---
title: "Setting up your Bedrock Minecraft server"
description: "Complete Minecraft Bedrock first boot, manage allow-lists and permissions.json, configure add-ons, and find your panel's custom port."
url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/minecraft/bedrock/"
category: "Minecraft"
category_url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/minecraft/"
published: "2026-07-02T02:19:37.931Z"
updated: "2026-08-07T21:07:36.577Z"
source_format: "markdown"
site: "GameServerKings"
---

# Setting up your Bedrock Minecraft server

Bedrock is Microsoft's cross-platform version of Minecraft, used on Windows 10/11, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile. This guide covers setting up Bedrock Edition on your [Minecraft hosting plan](/games/minecraft/).

For the PC-only Java Edition (with its much larger plugin and mod ecosystem), see [Java: Getting Started](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-getting-started/). To run a Java server that Bedrock players can also join, see [Geyser Cross-Play](/knowledge-base/minecraft/geyser-crossplay/).

## First Boot

1. Open your Minecraft Bedrock server in the panel.

2. Click **Start**.

3. First boot downloads `bedrock_server` (about 100 MB; very small), which takes 2 to 5 minutes.

To connect:

- **Console / Mobile**: Add the server in the **Friends** > **Servers** tab. Enter the IP and port from the **Address** at the top left of your panel.
- **Windows 10/11**: Same, in the Servers tab.

> [!IMPORTANT] Always use the port shown in your panel
> Bedrock connects over UDP. The game's default port is 19132, but on our plans your server runs on the port assigned in the panel's **Network** tab, which is often different, so always use the panel value.

## server.properties (Bedrock)

Bedrock's config is a flat `server.properties` file, similar in spirit to Java's but with different keys:

```properties title="server.properties"
server-name=My GSK Bedrock Server
gamemode=survival
difficulty=easy
allow-cheats=false
max-players=10
online-mode=true
allow-list=false
server-port=19132
server-portv6=19133
view-distance=10
tick-distance=4
player-idle-timeout=30
max-threads=8
level-name=Bedrock level
level-seed=
default-player-permission-level=member
texturepack-required=false
content-log-file-enabled=false
compression-threshold=1
server-authoritative-movement=server-auth
player-movement-score-threshold=20
player-movement-distance-threshold=0.3
player-movement-duration-threshold-in-ms=500
correct-player-movement=false
```

> [!WARNING] Leave the port keys to the panel
> `server-port` and `server-portv6` are managed by the panel allocation, so leave them alone; the panel binds your assigned port on boot.

| Setting | Notes |
|---------|-------|
| server-name | Display name |
| server-port | Managed by the panel allocation (UDP). Game default is 19132; yours may differ |
| max-players | Cap by slot purchase |
| gamemode | survival, creative, adventure |
| difficulty | peaceful, easy, normal, hard |
| default-player-permission-level | visitor, member, operator |
| allow-cheats | Required for slash commands to work |
| level-seed | Empty for random; set for a specific world |

After editing, restart.

## Bedrock Admins

Bedrock uses XUIDs (Microsoft's player IDs) for operator permissions. Edit `permissions.json`:

```json title="permissions.json"
[
  {
    "permission": "operator",
    "xuid": "1234567890123456"
  }
]
```

To find a player's XUID:

- Check the server log after they connect (the console logs the XUID on join), or
- Use an online XUID lookup site (search the player's gamertag)

Restart after editing `permissions.json`.

## Bedrock Add-Ons

Bedrock supports **behavior packs** (gameplay logic) and **resource packs** (textures, models, sounds), distributed as `.mcpack` or `.mcaddon` files.

1. Upload the pack to `behavior_packs/` or `resource_packs/` on the server.

2. Reference the pack in the world's pack manifest:

   - `worlds/<world>/world_behavior_packs.json` for behavior packs
   - `worlds/<world>/world_resource_packs.json` for resource packs

3. Restart.

Add-ons can change mob behavior, add custom items, and reskin the game, but the scope is more limited than Java's Forge ecosystem. There is no equivalent of large content mods like Create or Twilight Forest on Bedrock.

## Performance

`tick-distance` (default 4) has a big impact: it controls how many chunks simulate around each player. Lower it on crowded servers to save CPU.

## Backups

The world folder (under `worlds/`, named per `level-name`) is the only critical data. Use the panel's **Backups** tab daily. Bedrock worlds are small, so backups are cheap and fast.

## Common Issues

- **Players cannot find the server in the Friends tab**: Bedrock's server listing can be finicky. Have players add it manually with the exact IP and port from your panel page.
- **"Unable to connect to world"**: Confirm the port matches the panel's Network tab and that the server is fully started.
- **Slash commands do not work**: Set `allow-cheats=true` in `server.properties` and restart.
- **Add-on not applying**: The pack must be referenced in the world's `world_behavior_packs.json` or `world_resource_packs.json`, not just uploaded.
- **Cross-play confusion**: Bedrock and Java are separate games. A Bedrock client cannot join a Java server directly; that requires [Geyser](/knowledge-base/minecraft/geyser-crossplay/) on the Java side.

## What to Read Next

- [Geyser Cross-Play](/knowledge-base/minecraft/geyser-crossplay/) if you would rather run one Java server that both editions can join
- [Java: Getting Started](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-getting-started/) for the larger-ecosystem alternative
- [Performance and Backups](/knowledge-base/minecraft/performance-and-backups/) for general tuning advice
- [Minecraft Server Commands](/knowledge-base/minecraft/admin-commands/) — the Java command set, and how Bedrock differs

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