Use the in-game settings to add friends in Minecraft Java (Image via Mojang Studios) The second and free method to play Minecraft with a friend involves hosting your own LAN server.

Everything you need to know about making a custom server to play 1.21 with friends can be found detailed below.

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.