Minecraft Bedrock Server Requirements (2026 Guide)

Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) runs on 64 bit Windows 10 or 11 (version 1703 or later) or Ubuntu 22.04 or later, on an Intel or AMD x86_64 processor. Mojang does not ship an ARM build. It is native code, so it is light: about 1 GB of RAM runs a small world, 2 GB is comfortable for up to 10 friends, and 4 to 6 GB covers busy worlds, add-ons or 25 to 50 players. A fast single core matters more than core count.

What are the official Bedrock Dedicated Server requirements?

Mojang publishes BDS as a free download for Windows and Linux on the Bedrock server download page. The supported platforms are short:

Older Linux releases like Ubuntu 20.04 fail to start the current Linux build because they ship an older glibc. Other modern distributions usually work if their libraries are new enough, but Ubuntu is the one Mojang targets.

The version row is the requirement people forget. Bedrock clients on phones and consoles update automatically, and a player on a newer version cannot join an older server. Our Bedrock 26.50 server update guide covers the current builds.

How much RAM does a Minecraft Bedrock server need?

Much less than Java Edition. BDS is written in C++ rather than running on the Java virtual machine, so there is no heap to size and no garbage collector eating memory. What uses RAM is loaded chunks, entities and add-ons.

These numbers assume a sensible view-distance. The default in server.properties is 32 chunks, which is far more than most servers need, and every player keeps that whole area loaded. Dropping it to 10 to 16 cuts memory and bandwidth for every player online. Our server.properties guide explains the key.

What CPU do you need for a Bedrock server?

Any modern 64 bit x86 CPU starts the server. What decides whether it runs smoothly is single thread speed. Bedrock simulates the world at 20 ticks a second, and most of the per tick work (mobs, redstone, crops, hoppers) is limited by how fast one core can go.

Practical guidance:

• 2 cores are enough for a friend group. One core runs the world, the other handles the operating system and networking.
• High clock speed beats more cores. A recent desktop chip at 4 GHz or more outruns an older 16 core server CPU at 2 GHz for one Bedrock world.
• tick-distance is the CPU lever. It sets how many chunks around each player are simulated, default 4, range 4 to 12. The area grows as a square, so 8 is about four times the work of 4. Leave it at 4 unless a farm needs more.
• max-threads defaults to 8. Leave it alone unless you run several servers on one machine.

When a Bedrock server lags with plenty of free RAM, the CPU is almost always the cause: too many entities near a farm, a large tick-distance, or a heavy add-on. The Bedrock lag fix walks through it.

How much disk space does a Bedrock server need?

Very little to start. The server files themselves are small, a few hundred MB including the default resource packs. Worlds are what grow:

Budget at least 5 GB so you have room for backups, and use an SSD. Bedrock saves the world in LevelDB files that are read and written constantly, and a slow hard drive shows up as chunk loading stutter when players fly or ride fast.

How much bandwidth does a Bedrock server need?

Bedrock sends chunk data to every player, so upload speed matters more than download. A small group on a home connection is usually fine with a few Mbps of steady upload, but the peaks come when players join or explore new land at speed, because that is when the server sends fresh chunks. A high view-distance multiplies this, which is one more reason to lower it.

If you host at home, the connection also needs UDP 19132 forwarded to the machine, and every player sees your home IP. Our port forwarding guide covers the router side.

Can you run a Bedrock server on a Raspberry Pi or a Mac?

Not natively. Mojang only builds BDS for x86_64 Windows and Linux. Community projects run it on ARM through x86 emulation layers such as Box64, but performance is poor and every update can break it. On a Mac, the realistic routes are a Linux virtual machine on an Intel Mac, or a rented server.

If your group mixes Java and Bedrock players, a Bedrock server is the wrong tool entirely: Java players cannot join it. Run a Java server with Geyser instead, as explained in our Geyser guide.

What are our Bedrock plans sized for?

On GamezServers, each Minecraft Bedrock plan matches the sizing above:

New customers get 50% off the first month on monthly plans, and you can upgrade or downgrade any time if the group grows or shrinks.

FAQ

Is 1 GB of RAM enough for a Bedrock server?

For a fresh world with a handful of players, yes. Mojang's own guidance is around 1 GB for small worlds, but 2 GB gives a growing world room to breathe.

Does a Bedrock server need a GPU?

No. Bedrock Dedicated Server has no graphics at all. It only uses the CPU, RAM, disk and network.

Can Bedrock Dedicated Server run on Windows 7 or Ubuntu 20.04?

No. Mojang lists Windows 10 version 1703 or later and Ubuntu 22.04 or later. Older systems are missing the libraries the current builds need.

Do more cores make a Bedrock server faster?

Only up to a point. One world mostly runs on one main thread, so a faster core helps much more than extra cores once you have two.

Is a Bedrock server lighter than a Java server?

Yes, a lot lighter. A friend group that needs 4 GB or more on Java often runs well on 2 GB with Bedrock, because BDS is native code with no Java heap.

The easy option

If you would rather not keep a PC on or open ports, our Minecraft Bedrock server hosting runs Mojang's Bedrock Dedicated Server on hardware that already meets these requirements. It is ready minutes after paying, includes DDoS protection, and the Update game button backs up your world before installing a new Bedrock version, so phone and console players can keep joining.