How to host a Minecraft server on your phone
You do not need a PC, a paid host, or any networking knowledge to run a Minecraft server. A modern Android phone is powerful enough to host a real Java or Bedrock server for you and your friends, 24/7, for free. Here is how to do it in about five minutes.
1. Install Mineora from Google Play
Mineora is a free Android app that bundles everything a real Minecraft server needs, including the Java runtime. There is nothing else to download.
2. Create a server
Tap the + button and pick who is playing: Java Edition, Bedrock Edition, or crossplay so both can join the same server. Choose a version, name it, and accept the EULA. You can also start from a preset or install a modpack in one tap.
3. Start the server
Tap Start. Your phone boots a genuine server (Paper, Fabric, NeoForge, Vanilla, or PowerNukkitX for Bedrock). The first start takes a minute while the world generates.
4. Share your free public address
Open the Tunnel tab and claim your free public address, powered by playit.gg. No port forwarding, no router settings, no static IP. Friends anywhere in the world join with that address.
What you get
- A real server: live console, plugins and mods from Modrinth, player management
- Java, Bedrock (MCPE), or crossplay with Geyser set up automatically
- One-tap modpacks from Modrinth, or import your own .mrpack file
- Import an existing world from Aternos, a PC server, or another host
- Keeps hosting with the screen off, so your world stays up
Does hosting on a phone actually work?
Yes. Mineora runs the same server software PC hosts use (Paper, Fabric, NeoForge, Vanilla, PowerNukkitX) on a bundled Java runtime built for Android. A mid-range phone comfortably handles a survival SMP with a handful of friends. Battery tip: keep the phone plugged in for long sessions, and allow the app unrestricted battery use so Android does not cut its network.
Looking to leave a queue-based free host? See how Mineora compares as an Aternos alternative.
