[Fix] Minecraft: Connection Timed Out - Failed to Connect to the Server

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Are you having an issue playing Minecraft with your friend that says your server connection timed out on Minecraft? If so, you’re not alone.

Many Minecraft players have experienced this issue, but fortunately, it is pretty easy to fix.

Minecraft is an open-world game that allows players to build anything they can imagine out of textured cubes. Both children and adults enjoy its creative freedom.

The best thing about Minecraft is that it allows users to interact with one another through different servers. But sometimes, users may not be able to connect to any server.

Basically, the players are unable to connect to any server on the game so they cannot communicate with their buddies online. Don’t worry if you’re having the same problem – it’s often quite easy to resolve.

In this guide, we are going to show you what causes the Minecraft server connection timed out error and how you can deal with this problem on your computer.

Let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

Causes Of Minecraft Connection Timed Out

This problem hasn’t many distinct causes, it has a few causes and they all boil down to one thing: something is blocking the game from properly accessing the Internet. It could either be:

The antivirus program on your computer.
Or due to Firewall settings or your router.

How To Fix Minecraft Connection Timed Out

Here are some effective solutions to fix the Minecraft server connection timed out error.

Check Minecraft Server Status

Before you start troubleshooting the issue, it is a good idea to check if the server you’re trying to connect to is actually online.

During maintenance or due to some other reason, the server has gone down and players have been unable to connect. So, checking the status of the server is the first thing you should do.

Here’s how you can check the status of the server:

First of all, open the browser and navigate to mcsrvstat.us (an online tool for checking various Minecraft servers for free).

Type the IP address of the server you’re trying to connect to in the text field and click on Get Server Status.

Now check if the server is working.

If the server is online and working properly, you should see a green ‘Online’ indicator next to its IP address.

If you don’t see this, it means that the server is currently down or experiencing a technical problem.

If the server is up and running, but you are still having trouble connecting, then you can move on to the next solution.

Use A Different Antivirus Tool

In some cases, your antivirus program may prevent proper Internet access when the Minecraft game is not recognized as a genuine program.

This will result in Minecraft being unable to connect to the server error.

Many users have reported that they were able to fix this problem by simply switching to a different antivirus program.

So, if you’re using an antivirus tool, try uninstalling your current antivirus program or using a different antivirus program to fix the issue and see if that helps.

Here’s how to do so:

First of all, right-click on the Start button and then select the App and Features (Programs and Features).

In the Settings window, you’ll see a list of all installed programs on your computer.
Double click the antivirus program and then click the Uninstall button.
After that, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the uninstallation.

Once you’ve done that, restart your computer to check if the failed to connect to Server Minecraft error has been resolved. Make sure you choose a reliable antivirus program if you intend to use one.

Allow Minecraft On Your Firewall

As explained above, your firewall may prevent Minecraft from connecting to your internet connection, which results in an error message. In this case, it is recommended that you allow Minecraft to connect to your firewall in order to resolve this problem.

Here’s how to do that:

First, press Windows + S on your keyboard and search for Windows Firewall.
Now select Open.

Then click on Allow an App or Feature Through Windows Firewall.

Finally, make sure Minecraft is ticked from the list of programs that can communicate through the Windows Firewall.
Click on OK to save changes.

You now need to restart your computer and try to join a Minecraft server again to see whether this worked.

Forward 25565 Port In Your Firewall

For Minecraft to work properly on the Server computer, 25565 ports must be open. So, you will need to forward port 25565 into your firewall in order to fix this problem.

If you don’t know how to do this, follow the instructions below:

First, press the Windows key + S on your keyboard and search for Windows Firewall.
Then select Open.

Now click on Advanced Settings inside Windows Firewall.

After that, click on Inbound Rules and press the New Rule button.

Next, select Port from the list and click Next.

Make sure TCP is selected, then click on Specific local ports and type 25565 on the dialog box.

Finally, click on Next, select Allow The Connection, and then follow the prompts to save your changes.

Once that is done, repeat the same steps (select the Outbound rules in Step 2) for the Outbound Rules. After that, restart your computer and try to connect to a Minecraft server once again, and see if you still receive an error message.

Reset The Network Configurations

If the issue persists, it may be related to your computer’s network configuration. In this case, the best thing you can do is reset your computer’s networking settings and see if that helps fix the problem.

Here’s how to reset your computer’s network configurations:

First of all, press the Windows key + S on your keyboard and search for Command Prompt (Admin).
Click Run as Administrator to open the Command Prompt as an admin.

There, type the following commands and execute-

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns 
ipconfig /renew
netsh int ip
netsh int ip set dns
netsh winsock reset

Once you’ve run each command one by one, close Command Prompt and restart your computer.
These steps will renew your IP address and DNS. Connection time out Minecraft Errors may also be caused by DNS cache.

When your computer has restarted, try joining a Minecraft server again to see if the issue has been resolved.

If you’re still having the same problem, try the next method below.

Change The Minecraft Version

When this issue occurs after an update, it could indicate that the update may contain bugs or errors that prevent the game from connecting to the server.

Also, it is possible that the version of Minecraft you’re using is not compatible with the server.

If this is the case, you can try using a different version of Minecraft to connect to a server that works well on your computer. To do this, follow the below steps:

Open the Minecraft launcher and then click on the Installations tab.

Now click on the New button.
Click on the Version drop-down menu.

Here, select any version of the game other than the one currently running and click Create.
The download of that version will now begin, and you will find it in the installation menu.
Now select this version and try to connect to your desired server.

Use A VPN

If you’re still having trouble connecting to the server, it is also possible that your ISP is blocking the connection. In this case, you can try using a VPN to fix the problem.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your traffic and routes it through a server in a different location. This allows you to bypass any restrictions imposed by your ISP.

Also, Read: Top 5 Best VPN Available Right Now [TechLatest]

There are many VPN services available, but I highly recommend using ExpressVPN. Because it is one of the most reliable and fastest VPNs on the market.

That’s it! These are the most common solutions that will fix the connection timed out error in Minecraft.

Also, Read: How to Manually Add VPN Profiles on Any Device [TechLatest]

Conclusion

As you can see, I’ve explained what causes the Minecraft connection timed out error and provided some effective solutions to fix the error.

Typically, this error occurs when something is blocking the game from communicating with its servers. This could be an issue with your internet connection, your firewall, or your router.

Hopefully, one of the above-mentioned solutions will work for you to fix the issue.

If you have any questions or know any other effective solutions that have worked for you, please share them in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!