--- title: "Getting started with your Minecraft server" url: https://help.endercloud.in/docs/getting-started-with-your-minecraft-server category: "Minecraft Hosting" type: Guide tags: ["getting started", "minecraft", "panel", "whitelist"] keywords: "new server, first time setup, server ready, how to start server, server ip, eula, accept eula, i accept, not whitelisted, whitelist add, invite friends, play with friends, setup minecraft server, minecraft server setup, how to setup minecraft server, start minecraft server, new minecraft server, minecraft server ip, join my server, you are not whitelisted, eula popup, minecarft server" difficulty: beginner time: "10 minutes" updated: 2026-11-14 source: Endercloud Knowledge Base (official) --- # Getting started with your Minecraft server > Open the Game Panel with Auto Login to Panel, press Start and accept the EULA, whitelist yourself (the whitelist is on by default), then join with the address shown in the panel. Your Minecraft server is created automatically as soon as your payment goes through. To play: open it in the Game Panel, press **Start** and accept the EULA, **add yourself to the whitelist**, and join with the address shown in the panel. This guide walks you through your first ten minutes. > **Warning:** > **The whitelist is ON on a fresh server** (`white-list=true`). Until you add yourself, you will see "You are not white-listed on this server". Step 4 shows the one command you need. ## 1\. Open your server in the Game Panel 1. Log in to the [billing panel](https://billing.endercloud.in) and open **Services**. 2. Open your Minecraft service. 3. Under **Service Actions**, click **Auto Login to Panel**. The Game Panel opens and you are already signed in. 4. On the panel home page, click **Manage server** on your server's card. Other ways to sign in are in [How to log in to the Game Panel](/docs/how-to-log-in-to-the-game-panel). ## 2\. Check the software and version Open the **Versions** tab. The top shows what is *Currently running*, the *Installed Minecraft Version* and the *Installed Build*, for example "Paper · 26.3 · #249". New servers run Paper, our recommendation for most Java servers. - Happy with it? Move on. - Want a different version, or mods instead of plugins? Change it now, before you build anything: [How to change your Minecraft version or server software](/docs/how-to-change-minecraft-version-or-server-software). - Want a whole modpack? Use the **Modpacks** tab: [How to install a modpack](/docs/how-to-install-a-modpack). The right Java version is picked automatically, so you don't need to change anything in **Startup**. Not sure which software to use? Read [Which Minecraft server software should I choose?](/docs/which-minecraft-server-software-should-i-choose) ## 3\. Start the server and accept the EULA 1. Open **Console** so you can see what the server is doing. 2. Click **Start**. 3. The first time, a popup **Accept Minecraft® EULA** appears. Read the [Minecraft EULA](https://www.minecraft.net/eula) and click **I ACCEPT**. (Every Minecraft server must accept it before it will run.) 4. The server boots and generates the world. When the console shows a line containing `Done`, the status changes to **Online**. On a fresh server this takes about 20 seconds. ## 4\. Add yourself to the whitelist In the **Console** box, type this with your exact Minecraft username (no `/`) and press Enter: ``` whitelist add YourName op YourName ``` The first line lets you join. The second makes you an operator so you can use commands in game. You can also add players in the **Players** tab under **Whitelist**. Add every friend the same way, or turn the whitelist off with `whitelist off` if you want anyone to be able to join. Details: [Whitelist, op and ban players](/docs/whitelist-op-and-ban-players). ## 5\. Find your address and join Your address is shown at the top of the panel and on the **Dashboard** under **Server Info** as **Hostname**, for example `agni.ender.co.in:45808`. The part after the colon is your port. 1. Open Minecraft Java Edition and choose **Multiplayer** → **Add Server**. 2. Paste the whole address, including the port, into **Server Address** and click **Done**. 3. Double-click the server to join. Your game version must match the server version (or use ViaVersion). For Bedrock and consoles, see [How to join a Minecraft server](/docs/how-to-join-a-minecraft-server). ## 6\. Invite your friends Whitelist your friends (step 4) and send them the same address. They don't need a panel account to play. If a friend should help run the server, add them under **Users** instead of sharing your password: [How to add sub-users](/docs/how-to-add-sub-users). > **Tip:** > Want a short address like `play.example.com`? Grab a free one: [Free subdomain and dedicated IP](/docs/free-subdomain-and-dedicated-ip). ## Next steps - **Add plugins** such as EssentialsX or LuckPerms from the **Plugins** tab: [How to install plugins](/docs/how-to-install-plugins-on-a-paper-or-purpur-server). - **Set up backups** in **Backups**, ideally on a schedule: [How to create and restore backups](/docs/how-to-create-and-restore-backups). - **Tweak settings** like difficulty and max players in **Properties**: [server.properties explained](/docs/server-properties-explained). - **Change the server name in the list**: [How to change the MOTD and server icon](/docs/how-to-change-the-motd-and-server-icon). - **Check performance**: Paper includes the spark profiler, so `spark tps` and `spark profiler start` work without installing anything. See [Find lag with spark](/docs/find-lag-with-spark-profiler). ## Frequently asked questions **Q: I get "You are not white-listed on this server"** The whitelist is on by default. Run `whitelist add YourName` in the **Console** (or add yourself in **Players → Whitelist**) and join again. **Q: I clicked Cancel on the EULA popup** Just click **Start** again and choose **I ACCEPT**. The server cannot run until the EULA is accepted. **Q: The server won't start or crashes straight away** Read the last red lines in the **Console**, then see [Minecraft server won't start](/docs/minecraft-server-wont-start). **Q: Does the server keep running when I close the panel?** Yes. It keeps running until you press **Stop**. Closing the browser does not turn it off. Still stuck? [Open a ticket](https://billing.endercloud.in/tickets/create) with your server name and a screenshot of the console.