A Realm is a private world that the owner pays for, and you join it by accepting an invite from someone who already plays there

A Realm is a Minecraft world hosted by Microsoft that stays online even when nobody is playing. The person who created it (the owner) pays a monthly subscription — usually around $8 per month — and can invite up to two friends on Java Edition or up to ten on Bedrock Edition. You do not pay anything to join. The owner sends you an invite link or code, you accept it, and you can log in whenever you want to play in that world together.

The key difference from a regular multiplayer server is that Realms are small, private, and managed by the person who invited you. You cannot join a Realm unless someone who owns one invites you. There is no public list of Realms to browse or join on your own.

Key Takeaways

  • You need an invite from the Realm owner — either a link, a code, or an invitation through your Microsoft account — before you can join.
  • On Java Edition, you accept the invite in the Multiplayer menu; on Bedrock, you accept it in the Friends tab or through a link.
  • The Realm owner controls who can join, what the world rules are, and whether you can build or just visit.
  • You need a Microsoft account to join any Realm, and your game version (Java or Bedrock) must match the Realm's version.

How the invite process works on Java Edition

On Java Edition, the Realm owner goes into their Realm settings and clicks "Invite Player." They type your Minecraft username and send the invite. You will see a notification in the Multiplayer menu that says you have been invited to a Realm, along with the owner's name and the Realm's name.

Click "Accept" on that notification. The Realm will then appear in your Realms list in the Multiplayer menu. From that point on, you can click on the Realm name and select "Join Realm" whenever you want to play. You stay invited until the owner removes you or deletes the Realm.

How the invite process works on Bedrock Edition

On Bedrock Edition (Windows 10/11, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or mobile), the owner can invite you in two ways. They can send you a link directly — usually through Discord, text, or email — that you click to open in Minecraft. Or they can invite you through the Friends tab if you are already on their friends list.

If you receive a link, click it and your game will open to a screen asking you to confirm the join. Click "Join Realm" and you are in. If the owner invites you through Friends, you will see a notification in the Friends tab with an "Accept" button. Either way, the Realm shows up in your Realms list once you accept, and you can join it from there whenever you play.

What you need before you can join

You must have a Microsoft account linked to your Minecraft profile. This is required for all Realms, whether you play Java or Bedrock. If you do not have one, you can create it free at account.microsoft.com. You will also need to own Minecraft for the version you are trying to join — Java Edition or Bedrock Edition.

Your game version must match the Realm's version. A Java Realm can only be joined by Java players, and a Bedrock Realm can only be joined by Bedrock players. You cannot join a Java Realm from an Xbox or a phone, and you cannot join a Bedrock Realm from a Java launcher.

What happens after you join

Once you are in the Realm, you can see what the owner has built and play in the world. Whether you can build, break blocks, or change things depends on the permissions the owner set. Some Realms let everyone build freely. Others are read-only, meaning you can look around but not change anything. The owner can change your permissions at any time.

The Realm stays online 24/7 as long as the owner keeps paying for it. You can log in whenever you want, and any changes you or other players make will be there the next time you visit. If the owner stops paying, the Realm shuts down and you lose access.

If the invite link or code does not work

If you click an invite link and nothing happens, make sure you are logged into the correct Microsoft account in your game. On Bedrock, go to Settings and check which account is active. On Java, close the launcher completely and reopen it to refresh your login.

If the owner gave you a code instead of a link, type it exactly as they wrote it — codes are case-sensitive. If it still does not work, ask the owner to check that they sent the right code and that you are not already invited to that Realm. Sometimes the system shows an error if an invite is already pending.

Leaving a Realm or being removed

If you want to leave a Realm, go to your Realms list, click the Realm name, and select "Leave Realm." You will be removed from the invite list and can no longer access it. The owner can also remove you at any time from their Realm settings without asking.

If you are removed or leave, you lose all access when ready. You cannot rejoin unless the owner invites you again. Any items or builds you made in the Realm stay there — they do not follow you to other worlds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay to join a Realm?

No. Only the owner pays the monthly subscription. You join for free when they invite you. If you want to create your own Realm and invite others, then you would pay the subscription fee.

Can I join a Realm on my phone if it was created on a computer?

Only if it is a Bedrock Realm. Bedrock Realms work across Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. Java Realms only work on PC with the Java launcher. If the Realm was created on Java, you cannot join it from a phone.

What if the owner stops paying for the Realm?

The Realm shuts down and you lose access. The owner can read a copy of the world and create a new Realm with it later, but you cannot play in it until they do and invite you again.

Can I invite my own friends to a Realm I joined?

No. Only the owner can send invites. If you want to invite someone, ask the owner to do it for you, or create your own Realm and invite them there.

What if I get an invite but I am not sure who sent it?

Check the Realm name and the owner's username in the invite notification. If you do not recognize either, you can decline the invite. You can also ask in your friend group who might have invited you before accepting.