Gaming · Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on Windows and consoles

How to Allow Friends to Join Minecraft World on PC & Console

Source-checked 9 August 2026About 10 minutes

Answer

In Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, select Play > Worlds, select the pencil beside the world, open Multiplayer, and turn on Multiplayer game. Start the world, pause, select Social > Invite to Play, choose your Microsoft-account friends, and send the invites. This does not apply to Java Edition, and console players need their platform's active online-play subscription.

Confirm Bedrock accounts and access

Make sure the host and guests are using Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, are signed in to their Microsoft accounts, and run the same current game version. Console players also need Xbox Game Pass Core, Nintendo Switch Online, or PlayStation Plus for online play.

Add the friend by gamertag

If the player is not already listed, join the world, pause, select Social > Search for players, enter the friend's Microsoft gamertag, and select Add beside the correct result. Confirm the gamertag appears in your friends list before continuing.

Enable multiplayer for the world

From the Minecraft home screen, select Play > Worlds, then select the pencil beside the world. Select Multiplayer on the left, turn on Multiplayer game, choose the intended friends or friends-of-friends access, and confirm the toggle remains on.

Send the in-world invite

Select Play to open the world, pause the game, and select Social in the top-right > Invite to Play. Check each intended friend, select Send # Invites, and ask them to accept the platform game notification.

Confirm the friend joins

Keep the host's world open and online until the friend connects. Minecraft should show an in-game notification when the invitation is accepted and the friend joins; verify the expected player appears before treating the setup as complete.

If it does not work

If Multiplayer game is unavailable or the account cannot invite or join, a parent or family organizer should review that player's Microsoft account settings for Join multiplayer games, Join cross-network play, Add friends, and online communication, then restart Minecraft.
If the friend is missing from Invite to Play, confirm the exact Microsoft gamertag was added, both players use Bedrock Edition rather than Java Edition, and neither player is using an older or Preview version.
If the friend receives a Kelp error, reopen the host world's Settings > Multiplayer and confirm Multiplayer game plus the intended friends or friends-of-friends access is enabled.
If an invite works on Windows but not a console, confirm the console player's Xbox Game Pass Core, Nintendo Switch Online, or PlayStation Plus subscription is active.

Sources and verification

Checked against official documentation on 9 August 2026. Scope: Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on Windows, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.

The preserved source and video show Bedrock Edition, not Java Edition. Current Minecraft Help documents the world Multiplayer setting, Social invite flow, Microsoft friend requirement, console subscriptions, and child-account permission branch.