How to join a Minecraft server on PS4 and PS5

On PlayStation, Minecraft has no field to type in a server address. The Servers tab only shows the partner servers. To go anywhere else, you need a friend account, the console's DNS, or an app on your phone. All three work on PS4 and PS5.

Before you start

• PlayStation Plus must be active. Sony requires it for all online play, and the cheapest tier (Essential) is enough.
• You must be signed in to a Microsoft account in Minecraft. Without it, there's no multiplayer and the Friends tab stays empty.

1. Add the server's account as a friend

This is the easiest method when the server offers it. The server has an account that hosts a game all the time: you add it as a friend, join its game, and land straight on the server.

Watch out for the trap: it's not a PlayStation friend. Minecraft friends are the ones on your Microsoft account. Don't look for the account in the PS5's Friends menu, you won't find anything.

Example with Linesia, whose account is called JoinLinesia:

1. In Minecraft, go to Play, then the Friends tab.
2. Choose Add Friend and search for JoinLinesia.
3. Add it, then stay in the Friends tab.
4. Its game appears in the list. Join it.

If nothing shows up, wait a minute and reopen the tab. You can also add the friend from the Xbox app on your phone, with the same Microsoft account.

2. Change the console's DNS

This method works for every server. It uses BedrockConnect, a free community tool that replaces the partner server list with a menu where you can type an address.

On PS5:

1. Settings, then Network, Settings and Set Up Internet Connection.
2. Select your network, press the Options button and choose Advanced Settings.
3. DNS Settings: Manual.
4. Primary DNS: 45.55.68.52 (or 104.238.130.180 if the first one doesn't answer). Secondary DNS: 8.8.8.8.
5. Confirm, then open Minecraft.

On PS4:

1. Settings, then Network and Set Up Internet Connection.
2. Choose Use Wi-Fi or Use a LAN Cable, then Custom.
3. Leave everything on automatic until DNS Settings, and choose Manual.
4. Enter the same addresses as on PS5, then leave the rest as default.

Then, in Minecraft: Servers tab, pick a partner server (The Hive, for example). A BedrockConnect menu opens instead. Add your server with its address and port, and join it.

When you don't need it anymore, set the DNS back to automatic. And if BedrockConnect is down, this method stops working until it's back.

3. Use an app on your phone

BedrockTogether (Android and iPhone) makes the server show up as a local game on your Wi-Fi. You type the address in the app, hit start, and the game appears in Minecraft's Friends tab on the PlayStation.

The console and the phone must be on the same network, and the app has to stay open while you connect.

Not working?

• "Outdated client": update Minecraft. On PS5, select the game, press Options, then Check for Update.
• A message saying your Microsoft account blocks multiplayer: that's a privacy setting, often on a child account. We explain how to change it in our guide to connection errors.
• The friend's game doesn't show up: check that you're signed in to your Microsoft account in Minecraft, not just to PSN.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need PlayStation Plus to play on a Minecraft server?

Yes. On PS4 and PS5, all online multiplayer requires PlayStation Plus. The Essential tier is enough.

Does the PS4 version work on PS5?

Yes, and the upgrade to the PS5 version is free if you own the game on PS4. Both join the same servers.

Can I play with a friend on Switch or PC?

Yes. On a Bedrock server, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, phones and PC all play together.