Sometimes despite having the correct server address, you may have a problem connecting to the Minecraft server.
The problem can be related to your System Settings and network.
So, if you can’t connect to a Minecraft server, follow this article to know the solutions to fix the problem.
What To Do If I Can’t Connect To The Minecraft Server?
Here are the proven solutions when you cannot connect to the Minecraft server.
Also read this article on what to do when Minecraft is unable to connect to world.
1) Check The Internet Connection
You need a stable network connection to connect to the Minecraft servers.
So, check that you are having a stable internet connection.
Go to the Notification tray and click on the internet icon. Check that you are properly connected.
You can check the internet speed by clicking here. You can also use similar other websites to check the internet speed.
2) Restart Your PC And The Router
Restart your PC and the router when you are having connectivity issues.
Often a fresh restart can fix the problem and help you to access the Minecraft server.
So, turn off the PC and the router and disconnect them from the power sources.
Allow a few minutes before reconnecting the PC and the router. Turn on your PC and the router. Then relaunch Minecraft and check if you can connect to the servers now.
3) Check The Minecraft Server Status
Due to the Minecraft server outage, you can also have difficulty connecting to the servers.
Click here to check the Minecraft server status. There are also other similar websites available online to check the server status.
If the Minecraft server is down, then wait till everything becomes alright. If the services are running fine, then move on to the next solution.
4) Refresh The Minecraft Server List
If you are playing Minecraft’s Java edition, then refresh the Minecraft server.
To refresh the server, go to the bottom of the servers’ list and click on the Refresh button.
Also check the status of your console’s network, if you are playing on a gaming console:
There are similar other websites to check the gaming console network.
If the server is down then you should wait for some time till the problem is fixed. If you still cannot connect to the Minecraft server, go to the next step.
5) Sign Out Of Minecraft And Sign In
You can also sign out of the Minecraft account and then sign in back, This can often fix temporary glitches.
So, just give it a try, If the problem persists, then flush DNS.
6) Flush DNS
If you cannot connect to Minecraft server with IP then flush DNS.
This will clean all the DNS records from the cache. Sometimes due to a corrupted cache, you may get connectivity issues. So, by flushing DNS you can fix the problem.
To flush DNS, follow the steps given below:
- Enter CMD in the Windows Search Menu and right-click on the Command Prompt option. Click Run as administrator.
- Copy & paste the following commands in the elevated Command Prompt window one by one and press Enter.
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset
After running the above commands open Minecraft and check if this has fixed the problem, else go to the next step.
7) Change The DNS Server
Sometimes the DNS server is misconfigured, and this can be the reason why you failed to connect to the server.
So, change the DNS address and this can fix the problem. Now follow the steps to change DNS and renew IP:
- Press Win + I to open Settings. Select Network & Internet option.
- Select Advanced Network settings and choose Network Connection. Open its Properties.
- Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 [TCP/IPv4] and expand its Properties.
- For Preferred DNS Server Address, set the value to 8.8.8.8 and for Alternate DNS Server address set the value to 8.8.4.4. Click on OK to save the changes.
8) Update The Network Drivers
If your network drivers are outdated then also you will have a problem connecting to the Minecraft server.
So, update the network drivers and after this, you should be able to reestablish a connection with the Minecraft servers.
You can click on this link to know how to update your device drivers easily.
9) Check Your Firewall
Windows Firewall can interfere with Minecraft and prevent you from connecting to the game servers.
So, tweak the rules for Minecraft in the Windows Defender Firewall and solve the problem.
To do so, close all the Minecraft processes using Task Manager.
- Right-click on the Windows Search button and click on Task Manager. Go to the process tab. Find Minecraft and right-click on it.
- Select the End Task option. Make sure to repeat the process if there are other running Minecraft processes.
- Enter Windows Defender Firewall Advanced Security in the Windows Search box and select the first option.
- Select Inbound Rules from the left panel.
- Find Minecraft and double-click on it to open its Properties.
- Click on Allow the connection option from the Action section. Click on Apply and OK
- Select New Rule and then click on Program. Next click on the Next option.
- Click on Browse and then navigate to Minecraft’s installation folder.
- To find the installation path click on the Minecraft shortcut on your desktop and click on the Open File Location option.
- From the installation folder, search for the JRE-x64 folder. Then open the Bin folder.
- Locate javaw.exe from the same Bin folder and click on the Open button. Select Next.
- On the Action window, click on the Allow the Connection option. Select Next to continue.
- Check all the three Private, Domain, and Public boxes in the Profile folder.
- Name the rule and repeat the same steps for the Java.exe file.
- Create the same rules in the Outbound Rules.
- Check if you can connect to the Minecraft servers now. If you still cannot connect, from the Action tab click on the new rule as shown below.
- Next, select the Port option and click Next.
- Check the box for the Specific local ports option and set the value as 25565. Click on Next.
- Select Allow the connection option and click Next.
- Check all the Profiles there and then select Next. Name the rule and complete the process.
- You should now be able to connect to the Minecraft servers.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Here are some frequently asked questions when gamers cannot connect to the Minecraft servers.
- Why does Minecraft say can’t connect to the server?
Minecraft cannot connect to the servers mainly due to unstable network, outdated network drivers, server outage, Firewall interference, etc.
- How do I fix cannot connect to the server?
Restart your device, check the gaming console’s network, check your PC’s network, flush DNS, change DNS, tweak the Firewall settings.
- Why can’t I play Minecraft with my friends?
Set Minecraft world to allow multiplayer, check the servers and check your network when you cannot play Minecraft with your friends.
Final Words
After performing the above steps, you should be able to connect to the Minecraft servers.
Feel free to ask us any game or tech-related questions and we will revert with solutions.
