Find the questions players really ask
A FAQ written from memory ends up answering the questions the owner finds interesting. A FAQ written from real messages answers the ones players are stuck on. Spend half an hour collecting before you write a single answer.
- Scroll back through the help channel of your Discord and note every question that comes up more than once.
- Ask your helpers and moderators which questions they are tired of answering.
- Read your support tickets and the messages players send about payments.
- Watch what new players ask in chat during their first hour on the server.
- Look at comments and reviews on the server lists you are on.
30 Minecraft server FAQ examples with answers
These questions come up on almost any public server. Change the example address, commands and channel names to your own, and leave out any question that does not apply to your server.
Joining the server
- What is the server address?
Add play.yourserver.com in the Multiplayer menu. Bedrock players use the same address with port 19132.
- Which Minecraft versions can join?
Java Edition from 1.20 up to the latest release. We recommend the newest version for the best experience.
- Can I play on Bedrock, a phone or a console?
Yes. Bedrock players on phones, Windows and consoles can join the same world as Java players.
- Do I need to install mods?
No. You can join with the normal game. Performance mods and resource packs are fine to use.
- Why can I not connect?
Check that you typed the address exactly and use a supported version. If it still fails, post the exact error message in the help channel.
- Is the server free to play?
Yes. Everyone can join and play everything for free. Ranks only add cosmetic extras.
Rules and safety
- Where can I read the rules?
On the rules page of our website and in the rules channel on Discord. Type /rules in game for the short version.
- Are minimaps and x-ray allowed?
Minimaps without cave or entity views are allowed. X-ray mods and x-ray resource packs are not.
- How do I report a player?
Use /report with their name and the reason, or open a ticket on Discord with a screenshot or a short clip.
- What happens if I break a rule?
Most first offences get a warning. Repeated or serious offences lead to a mute, a temporary ban or a permanent ban.
- How do I appeal a ban?
Fill in the appeal form linked in the ban appeals channel on Discord. A different staff member from the one who banned you reads it.
- Is my base protected from griefing?
Only inside your claim. Claim your land as soon as you start building, and trust only players you know.
Playing on the server
- How do I claim land?
Hold a golden shovel and right click two opposite corners of the area you want to protect.
- How do I set a home?
Stand where you want your home and type /sethome. Type /home to go back there later.
- Will the world be reset?
The main world is never reset. The resource world resets on the first day of every month.
- How do I trade with other players?
Meet at the market at spawn, or put items in a chest shop so other players can buy them while you are offline.
- Can I play in a team with friends?
Yes. Trust your friends in your claim so they can build with you, or create a team to share a chat and a home.
- How do I get back to spawn?
Type /spawn at any time. It takes a few seconds, so do not move while you wait.
Ranks, store and payments
- How do I get a rank?
Earned ranks come from playtime and are given automatically. Supporter ranks can be bought in our store.
- What does each rank include?
The store lists every perk per rank. All perks are cosmetic, such as chat colours, particles and hats.
- When do I receive my purchase?
Usually within a few minutes. You need to be online, or you get it the next time you join.
- Do ranks give an advantage?
No. Paid ranks only change how you look, so players who never pay can do everything in the game.
- My purchase did not arrive. What now?
Wait a few minutes and rejoin. If it is still missing, open a ticket on Discord with your in-game name and your order number.
- Can I buy a rank for a friend?
Yes. Enter your friend's exact in-game name at checkout instead of your own.
Staff and support
- How do I contact staff?
Ask in the help channel on Discord or open a ticket. In game, a helper or moderator can answer most questions.
- How can I become staff?
Applications open a few times a year and are announced on Discord. Players who already help others are noticed first.
- Is there a Discord server?
Yes. The invite is on our website and in the server list. Announcements, events and support all happen there.
- I lost my items. Can staff give them back?
Staff can check the logs for items lost to a bug or a griefer. Items lost in a normal death or in lava cannot be returned.
- How do I report a bug?
Post it in the bug reports channel with what you did, what happened and a screenshot. Never use a bug to your advantage.
- Who runs the server?
The server is run by a small team listed on the team page of our website. Staff will never ask for your password.
