Sometimes it can take as little as an hour. Likewise, you can have a server running on your PC as soon as you download Minecraft Java Edition, if you know how to set things up on your end.

The best Minecraft servers on Java and Bedrock can be hard to find, so we've dug them out for you, alongside instructions on how to host your own if you prefer to.

The Bedrock Edition of Minecraft is playable with friends using peer-to-peer online multiplayer, where you can join your friends’ active sessions for free. But if you want a server that will stay ...