Crossplay is the most requested feature on almost every server: friends on PC run Java Edition, friends on phone, tablet or console run Bedrock, and by default those two cannot see each other. Two free plugins fix that, and neither of them requires touching your world.
How it works
Geyser is a translator. It sits on your Java server and converts Bedrock's network protocol into Java's in real time, so your server sees a Bedrock player as just another player. Floodgate is the companion piece: it lets those Bedrock players join without owning a Java account, which is the whole point for anyone playing on a console or a phone.
You install both on the Java side. Bedrock players change nothing on their end except the address they connect to.
Setup
- Install Geyser-Spigot and Floodgate into your Paper server's
/pluginsfolder and restart. - Make sure the Bedrock port is open. Bedrock uses UDP, default 19132 — this trips people up, because Java uses TCP 25565 and opening the wrong protocol silently does nothing.
- Bedrock players add the server using your normal server address and that port.
- On managed hosting the port side is usually handled for you; on TaroHosting plans crossplay comes ready out of the box.
Things worth knowing before you enable it
- Usernames get a prefix. Floodgate adds a character (a dot by default) in front of Bedrock names so they cannot collide with Java accounts. Configure permissions and whitelists accordingly.
- Not every plugin behaves. Anything that opens a custom inventory GUI or relies on Java-only mechanics may render oddly for Bedrock players. Test your core plugins with a phone before opening to the public.
- Bedrock updates itself. Phones and consoles auto-update, so you will occasionally need to update Geyser the same week Mojang ships a Bedrock version.
The error you will eventually see
"Outdated Geyser Proxy" is the single most common crossplay problem, and it means exactly what it says: Bedrock updated, your Geyser build did not. Download the current Geyser jar, replace the old one, restart, done — usually a two-minute job. If your mobile players suddenly cannot connect and nothing else changed, check this first.
Is it worth it?
For most community servers, yes — it roughly doubles the pool of people who can join, and Bedrock is where a large share of younger players are. The cost is a little extra care when choosing plugins. If you want a hand setting it up, support can do the Geyser and Floodgate install for you on Discord.