Unable to Connect to World Error in Minecraft: How to Fix It
Minecraft is one of the most popular games of all time for good reason. It’s easy to pick up for casual gamers and offers intricate design capabilities for serious gamers. Beyond that, a collaborative spirit lets players explore their personally-designed worlds with friends.
Because of Minecraft’s communal aspect, it can be frustrating to try joining your friends' worlds and receive an error message. This issue makes it impossible to join other worlds and experience Minecraft as it’s meant to be played. Fortunately, solving this issue is easy.
There are a number of reasons you might see this error message, and we’re here to simplify the troubleshooting process.
Fix #1: Your Microsoft Account
Minecraft requires a Microsoft account to play, a measure added a while ago to improve security. Sometimes, an error can be solved by signing in and out of your account, then restarting your game.
In the settings menu, you should see an additional option for your profile. Clicking here reveals an option that lets you sign out of your Microsoft account.
After you sign out, navigate back to your profile and sign back in by selecting “Sign in For Free.” After choosing to save the game to your Microsoft account and selecting it, you may be able to reconnect.
Fix #2: Friends List Corruption
Sometimes, player data can be corrupted in Minecraft, including your friends list. To solve this issue, you need to remove the player whose world you want to join from your friends list.
Once this is done, either send them a new friend request or have them send you one. This can solve any friends-list related issues.
Fix #3: Firewall and Antivirus Software
Windows Defender Firewall is notorious for occasionally affecting Minecraft games. While it may not stop the game itself from launching, Firewall can prevent Minecraft from connecting to servers. Thankfully, Firewall and Minecraft can exist together in harmony with this easy fix.
Click the Start button, then navigate to the Control Panel. Under a list of programs, find and open Firewall. Along the top of the Firewall menu, there should be a message starting with “Allow an App or Feature.” Click on this, and look through the listed programs.
Both “javaw.exe” and “Minecraft.exe” need to be enabled in order for Minecraft to connect to its servers. If they are already enabled, then another issue is causing your Minecraft server issues.
Whatever you do, you should never turn off your Firewall to troubleshoot your Minecraft issues. The only thing worse than a glitching game is a completely compromised computer.
Fix #4: Router Issues
Sometimes, there may be issues with your router preventing you from connecting to servers. Restarting your router can provide a temporary solution, but outdated technology can only truly be fixed with a replacement.
Gaming routers exist to not only streamline but also outright improve your gaming capabilities. These are built with gaming’s high internet usage in mind, so you can excel at what you do best—and leave the rest to us.
Fix #5: Outdated Games
Many pieces of hardware used to play Minecraft will either automatically update the game or let you know when updates exist. However, there is a chance that servers will reject you if your game becomes outdated. This problem can be solved by all players updating Minecraft to its most current version, whatever that is.
Fix #6: Microsoft Down Time
No company is perfect. At times, Minecraft servers will be down. This may be caused by technical issues on Microsoft's end or scheduled server maintenance.
When a server crash, there is nothing to be done except wait for them to go back up. This can be a great time to check out other games in your library.
Websites like Downdetector monitor a ton of companies, including Microsoft, so you can tell if your server issues are really Microsoft’s problem.
Fix #7: Restart Your Game
This perennial piece of tech advice is a cliche for a reason. Sometimes, it’s the best way to troubleshoot your problems.
Closing out of Minecraft and restarting it may allow you to rejoin worlds. Barring this, restarting your device as a whole may provide the needed boost to get your game in working order.
Fix #8: Update Your Drivers
Updating your network drivers is a slightly more involved fix than the others on this list, but it can help your game’s overall function immensely.
In order to access your drivers, search for your computer’s Device Manager on your start menu. Open it, then click on “Network Adapters,” which will bring up a list of drivers. Identify the one you are presently using, and right-click it.
This should give you an option to update the device, which you should click on. Choose to search automatically for available updates, and follow the directions your device gives you.
Even if your driver isn’t the issue at hand, updating it has a variety of benefits. Periodic driver updates are essential to keeping your PC in proper working order. Letting them fall behind can result in reduced performance and long-term issues. Ping, lag, and other major detractors can all happen because of outdated drivers.
Fix #9: Network Address Transmission Type
Minecraft relies on specific IP addresses for server connection. It’s this principle that allows IP bans against disruptive or abusive users. Your NAT type affects the way that data packets are distributed, including those relating to IP addresses. However, a tightly secure NAT may prevent gaming on Minecraft.
NAT type can generally be adjusted through your WiFi or Network settings. There are three types: strict, moderate, and open. Minecraft works best with open NAT types, while the others may prevent connection.
Fix #10: Wifi Issues
If you are using a device that relies on WiFi, a shaky connection may cause connectivity problems.
With consoles, this can be solved by using an ethernet cable to connect them to WiFi. Mobile gaming on Minecraft presents a different set of challenges.
If data is no issue, then switching off WiFi to play on cellular data can bring about a more consistent experience. Otherwise, troubleshooting with your router or ISP, as stated previously, can improve your gaming.
Fix #11: Speed Issues
Sometimes, your actual internet speed may be the issue. Your device's speed is affected by your internet provider, the number of devices on your WiFi, and the state of your hardware and software.
If your speed is too slow to connect to Minecraft, there are plenty of things you can do. First, you can close other programs running on a computer or console. Running multiple streaming sites or countless tabs at once can slow down your machine extensively. This can also increase your ping, which impacts your gaming experience once you get into the game.
While these fixes can help you get into the game, you may still experience headaches without a more permanent fix. More extensive measures are available to solve issues like ping and latency.
The Best Solution: WTFast
WTFast offers a PC client built to solve the biggest obstacles preventing players from enjoying their favorite games. The supported list includes over 1,200 games, including Minecraft. This actively tracks ping and a variety of other metrics on games to help optimize your gaming experience.
In any server-based game, it takes time for data packets to be sent to the server. It then takes even more time for those packets to return to you. When traveling, data packs encounter interruptions along your traceroute. This leads to ping, with issues that compound and create a rough-feeling game over time.
An unoptimized traceroute can lead to a variety of issues in-game. Rubberbanding and lag both impede a player from fully embracing their gaming potential, creating controls that feel unresponsive. Monitoring a traceroute allows WTFast to optimize routes for data packets, improving the worst connections and making great ones better.
As stated, the list of games this can help goes beyond Minecraft and is growing every day, especially in competitive games where even a fraction of a second counts.
Reconnecting
Minecraft is a wonderful game to experience solo or share in a community. The above fixes should cover most issues gamers can encounter when playing the game.
Connecting to your friends' Minecraft servers or helping friends connect to yours has never been easier. Best of all, many of the fixes can result in overall improvements to your gaming that will help you in any game you play.
Sources:
The 10 Bestselling Video Games Of All Time | ScreenRant
