Minecraft Server

Custom Domain Setup SRV Records

Replace your server's IP address with a custom domain like play.yourdomain.com using DNS SRV records. This guide walks you through the entire setup process.

Updated recently 8 min read Guide

What is an SRV Record?

📡 SRV (Service) records are DNS records that define the location (hostname and port number) of servers for specified services. Minecraft uses them to redirect players from a custom domain to your server's actual IP and port.

No Port in Address

Players connect using just play.yourdomain.com — no port number needed.

Minecraft Native

The Java Edition client automatically looks for _minecraft._tcp SRV records.

Provider Agnostic

Works with Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, and any DNS provider that supports SRV.

SRV Record Configuration

In your domain's DNS manager, create an SRV record with the following values. This example shows how to forward de.shulker.in:25565 to play.example.com.

Field	Value	Description
Name / Host	`_minecraft._tcp.play`	Replace `play` with your desired subdomain
Priority	0	Lower values have higher priority
Weight	0	Used for load balancing (set to 0 if only one server)
Port	25565	Default Minecraft server port (change if your server uses a different port)
Target	`de.shulker.in`	Your server's actual IP address or hostname
TTL	Auto / 60	Time to live (in seconds) — lower values for faster updates during testing

⚠️ Important — The SRV record name format must be exactly: _minecraft._tcp.subdomain. For the root domain, use _minecraft._tcp (with nothing before it).

DNS Provider Examples

Cloudflare

1. Go to DNS dashboard → 2. Click "Add record" → 3. Select "SRV" → 4. Enter values above → 5. Save

GoDaddy

1. Navigate to DNS Management → 2. Click "Add" under SRV Records → 3. Service: _minecraft, Protocol: _tcp

Namecheap

1. Advanced DNS tab → 2. Add New SRV Record → 3. Fill Service, Protocol, Priority, Weight, Port, Target

Google Domains

1. DNS → Custom resource records → 2. Select "SRV" from dropdown → 3. Enter the values as shown

Testing Your Setup

dig / nslookup commands

# Use dig (Linux/Mac) to check SRV record
dig SRV _minecraft._tcp.play.example.com

# Expected output should include:
_minecraft._tcp.play.example.com. IN  SRV  0 0 25565 de.shulker.in.

# Or use online DNS lookup tools:
https://dnschecker.org
https://mxtoolbox.com/SRVLookup.aspx

# In Minecraft Java Edition, connect using:
Server Address: play.example.com

Important Notes

✅ DNS Propagation — Wait 5-10 minutes for DNS propagation (can take 24-48 hours for some providers, though typically much faster).

🔌 Port Forwarding — Make sure your server port (default 25565) is properly forwarded in your router and allowed through your firewall.

📝 No A/CNAME Needed — No need to create A or CNAME records for the subdomain when using SRV records — the SRV record handles everything.

🎮 Bedrock Edition — Bedrock Edition does not support SRV records. For Bedrock, use an A record pointing to your IP and specify the port in the client.

Propagation Times

5-10 Minutes

Average propagation time for most modern DNS providers

30-60 Minutes

Some providers may take longer due to caching

24-48 Hours

Maximum for global DNS propagation to all resolvers

Quick Reference

SRV Record Format

_minecraft._tcp.subdomain

Default Priority/Weight

0 0

Default Port

25565

Test Command

dig SRV _minecraft._tcp.yourdomain.com

Check Tool

dnschecker.org (SRV lookup)

Minecraft Connect

play.yourdomain.com (no port)

Minecraft Overview Port Forwarding