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Servers - Aternos

Aternos: how to create a server step by step

Aternos is the fastest way to your own Minecraft server without spending a cent. The whole process takes about a quarter of an hour: creating an account on aternos.org, choosing a version and engine, the first start and sending your friends the yourname.aternos.me address. This guide shows every step, including the settings worth tweaking so the server does not lag from the start.

Signing up at aternos.org (step by step)

Aternos needs no installation: everything happens in the browser. Go to aternos.org, click Register in the top right corner and fill in a simple form. All you need is a username and a password. An email address is optional but strongly recommended: without it you cannot recover the account if you forget the password, and you lose the whole server along with it.

What you need before signing up

  • Username - it becomes part of the server address (for example name.aternos.me), so pick something easy to remember
  • Password - use a password manager instead of reusing an old one
  • Email - optional, but it is used for password resets and notices about the rules

Confirming the account and the dashboard

After you fill in the form, Aternos logs you in automatically. If you gave an email, you will get an activation link: click it to enable all features. When the dashboard loads, you will see a Create Server button. One Aternos account = one server, so you do not have to pick a plan or enter a card. The free plan is the only option the platform offers.

Important: Aternos does not allow monetizing a server, for example by selling ranks. If you are planning a commercial server, move to paid hosting right away: an Aternos account can be suspended when they detect item sales. You will find more options in our roundup of free and cheap Minecraft hosting.

Choosing a version (Java, Bedrock, PaperMC, Fabric)

After you click Create Server, Aternos asks which edition and engine you want to run. The choice is not cosmetic: it decides who can join you and which mods or plugins you can install later. First you pick the edition (Java or Bedrock), then a specific engine for that edition.

Minecraft Java Edition

This is the classic PC version and the default choice for most players. Aternos offers several Java engines:

  • Vanilla - a clean Mojang server with no plugins or mods. Good for learning the mechanics, but less optimized than Paper
  • PaperMC - the most popular choice on Aternos. A Spigot fork with hundreds of performance fixes that supports Bukkit and Spigot plugins
  • Spigot / CraftBukkit - older forks, worth choosing only when a specific plugin does not work on Paper
  • Fabric - a lightweight mod loader that updates quickly to new versions, with mods from Modrinth and CurseForge
  • Forge / NeoForge - a mod engine, the choice for heavy modpacks (RLCraft, Better MC, SkyFactory)

Minecraft Bedrock Edition

Bedrock is the version for phones, consoles and Windows 10/11. Aternos supports it through the Nukkit or PocketMine-MP engines. The plugin ecosystem here is thinner than on Java: do not expect EssentialsX or WorldEdit in a form you know. If you are planning a mixed group (some on PC, some on phones), it is better to set up a Java server with the Geyser + Floodgate plugins instead of a Bedrock one, as we also describe on our page Aternos: free Minecraft server hosting.

Which Minecraft version to pick

Always pick a version that matches the client your friends have. A 1.21.4 server will not accept a player on a 1.20.4 client unless you install the ViaVersion plugin (which needs Paper). If your group is split, set the server to the oldest version anyone has and ask the others to change their profile in the launcher. That is always faster than bridging versions with plugins.

Server configuration (server.properties, whitelist, operators)

The Aternos panel gives you two ways to configure: the Options tab with a graphical interface for the basics and the Files tab with access to the raw server files. Options is enough for learning, but sooner or later every server needs a visit to server.properties.

Key settings in the Options tab

  • Gamemode - Survival, Creative, Adventure, Spectator
  • Difficulty - Peaceful, Easy, Normal, Hard
  • Seed - you can enter a seed before the first start; changing it later requires a world reset
  • Whitelist - a switch that turns on the list of invited players
  • Online mode - leave it on unless someone in the group does not have a paid account (we advise against it: there is no protection against username theft)
  • Max players - the limit of simultaneous connections

server.properties - manual editing

Go to Files and open server.properties. These are the parameters worth tweaking on Aternos right away:

  • view-distance=6 - chunk render distance, the default of 10 eats RAM
  • simulation-distance=4 - range of entity and redstone simulation, a lower value means higher TPS
  • spawn-protection=0 - turns off spawn protection, which lets players build near the starting point
  • motd=Server for friends - the text shown in the server list in the client
  • enforce-whitelist=true - enforces the whitelist even for players who are already logged in

Whitelist and operators

By default the server is public: anyone who learns the yourname.aternos.me address can join. If you do not want strangers on your map, turn on the whitelist before the first start. In the Aternos console (the Console tab) type:

whitelist on
whitelist add PlayerName
whitelist reload

Operators have access to admin commands (/gamemode, /tp, /give, /op). You add them with the command op PlayerName in the console. Never give OP to someone you do not trust completely: griefing on a server with OP is nearly irreversible, unless you use the CoreProtect plugin.

