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How to whitelist a Minecraft server

To whitelist a Minecraft server, turn the whitelist on and add every player with 2 console commands: whitelist on and whitelist add followed by a name. Since Java 26.3 a new server starts with the whitelist on, so this guide also covers how to let yourself in, how the Bedrock allowlist differs and how crossplay players get on the list.

Prices checked on 10 October 2026 on the hosts' own order pages. All prices include VAT.

A Minecraft server with a RAM stick, a grass block and a map

The short answer

Type whitelist on and then whitelist add <name> for every player in the server console, and set enforce-whitelist=true so removed players are kicked at once. On Bedrock it is allow-list=true with allowlist add <name>, and on a crossplay server Floodgate's fwhitelist add <name> puts Bedrock players on the Java list.

Compare hosting for a private Minecraft server

Hosting for a private Minecraft server needs no special plan: every plan in this comparison runs a whitelisted server, because the whitelist is built into Minecraft and works the same on every host. Each row is the plan the finder gives a private vanilla server for ten friends. Shown for 6 to 10 players on vanilla Java in Poland (Warsaw), with the finder's pick first.

The best Minecraft server plan at each host for 6 to 10 players on Java in Poland (Warsaw)
ProviderMemoryCPU & storageMonthly priceOrder page
Lodehost Starter, performance line8 GB Free websiteRyzen 9 7950X with DDR5, Poland (Warsaw) 2 reserved vCPU, 60 GB Enterprise NVMe€6.38 /mo First 3 months, then €15.95/mo, €13.95 on 24 months 60% off for new customersView plan Lodehost Starter (opens Lodehost)
Astroworld Hosting Starter Performance8 GB Free websiteRyzen 9 7950X with DDR5, Poland (Warsaw) 2 reserved vCPU, 50 GB Enterprise NVMe€6.38 /mo First 3 months, then €15.95/mo, €13.95 on 24 months 60% off for new customersView plan Astroworld Starter Performance (opens Astroworld Hosting)
Cheapest Minecraft Hosting Plus, budget line8 GBRyzen 9 7950X with DDR5, Poland (Warsaw) 2 shared vCPU, 40 GB NVMe€6.40 /mo Same price on every termView plan CheapestMinecraftHosting Plus (opens Cheapest Minecraft Hosting)

On the Performance lines the large price is what a new customer pays a month at the start: for the first 3 months at both Astroworld Hosting and Lodehost, when you pay monthly. The regular monthly price comes after it, and the last price in each row is the monthly price on the host's longest term.

Compare the same billing term and location before you order.

Every price is taken from the host's own order page. How we compare

What do you need to whitelist a server?

Whitelisting a Minecraft server takes 3 things: access to the console or operator rights, the exact usernames of your players, and the right list for each edition.

  • whitelist on and add

    Two commands in the console on Java. In game, an operator needs permission level 3 to run them.

  • allow-list on Bedrock

    Bedrock uses allow-list=true and allowlist add, and even operators must be on the list.

  • fwhitelist for crossplay

    On a Geyser server, Floodgate adds Bedrock players to the Java whitelist without a name prefix.

A whitelist keeps strangers out, not invited players who misbehave, so keep backups as well.

How to turn on the whitelist on a Minecraft server

To turn on the whitelist on a Minecraft Java server, open the console in your host's panel and follow 4 steps:

  1. Switch it on with whitelist on, or set white-list=true in server.properties and restart.
  2. Add every player with whitelist add <name>. They do not need to be online.
  3. Check the list with whitelist list.
  4. Set enforce-whitelist=true in server.properties, so a player you take off the list is kicked right away.

In game the commands start with a slash, and only an operator with permission level 3 or higher can use them. The default operator level is 4, so a normal operator can.

