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Run a Bedrock Dedicated Server

Choose a Bedrock version, update it, set who may join, keep your files across updates and size the player slots of a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server.

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A Bedrock Dedicated Server is Mojang's own server for Minecraft Bedrock Edition, the edition on phones, tablets and Windows. It is a different program from a Java server with Bedrock crossplay. It has its own worlds, its own server.properties and its own add-ons.

  • Choose Bedrock Dedicated Server under Server software when you create the server or change its software.
  • Bedrock players join with an address and a port. The Primary address tile on the server's Ports tab shows the address and the Bedrock port, with a button that copies them. Players on IPv6 use the server's join address.
  • On a server someone shared with you, you need the Install software permission to change the version or update it.

The server runs the newest release of the Bedrock Dedicated Server unless you pin a version. To pin one, open the server's Software tab, change the software and choose the version you want. A version that Mojang marks as a preview is a preview build, and it may break worlds, so use it on a test server.

The Current software card shows the version the server runs.

When Mojang publishes a newer release than the one your server runs, the Current software card shows Update available, with Version 1.26.52.3 is available. This server runs 1.26.50.2. Players on the newest Bedrock cannot join a server on an older release, so update soon after Mojang does.

  1. Take a snapshot first. An update cannot be undone.
  2. On the Current software card, select Update….
  3. Read the lists, then select Update server. The dialog says what we replace and what we keep.

We replace the server program and the files that come with it. We keep your worlds, the packs you added, and these files: server.properties, allowlist.json, whitelist.json, permissions.json, valid_known_packs.json, packetlimitconfig.json, profanity_filter.wlist and config/default/permissions.json. The server stops while we install the update.

If a server runs a preview or a version you pinned on purpose, Update available shows only when the newest release is newer than yours. We never offer a step back.

Two files set who may join and what they may do. Edit them in the Files tab, then restart the server:

  • allowlist.json lists the players who may join while allow-list in server.properties is true. Each entry has the player's name. A new server starts with allow-list set to false, so anyone can join until you set it to true.
  • permissions.json gives a player a level, visitor, member or operator, by xuid.

Both survive an update.

Behavior packs and resource packs live on the Packs panel on the same tab (Manage Bedrock packs).

Each Bedrock player who joins uses one UDP port on the server. We give every Bedrock Dedicated Server a run of ports for that, and the Current software card shows it as Player slots, such as Player slots: 32. Players past that number cannot join, whatever max-players says.

Keep max-players in server.properties at or below Player slots. The dashboard does not warn you when it is higher. If it is higher, players past the slots cannot join, whatever max-players says. Lower max-players to match, or ask support for a larger run of ports. The size of the run is the same for every new server on the platform, and a change applies to servers created after it. Servers that already have a run keep it.

The run of ports shows on the server's Ports tab as Managed rows with the purpose Bedrock UDP window. You cannot release them. We release them when you change the server to other software or delete the server.

If the card shows Bedrock players cannot join: this server has no UDP ports for players. Contact support., the server has no run of ports at all, and nobody can join it until support gives it one.

Find out when players cannot reach the server

Section titled Find out when players cannot reach the server

While the server runs, the dashboard asks it for its status every 15 seconds. If it does not answer for 30 seconds, the page shows Bedrock players cannot reach this server. Restart it from the console. If it still fails, contact support. The warning clears when the server answers again.

Snapshots and backups copy the worlds folder with the rest of the server while it runs.

Bedrock players cannot reach this server. Restart it from the console. If it still fails, contact support.
The server is running, but its Bedrock listener does not answer. Restart it from the console.
Some players cannot join after an update
Their Minecraft must be on the same release as the server. Ask them to update the game.
The server is not a server package
A download that does not contain bedrock_server is refused with …is not a server package, so nothing was changed. Try again in a few minutes. Try again later.

GET /api/v1/client/servers/{uuid}/software/context returns two fields for a Bedrock Dedicated Server, and null for other servers:

bedrock_update
installed, the version the server runs, or null when we do not know it; latest, the newest release, or null when the lookup failed; and available, true only when both are known and the newest release is newer.
bedrock_udp_window
size, the number of player slots, and warning, a sentence when the server has none, otherwise null.

Update with the software change call in keep mode, with the server's own target_key and the new version:

Shell
curl -X POST https://api.coritan.com/api/v1/client/servers/$SERVER/software/change \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CORITAN_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"target_key": "minecraft-bedrock", "version": "1.26.52.3", "mode": "keep"}'

API operations on this page

MethodPathWhat it does
GET/api/v1/client/servers/{uuid}/software/contextReturn loader/game-version context for marketplace tab gating
POST/api/v1/client/servers/{uuid}/software/changeSwitch the server to different software, or a different version of it