How to Invite Friends to Your Game Server (Any Game)

To invite friends to your game server, send them three things: the server address (an IP and port like 203.0.113.10:2456), the password if you set one, and the game version the server runs. They paste the address into the game's direct connect or add server screen. Some games use a join code or a server list search instead, and whitelists let you approve exactly who gets in.

What do friends need to join a game server?

What to send	Example	Why it matters
Server address	`203.0.113.10:2456`	Where the server is. The part after the colon is the port
Password	`vikings2026`	Needed if the server is private
Game version	Current release, or a specific build	Most games refuse mismatched versions
Mod list	A modpack or profile code	Modded servers need matching mods
Platform notes	"Console players: search the server name"	Consoles often cannot type addresses

The address is the one thing people get wrong. Always send the port with it, because many servers do not use the game's default port. Some games, like Minecraft Bedrock and Terraria, ask for the IP and the port in separate boxes: the numbers before the colon go in the address box and the number after it in the port box.

How do I find my server's address?

Rented server: it is shown in the host's control panel, usually at the top. With us, click the address to copy it.
Self hosted at home: friends outside your house need your public IP (search "what is my IP" on the host PC) plus the forwarded port. Friends on your own Wi-Fi use the PC's local address, like 192.168.1.20. Port forwarding is covered in how to port forward a game server.

A home IP can change when your router restarts, so a self hosted address that worked last week might not today. A rented server's address stays the same.

How do friends join in popular games?

These are the join screens for the games people ask about most:

Game	Where friends enter the address
Minecraft Java	Multiplayer, then Add Server, paste the address with the port
Minecraft Bedrock	Play, Servers tab, Add Server, IP and port in separate boxes
Valheim	Join Game tab, Add server, paste the address, then enter the password
Palworld	Join Multiplayer Game, type the address in the box at the bottom
Terraria	Multiplayer, Join via IP, then IP and port separately
Counter-Strike 2	Console (`~`), `password <pass>` if set, then `connect <address>`
Rust	F1 console, `client.connect <address>`
Project Zomboid	Join, enter IP, port, server password and a username for that server
7 Days to Die	Join a Game, Connect to IP
Factorio	Play, Multiplayer, Connect to address
Satisfactory	Server Manager, Add Server, address and port
ARK: Survival Ascended	Join Game, Unofficial, search the name, or `open <address>` in the console on PC
Enshrouded	Join Game, tick Show dedicated servers, search the server name

Each game page on our site lists the exact steps for that game, and most have a dedicated guide such as how to find your Minecraft server IP address.

Terraria clock tower base built in front of a giant blue moon with falling stars

How do I invite console players?

Consoles are where inviting gets tricky, because many console versions have no box for typing an address.

Valheim crossplay: Xbox, PlayStation and Switch 2 players type the server's join code in the Join Game tab. The code shows in the server console once crossplay is on.
Palworld: Xbox and PS5 players cannot type an address. They search the server's name in the community server list, so keep the server listed.
Minecraft Bedrock: Xbox, PlayStation and Switch only show featured servers. Console players use the BedrockConnect DNS method or a LAN app, as explained in joining a Bedrock server on Xbox, PS5 and Switch.
7 Days to Die and ARK: console players on a crossplay server find it by name in the server browser.

Give the server a distinctive name so it is easy to find in a list.

Can I send an invite link instead of an address?

Sometimes. Steam lets friends use Join Game from your profile while you are on a server, in games that support it. Discord works well for the rest: pin the address, password and join steps in a channel so new players have everything in one place. A short message like this saves a lot of back and forth:

Server: 203.0.113.10:2456
Password: vikings2026
Version: latest Steam release, no mods
Join: Join Game > Add server > paste the address

How do I control who can join?

A password stops strangers who find your server in a list. A whitelist (also called an allowlist or permitted list) goes further: only accounts you add can join, even if the password leaks.

Game	How to whitelist
Minecraft Java	`whitelist on`, then `whitelist add <name>`
Minecraft Bedrock	`allow-list=true` in `server.properties`, then `allowlist add "<gamertag>"`
Valheim	Add platform IDs to `permittedlist.txt`
Project Zomboid	`Open=false` in the server ini, then create accounts with `adduser`
Enshrouded	Separate passwords for friends and admins in user groups

Our guide to making a game server private covers more games and when to use each option.

Why can't my friend join my server?

Work through these in order:

Wrong address or missing port. Copy it again from the panel and include everything after the colon.
Version mismatch. The friend's game updated and the server did not, or the other way round. Restart or update the server, and have them update.
Wrong password, or the game wants it in a different place (CS2 needs password typed before connect).
Not on the whitelist. Add their exact name, Gamertag or ID.
Missing mods. Send the modpack or profile code again.
Self hosted: the port is not forwarded, or the home IP changed.
Server full. Check the player slots.

FAQ

How do I give my friends my server IP?

Copy the address with its port from your control panel, or your public IP plus forwarded port if self hosting, and send it by message or pin it on Discord.

Do my friends need the port number to join?

Usually yes. If the server uses a port other than the game's default, joining without it connects to the wrong place or fails.

Can friends join my server when I am offline?

On a dedicated or rented server, yes. The server runs on its own. Only co-op worlds hosted from your own game need you online.

Do friends need to own the game to join my server?

Yes. Every player needs their own copy of the game. The server does not need one.

How do I stop strangers joining my server?

Set a password and turn on a whitelist. Optionally unlist the server from public server lists if the game allows it.

The easy option

With a server from us, the address sits at the top of the control panel ready to copy, and it does not change when your home internet does. There is no port forwarding, your home IP is never shared, and friends can split the bill, each paying their own share from a link. Pick a game from the games we host, or see the game server for friends page.