Minecraft Server Voice Chat: Simple Voice Chat Setup

The usual way to add Minecraft server voice chat on Java Edition is the Simple Voice Chat mod or plugin. You install it on the server (as a plugin on Paper, or a mod on Fabric, Forge or NeoForge), every player installs the mod in their game, and the server opens a separate UDP port for voice, 24454 by default. If that port is not reachable, players see a disconnected icon and cannot talk. On TheGameHosting you add it from the Plugins or Mods tab and set the voice port in Files.

Voice works by distance: players hear people near them, quieter as they walk away. Groups let friends talk from anywhere in the world. Vanilla Minecraft has none of this, so a mod is required on both sides.

How Simple Voice Chat works on a Minecraft server

Part	Where it goes	Notes
Server side	`plugins` on Paper/Purpur/Spigot, or `mods` on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt	Same mod name, different download per platform
Client side	Each player's `mods` folder (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge or Quilt)	Vanilla clients join but have no voice
Voice port	UDP 24454 by default	Separate from the game port, which is TCP
Config file	`plugins/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties` or `config/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties`	Created on the first start

The project page on Modrinth lists Fabric, NeoForge, Forge, Quilt and Bukkit/Spigot/Paper builds, plus proxy builds for Velocity and BungeeCord. Always download the build that matches your server software and Minecraft version.

Step 1: install Minecraft server voice chat

Go to Backups and create a backup, then stop the server in the Console.
On Paper or Purpur, open the Plugins tab, search for Simple Voice Chat and install it. On Fabric, Forge or NeoForge, open the Mods tab and install it from Modrinth (on Fabric, add Fabric API too).
Start the server once so it creates voicechat-server.properties, then stop it.
Open the Network tab. If it shows an additional port besides the main one, note it. If it does not, open a ticket and ask support for an extra port for voice chat.
In Files, open plugins/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties (Paper) or config/voicechat/voicechat-server.properties (mod loaders) and set port= to that extra port.
Start the server. The log should show the voice chat server starting on your port.
Each player installs Simple Voice Chat for their loader, joins and presses V to open the voice menu and test the microphone.

voicechat-server.properties

# use the extra port shown in your Network tab
port=24454

If you do not use plugins yet, our guide on how to install plugins on a Paper server covers the Plugins tab, and how to install mods on a Minecraft server covers mod servers.

Step 2: get players connected

Players need the client mod with a version that matches the server's Simple Voice Chat closely. The simplest way is to share the exact Modrinth link and Minecraft version in your Discord or server rules.

Install a mod loader in the launcher (Fabric is the lightest for players who only want voice).
Download Simple Voice Chat for that loader and Minecraft version into the mods folder.
Join the server, press V, choose the microphone and speaker, and use the push-to-talk key or voice activation.

Bedrock players who join through Geyser cannot install Java mods, so they will not have voice. For crossplay groups, keep that in mind before you build your events around voice. Our guide to let Bedrock players join your Java server with Geyser explains the rest of crossplay.

Minecraft voice chat not connected: fixes

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Disconnected icon, no voice at all	The voice UDP port is not reachable	Use the extra port from Network, set it in `port=`, restart
Voice works on LAN but not for friends	On a home PC the UDP port is not forwarded	Forward the voice port as UDP, or host online
Server log shows the port is already in use	`port=` points to a port taken by something else	Use the extra port assigned to your server
A version mismatch message	Client and server versions differ	Update both to matching versions
Some players hear nothing	Their output device or volume in the `V` menu	Check the device and the player volume sliders

If you run the server at home, the voice port has to be forwarded as UDP on your router, besides the game port. Our port forwarding guide shows the router side.

Useful voice chat settings and commands

The config file has many options. These are the ones server owners usually touch:

max_voice_distance: how far players can hear each other.
allow_recording: whether players can use the built-in recording feature.
/voicechat commands: invite players to groups and test connections in game.

Change them in Files, then restart from the Console. Read the descriptions in the file itself before you change anything you do not recognise.

Host voice chat servers on TheGameHosting

Voice adds steady UDP traffic, so the network matters. TheGameHosting runs on a 10 Gbps network with DDoS protection on every plan, in Dallas and Amsterdam, on AMD 9950X or 7950X3D CPUs. You install Simple Voice Chat from the Plugins or Mods tab, edit the config in Files, and if your Network tab does not show a second port, our 24/7 support team answers tickets in English and Spanish.

Plans start at $1.90 USD per month on Minecraft server hosting, with no charge per player. Compare RAM sizes on the game server plans page, use FULL2026 for 15% off for life and get a server ready in about 60 seconds from Pricing.

FAQ

How do I add voice chat to my Minecraft server?

Install Simple Voice Chat on the server as a plugin or mod, set its UDP port in voicechat-server.properties and have every player install the mod in their game.

What port does Simple Voice Chat use?

UDP 24454 by default, separate from the game port. On a hosted server, use the extra port your panel assigns and set it in the config.

Do players need the mod to join a server with voice chat?

No, they can join without it, but they will not hear or talk. To use voice, they need the client mod for their loader.

Can Bedrock players use Simple Voice Chat?

No. Bedrock players who join through Geyser cannot install Java mods, so voice is only for Java players with the mod.

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