Tip: After every change to server.properties, restart the server, otherwise the new settings will not load. The /reload command does not refresh this file.

Starting the server and inviting friends (server IP)

Go back to the server dashboard and click the big green START button. At that point Aternos puts your request into a global queue. At peak hours (evenings, weekends) you wait 5-15 minutes, at night usually 10-30 seconds. There is no trick to skip the queue.

The server address - what aternos.me is

When the queue ends, the panel status changes to Online and you will see an address in the format yourname.aternos.me at the top. Copy it and send it to your friends. Port 25565 is built into the protocol, so you do not need to add it separately.

aternos.me is the domain where Aternos gives out free addresses for all the servers it hosts: every server gets its own subdomain based on the account name. The address stays the same between sessions even if the machine's actual IP changes, so always give your friends the .aternos.me name, not the numeric IP.

How friends join

  1. Launch Minecraft Java on the same version as the server
  2. Click Multiplayer in the main menu
  3. Choose Add Server
  4. In the Server Address field, paste yourname.aternos.me
  5. Save and click the entry to join

If someone has Bedrock Edition and you set up a Java server, they can join only if you have the Geyser plugin installed. We cover it on the page Aternos: mods and plugins.

A custom domain on Aternos

Aternos does not support custom domains in the traditional sense, but with an SRV record in your domain's DNS you can redirect traffic from mc.yoursite.com to yourname.aternos.me. The instructions depend on your registrar, but the SRV syntax itself is standard. It is more reliable to simply remember the .aternos.me address.

Common startup errors

Before the server comes up after the first click on START, you often have to solve one or two problems. These are the ones that show up most often. You will find the full catalog of failures in the guide Aternos not working: troubleshooting.

The server is stuck in the queue

If the queue counter has not dropped for a few minutes, try refreshing the page and clicking START again. Sometimes Aternos drops you from the queue when there are connection problems, and losing the tab means losing your spot. On a weekday morning the queue is the shortest.

The "Server closed unexpectedly" error

The most common cause is an incompatible plugin or mod. Turn off the plugins you added most recently (the Plugins tab, with a switch next to each one) and check whether the server starts without them. If it does, a specific plugin was the problem, one that does not support your Paper version.

The "Out of memory" error

Aternos allocates 2-4 GB of RAM dynamically. If the server crashes on startup with a heavy modpack, you have three options: reduce view-distance to 4-5, cut the number of loaded mods, or move to paid hosting with guaranteed RAM.

Players get "Connection refused"

That usually means the server is off: there is no "always online" on Aternos. Log in to the panel and start the server. If players see the online indicator but still cannot join, the problem is on their side (wrong client version, wrong address) or the whitelist is blocking the connection. Run whitelist list to see who has been added.

Client version does not match the server version

The Outdated client / Outdated server error is exactly this mismatch. Either change the server version in Aternos (it needs a restart) or ask players to change their profile in the Minecraft launcher. The ViaVersion plugin works in one direction only: it lets newer clients connect to an older server, not the other way around.

FAQ: common questions about creating a server on Aternos

Is creating a server on Aternos completely free?

Yes, creating, maintaining and running an Aternos server is completely free. The platform is funded by the ads in the panel and offers no premium plan. You only pay in patience: waiting in the queue before every start and accepting the automatic shutdown after 5 minutes with no players.

How long does it take to set up a first server on Aternos?

From signing up to a running server it usually takes 10-15 minutes. The first launch takes the longest, because you have to wait in the queue: 5-15 minutes at peak hours, 10-30 seconds at night. The configuration itself (choosing an engine, editing server.properties, adding the whitelist) takes just a few minutes.

Can I change the Minecraft version on Aternos after creating the server?

Yes, you change the version in the Software tab while the server is off. Be careful when switching versions: it can damage the world, so download a copy of the world from the Files tab first. Switching between Paper and Forge also means removing all plugins, because they will not work on a different engine.

What should I do if my server is stuck in the queue and will not start?

First check status.aternos.org, because the whole platform may be down. If the status is green, refresh the panel page and click START again. Sometimes it helps to turn off your ad blocker, which can break the panel. If the queue has been stuck for more than 10 minutes, click STOP and try again: usually one of the attempts works.

Do I need a paid Minecraft account to create a server on Aternos?

No, an Aternos account is not tied to Minecraft in any way. But if your friends are going to play together, we recommend leaving online-mode=true in server.properties. Turning online mode off opens the server to every client (including pirated ones), which usually ends in stolen usernames, griefing and leaked data. You can buy the official Minecraft at minecraft.net.

What is the aternos.me address?

aternos.me is the domain where Aternos gives out free addresses for all the servers it hosts: every server gets a subdomain in the format yourname.aternos.me. You enter this address in the Minecraft client in the Server Address field, and it stays the same between sessions even when the machine's actual IP changes.

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