Minecraft is everywhere at this point — PC, consoles, phones, handhelds, you name it — so it’s natural to expect the game to let everyone crossplay together. Though Minecraft has different editions. Crossplay does exist, but it depends on which edition you have installed: Bedrock or Java. Here’s everything you need to know about cross-platform play in Minecraft and how to get everyone into the same blocky world without headaches.
Is Minecraft Cross-platform?
Yes, Minecraft supports cross-platform, but only for the Bedrock Edition. Bedrock is the game version for consoles, mobile, and most storefronts, and it was built from the ground up for crossplay multiplayer. Until everyone plays Bedrock edition, you can play together, and the platforms don’t matter.
The Java Edition, on the other hand, is PC only version (Windows, macOS, Linux). Java players can freely join each other’s worlds, servers, and Realms, but none of that connects to Bedrock unless you use plugins and join custom server setups.
So in short:
- Bedrock → Full crossplay.
- Java → Crossplay only with Java edition players.
- Java + Bedrock together → Only through third-party server tools.
Minecraft Bedrock Edition Crossplay
On Bedrock, crossplay is completely built in, and anyone from any supported platform can join the same lobby like:
- Xbox ↔ PlayStation
- PC ↔ Nintendo Switch
- Mobile ↔ Console
- Everything ↔ Everything
All you need to do is sign in to a Microsoft account on both PlayStation and Switch. Once you’re logged in, your Microsoft friends list becomes your multiplayer list.
How to Connect with Bedrock Friends
From the game’s main menu, go into the Friends tab and search for a friend’s Gamertag. Once they accept the invite, you’ll see their worlds as “Joinable Cross-Platform Friends” anytime they are online. Hosting a match is also easy: open a world, from the pause menu, and send invites from the side menu using Invite to Game option. Everyone receives a notification and can come together for the fun. If you’re on console, you’ll need your platform’s online subscription (PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold); otherwise, nothing special is required.
Minecraft Java Edition Multiplayer and Its Limitations
Java Edition’s multiplayer logic is different. It doesn’t have a crossplay friends list and can’t connect to Bedrock at all without external resources. Java and Bedrock players can play together through:
- Shared LAN worlds
- Community servers
- Private servers
- Java Realms, which are official Mojang-hosted servers
Java Realms are a convenient place because they remain online 24/7, but they only allow Java users to join — no consoles, mobile, or Bedrock players.
Can Java and Bedrock Play Together?
Not natively. Mojang treats the two editions as separate ecosystems, and their networking isn’t compatible by default. But advanced players and server owners can bridge the gap thanks to a server plugin GeyserMC. With Geyser installed on a Java server, Bedrock clients can connect to that server as if it were a Bedrock world.
Geyser is a translator layer, but it works well enough to let mixed-edition groups play together. You’ll still need:
- A server host
- Geyser (and Floodgate if you want Bedrock users without Microsoft accounts)
- Matching version numbers across all players
It’s not a beginner setup, but it opens the door for mixed cross-platform sessions if you and your friends desperately want that.
Platforms with Full Crossplay (Minecraft Bedrock Only)
Bedrock Edition is available on nearly every platform:
- Windows
- Xbox One / Series X|S
- PlayStation 4 / 5
- Nintendo Switch
- Android
- iOS
- Some Chromebooks
- Fire OS / Apple TV devices
All of these can crossplay together with no restrictions as long as they’re logged into a Microsoft account and have the same game version.
Minecraft’s split exists because Java Edition is the original PC-only version from the early days of the game. Bedrock was launched later, built on a completely different engine for mobile and console support to give better performance. That’s why they run differently online, update separately, and rely on dedicated systems for multiplayer.
Because of these margins, true crossplay isn’t something Mojang has integrated at first place, but Bedrock is obviously the go-to game edition for easy cross-platform with friends.
Since its debut, Minecraft has been released on many platforms. The game is available on the following systems, on which you can play together:
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
- iPad OS
- Xbox 360
- Raspberry Pi
- Windows Phone
- PlayStation 3
- Fire OS
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
- PlayStation Vita
- Wii U
- Apple TV
- tvOS
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo 3DS
If you experience compatibility issues, you can play online by joining a third-party server. Knowing these limitations is important in circumstances like this, and they help you understand what to expect from Minecraft.
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