How to play Minecraft through Steam (and host a server online with friends) 2020 REWRITE

[Niko]

NOTE: This guide requires that you port forward your router to play online. If you don't want to have to go through port forwarding, Aternos is a better alternative - however, it hates ad/tracker blockers very heavily and should be avoided if you can port forward. If you can port forward your router (and accept the associated security risks), then keep reading!

This guide will teach you how to play Minecraft through Steam. While there is no real way to download this as a official Steam game with hosting on Steam's servers, but you can still play around with your LAN servers! This guide will tell you how to play Minecraft through Steam AND ONLINE with your friends in two ways:

First thing to do: ADD MINECRAFT TO YOUR LIBRARY (duh...)

First go to your library. Then select "Add Non-Steam Game." Find Minecraft's launcher and select it. Then press "Add Game." Verify that the application has appeared in your games library.

Now we can go onto the next step. That was easy right? You can stop reading right now if you want to just play singleplayer through Steam. But you probably came here for the online hosting part, so keep reading.

PORT FORWARD YOUR ROUTER (Do this only if YOU want to host your Minecraft world on your PC)

Warning: Port forwarding your router can be a security risk, do this at your own discretion. I will not take responsibility for viruses affecting your network computers. As I said above, services like Aternos can be a better hosting solution.
Port forwarding your router essentially allows you to open your router to external connections. Opening to LAN will allow you to receive external connections and is more reliable. As the port forwarding process is quite complex, I won't go through the whole process here. You can read the guide here to learn how to do it:
https://www.noip.com/support/knowledgebase/general-port-forwarding-guide/

THIS IS REQUIRED FOR BOTH SERVER HOSTING METHODS TO FUNCTION
For Method Two, you'll want to fort forward TCP port 25565. (this exact port specifically)

HOSTING METHOD ONE: Open a singleplayer world to LAN

This method is not preferred as you have to repeat the setup steps each time you want to play. Additionally, you cannot play with mods and the connection can be buggy at some times. Another drawback is that, when you leave, the server immediately shuts down - so if your game crashes everyone gets disconnected. The second method is preferred.

1. OPEN TO LAN

You MUST have the full version of Minecraft or this won't work properly.
Go to "Singleplayer" in Minecraft. Open a world, and then press Escape to bring up in menu. Select "Open to LAN". Change the settings however you like, then select "Open to LAN".

After doing that it should say "Local game hosted on port (some number ranging around 40000-70000)." Google "what is my IP" - the search results should show something like XX.XXX.XXX.XXX (in where all "X"s are replaced by a number). This is your "global IP address." Now we can move on to the final step of method one.

2. SHARE THE LAN SERVER IP

Your server IP should be XX.XXX.XXX.XXX:(40000-70000). Message all your friends that play Minecraft (that you want to invite) with this IP.

But this method can be a bit unreliable and buggy. Let's move onto the next one, shall we?

HOSTING METHOD TWO: Use the dedicated server

You'll need to first download the Minecraft dedicated server launchpad, downloadable at https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/download/server
Minecraft Forge servers use a different program, which you can download from their official website. We will assume you are playing on Vanilla Minecraft without mods for this guide.

1. CHOOSE WHERE TO STORE THE SERVER

Choose a directory where you want your Minecraft server to be stored - place the server *.jar file in a folder of your choosing. You'll run the server from that directory.

2. ACCEPT THE EULA OF MOJANG

In order to launch your server, you will need to accept the EULA of Mojang, creators of Minecraft. If you don't do this then your server will not launch. Start the server by double-clicking the *.jar file, then wait a moment. If you see a "Can't save server properties" error, run the *.jar as an administrator.

Find the "eula.txt" file that got created, and change the line where it says "eula=false" to "eula=true". After this, then you can proceed.

3. START THE SERVER

To start the server, open the Windows command prompt (I don't know what Mac uses). Navigate to whatever folder you stored the server jar in (named minecraft_server.1.12.2.jar or something), then type "java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar {SERVER FILE NAME HERE} nogui". You can also create a *.bat file to do this more easily.

The server should then start booting up, assuming you did everything correctly. Running CMD as an Administrator is preferable.

