A status check answers the same question players ask in the multiplayer list: is the server up, what does the MOTD say, and how full is it? Owners use the same data for uptime monitoring, Discord bots, and “is it just me?” support replies.
Check any host — use the free Server Status tool for Java or Bedrock lookups (MOTD, players, version, icon, and more).
Section 01
What a status check shows
- Online / offline — whether the ping or status handshake succeeded.
- MOTD — the message of the day shown in the server list.
- Players — online count and max; sometimes sample names if exposed.
- Version — protocol / brand string the server advertises.
- Icon — favicon when the server provides one.
Public checkers (including our free Server Status tool) often cache results for a few minutes, so a just-restarted server may briefly look offline or stale.
Section 02
Java vs Bedrock
Pick the edition that matches the listener you are testing:
- Java — Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Velocity/Bungee frontends, and most “play.example.com” networks.
- Bedrock — Bedrock Edition hosts and Geyser Bedrock listeners (RakNet status).
A Java-online network can still show Bedrock as offline if Geyser is down or bound to a different port. Check each endpoint separately.
Section 03
Address and ports
- Enter the hostname players use (or a raw IP).
- Add
:portonly when you are not using the default — Java25565, Bedrock19132— or when SRV does not apply. - If omitted, status APIs resolve SRV records the same way the Minecraft client often does.
Examples:
play.example.com
play.example.com:25565
bedrock.example.com:19132Section 04
Query, plugins, and privacy
With enable-query=true in server.properties (and the query port reachable), richer data may appear — fuller player lists, plugins, or mods — depending on what the server exposes.
- Leave query off if you do not want plugin lists or player names public.
- Firewall rules must allow the status/query ports from the internet for external checkers to work.
- Offline results are not always “server crashed” — wrong edition, closed port, or DNS/SRV misconfig are common.
Section 05
Hosting a server you can check
Once you have a host online, use the Server Status tool to confirm the address players will join. Mine Studios partners with Four Seasons Hosting for Minecraft Java and Bedrock — see their Minecraft plans when you are ready to deploy.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why does the status tool say offline when I can join?
Wrong edition (Java vs Bedrock), wrong port, DNS/SRV pointing elsewhere, firewall blocking status probes, or a cached offline result. Confirm the exact host:port players use.
What does enable-query do?
It enables the legacy query protocol so tools can fetch extra data such as a fuller player list or plugin names when the server exposes them.
Do I need to include the port?
Only if you are not on the default port and SRV does not already map the hostname. Otherwise hostname alone is usually enough.