Minecraft whitelist commands

Minecraft has 6 whitelist commands on Java, and Bedrock and Floodgate each add their own:

Minecraft whitelist commands on Java, Bedrock and with Floodgate
CommandWhat it doesWhere
whitelist onTurns the whitelist onJava
whitelist offTurns it off, so anyone can join againJava
whitelist add <name>Adds a player, online or notJava
whitelist remove <name>Takes a player off the listJava
whitelist listShows everyone on the listJava
whitelist reloadReads whitelist.json again after you edited the fileJava
allowlist add <name>, remove, list, reloadThe same jobs on a Bedrock serverBedrock
fwhitelist add <name>, removeAdds or removes a Bedrock player on a Java server with GeyserFloodgate

Why can't I join my own Minecraft server?

If you can't join your own new Minecraft server on Java 26.3 or newer, the whitelist is the first thing to check: since 26.3 a new server.properties has white-list=true, so the server only lets in players on the list and operators. Fix it in the console with whitelist add <your name> or op <your name>, or set white-list=false if the server is meant to be open to everyone.

An older server that you update keeps the value already in its server.properties, so this only catches servers created on 26.3 or later. If the whitelist is off and you still cannot connect, our guide to making a Minecraft server lists the other causes.

How to whitelist on a Bedrock server

To whitelist on a Bedrock server, set allow-list=true in server.properties and add players with allowlist add <name>. Bedrock calls it the allowlist and has no command to switch it on or off, and unlike Java it makes no exception for operators: they must be on the list too.

The names are kept in allowlist.json, where each entry has a name, an optional xuid for the Xbox account and ignoresPlayerLimit, which lets that player in even when the server is full.

How to whitelist Bedrock players on a crossplay server

To whitelist Bedrock players on a crossplay server, use Floodgate's fwhitelist add <name> instead of the normal command. Bedrock players join a Geyser server under a name with a prefix, and fwhitelist adds them without it, straight into the Java whitelist. Our page on Minecraft crossplay hosting explains how Geyser and Floodgate fit together.

How to edit whitelist.json

To edit whitelist.json by hand, keep 1 entry per player with their uuid and name, save the file, and run whitelist reload if the server is running, or it keeps using the old list. The UUID is what counts, so a player who changes their name stays on the list.

With online-mode=false, the server checks an offline UUID made from the username instead, so anyone who types a whitelisted name gets in. Keep online mode on for any whitelist you rely on.

Best hosting for a whitelisted Minecraft server

The best hosting for a whitelisted Minecraft server for ten friends is an 8 GB plan, and every host here supports the whitelist:

For 6 to 10 players with vanilla Minecraft on Java in Poland (Warsaw), the finder recommends Lodehost Starter: 8 GB, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5, for €15.95 a month when you pay monthly. As a new customer you pay €6.38 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off. The best plans at the other two hosts are Astroworld Starter Performance at €15.95 and CheapestMinecraftHosting Plus at €6.40.

Before you turn on the whitelist

Before you turn on the whitelist, check 3 things, so nobody who belongs there is locked out:

  1. Let yourself in

    On Java an operator always gets in, so op yourself in the console or add your own name first.

  2. Check every spelling

    The list stores each account's ID, so a typo either fails or lets in a different account with that name.

  3. Turn on enforce-whitelist

    Without it, a player you remove stays online until they log out.

Questions about the Minecraft server whitelist

Can operators join a whitelisted server?

On Java, yes: operators can always connect while the whitelist is on, even if they are not on it. On Bedrock, no: every player, operators included, must be on the allowlist.

Can I whitelist a player who is not online?

Yes. whitelist add works for any existing Java account, online or not, and allowlist add does the same on Bedrock.

Do I need a plugin for a Minecraft whitelist?

No. The whitelist is part of the Java and Bedrock server software. Only crossplay servers need Floodgate's fwhitelist, to add Bedrock players to the Java list.

Does a whitelist stop griefing?

It stops strangers, so random griefers cannot join. It does not stop an invited player who breaks things, so keep regular backups and remove that player with whitelist remove.

Does the whitelist work in offline mode?

Only by name: with online-mode=false the server checks an offline UUID made from the username, so anyone who types a whitelisted name can join. Keep online-mode=true.

Why was the whitelist on when I made my server?

Since Minecraft Java 26.3, white-list=true is the default in a new server.properties. Add yourself with whitelist add or op yourself in the console, or set it to false for an open server.

Still unsure? Use the Minecraft server finder