4. SHARE YOUR SERVER IP

Like a LAN server (detailed above), you can use your global IP address and port 25565 to invite friends. The format should look like XX.XXX.XXX.XXX:25565

To check if your server is accessible, you can use the Minecraft Server Status Checker created by Dinnerbone at https://dinnerbone.com/minecraft/tools/status/

...and you're done! Now go play with your friends. I may have gotten a few details wrong, please don't kill me if I did, okay thanks. If I missed anything, let me know! This was made with the help of an older guide on GoDaddy that's probably minorly outdated as I am too paranoid to port forward my internet. Please help me bring it up to date with your comments below if it is in fact outdated. Thank you for reading.
- Catz.

Edit: damn typos

[Zwergscheiße]

but thats not a guide

[Niko]

Originally posted by Delta:

but thats not a guide

did i stutter

[76561198450834139]

Wait, people still play Minecraft?

[WhispersOfTheWind]

Minecraft reminds me of Thief multiplayer which it never had lol. Just noting.

[s w e k]

Originally posted by Bible Black^-^:

Wait, people still play Minecraft?

Yes, and it's made a resurgence.

[76561198450834139]

Originally posted by s w e k:

Originally posted by Bible Black^-^:

Wait, people still play Minecraft?

Yes, and it's made a resurgence.

Huh because I thought it was trashed for Fortnite, Every single time I go to my cousins house 50/50 I hear him either calling people noobs or just screaming out random curse words put together.

[s w e k]

Originally posted by Bible Black^-^:

Originally posted by s w e k:

Yes, and it's made a resurgence.

Huh because I thought it was trashed for Fortnite, Every single time I go to my cousins house 50/50 I hear him either calling people noobs or just screaming out random curse words put together.

Heh, sounds like my brothers when they play that cursed game.

But yes, while Fortnite was on the rise, Minecraft's relevancy dwindled. But, I believe due to the power of memes, and Pewdiepie, Minecraft had a resurgence. It's playerbase may not be as big as Fortnite's, but it's still pretty relevant, which I think is impressive.

[Niko]

Originally posted by Scáthach ★ (s w e k):

Heh, sounds like my brothers when they play that cursed game.

But yes, while Fortnite was on the rise, Minecraft's relevancy dwindled. But, I believe due to the power of memes, and Pewdiepie, Minecraft had a resurgence. It's playerbase may not be as big as Fortnite's, but it's still pretty relevant, which I think is impressive.

And also the mech from season x

[chesse]

tldr

[Niko]

Originally posted by chesse:

tldr

shortest method: use "add a non-steam game" to add minecraft to your library then port forward and then use aternos to host a minecraft server and then you can play with your friends on that aternos server, yes you can make the server cracked

edit: damn typos.

[REVERIE]

Originally posted by CatzRule81:

Port forwarding your router can be a security risk, do this at your own discretion. I will not take responsibility for viruses affecting your network computers.

I chuckled. That's not Port forwarding works.

[Niko]

Originally posted by MRV3N:

I chuckled. That's not Port forwarding works.

Actually, it can work that way - if the hacker knows how to make it work that way. Port forwarding opens your network up to external sources, including malicious clients which can put viruses on your network. These viruses can then spread to your computer, assuming it has a way to self-activate.

One can do this by obtaining the server's global IP address, which is what anyone connecting to your server can know. They can then use a conventional password cracker to hack into the network and infect every. single. connected. device.

Like I said, do this at your own risk. Please do take this seriously - it hasn't happened to me since I use Aternos primarily, but I have heard of it happening to others. Don't put yourself on that list.

[Niko]

This is why I use a VPN on Discord voice chat.

[eram]

Originally posted by CatzRule81:

This is why I use a VPN on Discord voice chat.

You use a vpn on discord voice chat so you can play minecraft on steam. That makes zero sense.

[Niko]

Originally posted by eram:

Originally posted by CatzRule81:

This is why I use a VPN on Discord voice chat.

You use a vpn on discord voice chat so you can play minecraft on steam. That makes zero sense.

Did you not read the two comments directly before that one?