How to Create Your Own Vanilla Minecraft Server on Windows

Having a Minecraft server at home allows total freedom: you define the rules, who enters, and which worlds to explore. Although paid hosting services exist, running a Vanilla server (without mods) on your own PC is an excellent way to learn about networking and server management.

1. Minimum System Requirements

To run the latest version of Minecraft in 2026, your computer must meet these basic requirements:

• Processor: Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 (or higher).
• RAM: At least 8GB (reserving 4GB exclusively for the server).
• Operating System: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit).
• Connection: Stable internet (preferably via cable) if inviting external friends.

Keep in mind that if you are playing on the same PC as the server, it is recommended to have more memory.

2. Installing Java (The Server Engine)

Modern Minecraft requires Java 21 or higher. To avoid confusion with the Oracle site, we recommend Eclipse Temurin from Adoptium, which is the most recommended open-source version by the technical community.

• Download: Download Java 21 (Adoptium)

Choose the Windows x64 Installer (.msi) option. After installing, open your CMD and type java -version to confirm that the installation was successful.

3. Downloading the Server File

The official server file is distributed for free by Mojang. You should download the server.jar version directly from the official Minecraft site to ensure there are no malicious files.

• Official Download: Minecraft Server Download

Boreaz Tip: Create a dedicated folder on your Desktop or C: Drive named Minecraft_Server and place the file inside. Never run the server directly in the downloads folder!

4. The First Start and the EULA

Double-click server.jar. You will notice some files appearing in the folder and the program closing by itself. This is normal.

1. Open the eula.txt file that appeared.
2. Change the line eula=false to eula=true.
3. Save and close the file. This confirms that you accept Mojang's terms of use.

5. Creating the Launcher (.bat) for Better Performance

Instead of clicking the .jar, we will create a launcher that defines how much RAM the server can use. In your Notepad, paste the following:

@echo off
java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar nogui
pause
    

Save as start.bat in the same folder. The -Xmx4G command tells the server to use 4GB of RAM. If your PC has a lot of memory, you can increase this value.

6. Granting Access (Port Forwarding)

For your friends to join your server, you need to open port 25565 (TCP/UDP) in your router settings. Also, make sure the Windows Firewall is not blocking Java.

Conclusion

Ready! Now your server is online. Remember that since you are hosting on your own PC, the server will only stay active while your computer is on and the start.bat file is open.

Performance Tip: If your server starts to lag with many friends, consider switching to PaperMC. See our guide on how to install and the advantages of Paper vs Vanilla.

Don't forget to check our Backup Script guide to ensure your new world is always safe!