How to Change the Allowlist and Permissions on Your Minecraft Bedrock Server

If you want to control who can join your Minecraft Bedrock server, or adjust what different players are allowed to do, the RiverHosting panel gives you a straightforward way to manage both from one place. The Allowlist page lets you restrict access to invited players only, and the Permissions page lets you set each player's role so you can trust certain people with more control.

Before you start

• Make sure your server is set up and has been started at least once.
• The Allowlist / Permissions page is only available on Vanilla Bedrock (the official Bedrock server). PocketMine-MP and PowerNukkitX servers do not have it.
• You will need the gamertag (Xbox username) of any player you want to add to the allowlist, and the player's XUID (their numeric Xbox ID) for permissions.
• Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com and open your Minecraft Bedrock server.

1. How to enable and manage the allowlist

The allowlist works like a guest list. When it is turned on, only players you have added can join. Everyone else will be turned away at the door.

1. Open your server in the RiverHosting panel.
2. Click Allowlist / Permissions in the left-hand menu.
3. In the Allowlist card, click Add, enter their gamertag under Player Name and click Add Player.
4. Repeat this for each player you want to allow.
5. To remove a player, find their name in the list and click the remove button next to it.
6. The page only manages the list. To enforce it, open Properties, expand All Properties, set allow-list to true and click Save Changes. You can also type allowlist on in the console.
7. Restart your server for any changes to take full effect.

2. How to manage player permissions

Permissions let you decide what each player can do on your server. Minecraft Bedrock uses three main permission levels: Visitor, Member, and Operator. Operators have the most control and can run server commands.

1. Go to Allowlist / Permissions in the left-hand menu.
2. In the Permissions card, click Add.
3. Enter the Player XUID of the player whose permissions you want to set. This is their numeric Xbox ID, not their gamertag.
4. Choose their Permission Level (visitor, member, or operator).
5. Click Set Permission.
6. Restart the server to apply the updated permissions.

3. How to check which players are already on the allowlist or have permissions set

You can review your current allowlist and permissions at any time without restarting your server.

1. Open Allowlist / Permissions from the left-hand menu.
2. Scroll through the list to see all players currently added.
3. Allowlist entries show the player name; permission entries show the XUID and its permission level. Removing a permission entry puts that player back on the server's default permission level (Default Permission Level on Properties).
4. Make any changes you need. Each add or remove is saved right away.

Troubleshooting

• A player says they cannot join even though you added them: Double-check that their gamertag is spelled exactly as it appears on their Xbox or Microsoft account. Gamertags are case-sensitive in some contexts, so an exact match matters.
• The allowlist does not seem to be working: Adding players does not switch the allowlist on. Make sure allow-list is set to true on Properties (under All Properties) or run allowlist on in the console, then restart the server.
• A permission level is not applied: Permissions use the player's XUID, not their gamertag. Check that you entered the correct numeric XUID.
• An Operator cannot run commands in-game: Check that Allow Cheats is turned on under Properties. If commands are disabled at the server level, even Operators will not be able to use them.
• You accidentally removed yourself from the allowlist: Stop the server from the panel, re-add your gamertag using the Allowlist / Permissions page, then start the server again.
• Changes are not saving: Make sure you clicked Add Player or Set Permission in the dialog and saw the confirmation message. If the problem continues, try refreshing the panel and making the change again.

Need help?

If you run into anything that is not covered here, the RiverHosting support team is ready to help. Visit the support page and open a ticket and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.