How to write answers players actually read
Players read a FAQ answer the way they read an error message: quickly, looking for what to do next. Put that first, and keep everything else out.
- Start with the answer, often a yes or a no, and explain after that.
- Keep it to one to three sentences. If it needs more, link to the page that explains it.
- Write commands, addresses and channel names out in full, exactly as players type them.
- Use the same words as your rules page, so the two never seem to say different things.
- Leave jokes out of answers about bans, payments and lost items.
| Question | Weak answer | Better answer |
|---|---|---|
| Why can I not connect? | Check your internet. | Use play.yourserver.com on a supported version. Still failing? Post the exact error in the help channel. |
| How do I appeal a ban? | Ask staff. | Use the appeal form in the ban appeals channel. Another staff member reads it. |
| Can I get a refund? | No. | Open a ticket with your order number if something went wrong, and we will look at it. |
| How do I claim land? | Use the claim tool. | Hold a golden shovel and right click two opposite corners of your land. |
Where players should find your FAQ
A FAQ only saves staff time if players see it before they ask. Put it where they already are when the question comes up.
- On your server website, next to the rules and the join steps.
- Pinned at the top of the help channel on Discord.
- Behind a /faq or /help command in game.
- Linked from your listing on each server list.
- Linked from the rules page, for questions about punishments and appeals.
Keep the FAQ up to date
An outdated answer is worse than none, because players trust it. Read the FAQ again after every update, every version change and every change to your store or rules, and ask your helpers to tell you when a question keeps coming back.
When a question stops being asked, move it down rather than removing it straight away. When a new one keeps coming up, and the answer is about who does what on your team, the guide to staff roles can help you decide who should answer it.
How to fill in the FAQ section on your server website
Each template in the website builder has at least one FAQ section. In the free Survival template it sits on the Shop page, with example questions about ranks and getting help. This is how you replace them with the questions your players ask.
Open the website editor
Go to Website in the server panel of Astroworld Hosting or minecrafthosting.cc and open the editor.
Select the FAQ section
Pick the page with the FAQ, the Shop page in the free Survival template, and click the section with the questions.
Write your questions and answers
Under Questions, replace the examples with your own, each with its answer. One section holds up to 20 questions, so put the one asked most often at the top.
Choose how it looks
Under Layout, choose Stacked for the heading above the questions, or Side by side for the heading on one side and the questions on the other. Turn on Open the first question so the most important answer is visible straight away.
Add a help card
With Side by side, fill in the Help card for players who did not find their answer: a Heading, a Line, the Button text and a Link. Leave the link empty to use the Discord link from Site settings.
Publish the FAQ
Press Publish. After the automatic content check and a review by our team, usually within a few hours, the new questions replace the old ones on your live site.
Questions about writing a Minecraft server FAQ
What should a Minecraft server FAQ include?
The questions players ask most: how to join and on which versions, where the rules are, how to report a player or appeal a ban, how ranks and purchases work, and how to reach staff. Collect them from your Discord and tickets rather than guessing.
How many questions should a server FAQ have?
Between ten and thirty covers most servers. Fewer than ten usually misses common problems, and more than thirty gets hard to scan, so group long lists by topic.
How long should a FAQ answer be?
One to three sentences. Start with the answer itself, add the exact command or link, and point to a separate page when a topic needs a longer explanation.
Should my FAQ be on the website or in Discord?
Keep the full FAQ in one place, usually the website, because players can find it before they join. Pin a link to it in your Discord help channel and on your server lists.
How often should I update the FAQ?
After every update, version change or change to your rules or store, and whenever staff answer the same new question twice in a week.
Can a FAQ replace a support channel?
No, but it can make the channel much quieter. A good FAQ answers the common questions, so staff have time for the problems that really need a person.
More server website guides
Minecraft server rules24 example rules sorted by topic, the rules each type of server needs first, and how to build a rules page players read.
Minecraft server ranksRank ladders for players, supporters and staff, cosmetic perks that follow Minecraft's rules and a rank page players understand.
Minecraft server staff rolesOwner, admin, moderator, helper and builder explained, how many staff a server needs and how to choose and show them.
Minecraft whitelist applicationTwenty questions to ask, a form players can copy, how to review applications fairly and how to add accepted players to the whitelist.