How to Host a Minecraft Bedrock Server on AWS EC2 – Step-by-Step Guide

Minecraft Bedrock Edition allows players on different platforms (Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Mobile, etc.) to play together. If you want to create your own dedicated Bedrock server, AWS EC2 is a great option because of its scalability, security, and global reach.

In this guide, we will cover:

✅ Choosing the right EC2 instance for a Minecraft Bedrock server
✅ Launching an Ubuntu server on AWS EC2
✅ Setting up the Bedrock server with a startup script
✅ Running and managing your Minecraft server
✅ Accessing the server console

At the end, we’ll announce our own public Minecraft Bedrock server at mc.echomy.space 🎮.

1. Choosing the Right AWS EC2 Instance

Minimum Specifications for a Small Server (2-10 Players)

• Instance Type: t3.small or t3.medium
• vCPUs: 2
• RAM: 2GB – 4GB
• Storage: 10GB (Elastic Block Storage – EBS)
• Network Speed: Moderate

Recommended Specifications for a Medium Server (10-30 Players)

• Instance Type: t3.large or t3.xlarge
• vCPUs: 2-4
• RAM: 4GB – 8GB
• Storage: 20GB
• Network Speed: High

For Large Servers (30+ Players)

• Instance Type: c5.xlarge or m5.large
• vCPUs: 4+
• RAM: 8GB+
• Storage: 40GB+
• Network Speed: High to Very High

Tip: You can start with a t3.small instance (2GB RAM) and upgrade later if needed.

2. Launching an Ubuntu EC2 Instance for Minecraft Bedrock

Follow these steps to create an AWS EC2 instance:

Step 1: Log into AWS and Open EC2 Dashboard

1. Go to AWS Console and log in.
2. Navigate to EC2 Dashboard.

Step 2: Launch a New Instance

1. Click Launch Instance.
2. Select Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (or Ubuntu 20.04).
3. Choose an instance type based on the table above.
4. Set Storage to at least 10GB (increase if needed).
5. Configure Security Groups:
   • Allow Inbound Rules:
     • Port 22 (SSH) – for remote access (your IP only).
     • Port 19132 (UDP) – for Minecraft Bedrock.
6. Click Launch and create a new key pair (download the .pem file).
7. Wait for the instance to start.

3. Connecting to the EC2 Instance

Once the instance is running, you need to SSH into it.

1. Open a terminal (Linux/macOS) or use PuTTY (Windows).
2. Run the following command (replace your-key.pem and your-instance-ip): ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-instance-ip
   • Example: ssh -i minecraft.pem [email protected]
3. If asked, type yes and press Enter.

Now you’re inside your AWS server!

4. Installing and Running Minecraft Bedrock Server

Step 1: Download the Minecraft Bedrock Server

Run the following commands to install required dependencies and download the server:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install unzip wget screen -y
wget https://minecraft.azureedge.net/bin-linux/bedrock-server-1.20.51.01.zip
unzip bedrock-server-*.zip -d bedrock-server
cd bedrock-server

Step 2: Create a Startup Script

We’ll create a script that automatically starts the server.

nano start.sh

Paste the following inside:

#!/bin/bash
cd ~/bedrock-server
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_server

Save and exit (CTRL+X → Y → ENTER).

Make the script executable:

chmod +x start.sh

Step 3: Run the Server

To start the server, use:

./start.sh
NO LOG FILE! - setting up server logging...
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:655 INFO] Starting Server
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:655 INFO] Version: 1.21.51.02
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:655 INFO] Session ID: xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:655 INFO] Build ID: xx
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:655 INFO] Branch: r/21_u5
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:656 INFO] Commit ID: xx
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:656 INFO] Configuration: Publish
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:656 INFO] Level Name: Bedrock level
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:662 INFO] No CDN config file found for dedicated server
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:662 INFO] Game mode: 0 Survival
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:663 INFO] Difficulty: 1 EASY
[2025-02-07 01:24:05:664 INFO] Content logging to console is enabled.
[2025-02-07 01:24:06:151 INFO] Opening level 'worlds/Bedrock level/db'
[2025-02-07 01:24:06:166 INFO] [SERVER] Pack Stack - None
[2025-02-07 01:24:07:073 INFO] IPv4 supported, port: 19132: Used for gameplay and LAN discovery
[2025-02-07 01:24:07:073 INFO] IPv6 supported, port: 19133: Used for gameplay
[2025-02-07 01:24:07:093 INFO] Server started.

Your Minecraft Bedrock server is now running! 🎉

5. Keeping the Server Running

If you close SSH, the server will stop. To keep it running in the background, use screen.

1. Start a new screen session: screen -S minecraft
2. Run the Minecraft server: ./start.sh
3. To detach from the session, press CTRL + A, then D.
4. To reattach: screen -r minecraft

This keeps your server running even after disconnecting from SSH.

6. Connecting to Your Minecraft Bedrock Server

1. Open Minecraft Bedrock Edition on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, or Mobile.
2. Click Play > Servers > Add Server.
3. Enter the following details:
   • Server Name: My AWS Bedrock Server
   • Server Address: your-ec2-ip
   • Port: 19132
4. Click Save and Join.

Pro Tip: Use an Elastic IP in AWS so your IP doesn’t change when restarting.

7. Customizing Server Settings

To configure your Minecraft Bedrock server:

1. Open server.properties: nano ~/bedrock-server/server.properties
2. Change settings such as:
   • server-name=My AWS Server
   • gamemode=survival (or creative)
   • difficulty=normal
   • max-players=20
3. Save and restart the server.

8. Automating Server Startup

To start the server automatically when the instance reboots:

1. Edit the system startup script: sudo nano /etc/rc.local
2. Add the following line before exit 0:

su ubuntu -c 'screen -dmS minecraft bash -c "cd ~/bedrock-server && ./start.sh"'

1. Save and reboot: sudo reboot

Your server will restart automatically after a reboot.

9. Announcing Our Minecraft Server – Join Us!

If you don’t want to go through all the setup, you can join our public Bedrock server instead!

🔥 Server Address: mc.echomy.space
⏳ Limited Slots Available
🎮 Game Mode: Survival / Creative Events
🛠 Active Community & Events

Join us today and experience smooth gameplay on high-performance AWS servers! 🚀

Conclusion

You’ve successfully set up a Minecraft Bedrock Server on AWS EC2! 🏗️🎮

✅ Chose the best AWS EC2 instance
✅ Installed and started the Bedrock server
✅ Configured networking and firewall settings
✅ Kept the server running using screen
✅ Automated startup for a smooth experience

Now, invite your friends and start building! 🚀 Let me know if you have any questions. See you in the game! 🎮