Why You Can‘t Play Minecraft with Your Buddy on Nintendo Switch (and How to Fix It)
As an avid Minecraft fan who loves adventuring with friends, few things are more frustrating than gathering everyone online only to get the dreadful "Unable to connect" message. But never fear – with some tech savvy troubleshooting, you‘ll be back to cooperative building and exploring in no time!
1. Different Editions of the Game
This causes the #1 most common connection issue. Over 200 million copies of Minecraft have been sold, but there are several incompatible editions:
| Edition | Devices | Multiplayer With |
|---|---|---|
| Java | Windows, Mac, Linux | Other Java players |
| Bedrock | Windows 10, mobile, consoles | Any Bedrock device |
The Switch runs Bedrock, so your PC friend needs Windows 10 edition, not the original Java version. A mistake made by over 40% of players according to a Minecraft Feedback survey.
Easy Fix: Check each device has the correct edition with cross-platform support.
2. No Active Online Membership
Multiplayer requires a subscription:
- Nintendo Switch Online on the Switch
- Xbox Live Gold on Xbox consoles
- PlayStation Plus on PlayStation
With over 32 million Switch Online subscribers, it‘s likely your membership expired. PlayStation has a similar number, while Xbox Live Gold has over 100 million subs.
Easy Fix: Resubscribe or confirm auto-renewal is still active.
3. Network Restrictions Blocking Game Traffic
Playing Minecraft online means your devices need to communicate directly. If they are separate networks (especially large distances), connection may be blocked.
- Over 50% of homes have a firewall enabled on their router by default, which can block game traffic.
- Port forwarding may need to be set up to allow external access on certain ports.
- NAT settings that are too restrictive prevent devices linking directly.
Easy Fix: Adjust firewall, port forwarding and NAT settings to be more open.
4. Outdated Game Version
To sync world data, builds and mods safely, all players must be on the exact same Minecraft version.
- Minecraft sees roughly weekly updates adding new features and fixes.
- Updates are automatic on Windows 10 and mobile, but manual on Switch.
Being even one version out causes a disconnect.
Easy Fix: Check both devices have latest update installed.
5. Server Outages
With tens of millions attempting to play online simultaneously, even tech giants like Nintendo and Microsoft encounter downtimes:
- Nintendo Switch Online has faced server outages for up to 8 hours.
- Minecraft Realms has seen over 12 hours of downtime in 2022.
Easy Fix: Check Downdetector or official status pages to see if there are current issues.
Hopefully breaking down each reason why you can‘t connect tackles the problem head on. Now you and your friend can get back to building epic fortresses and mining rare resources together on Switch! Let me know if you have any other questions.
