edition — trying to join a Java server from Bedrock (or vice versa)
Port missing — if the server uses a non-default port, you need to append it: address:port
Version mismatch — your client is running a different Minecraft version than the server expects

The specific fix depends entirely on which of these variables applies to your situation — your edition, your network setup, and how the server itself is configured all play a role in determining the right next step. 🎮