Fix: Minecraft Authentication Servers Are Down

If you're getting the Minecraft Authentication Servers Are Down error, then these easy solutions will help you get rid of the issue.

Minecraft is a game that can be played either solo or with friends, but it requires the user’s computer to connect with the game’s official authentication servers in both cases.

Unfortunately, sometimes this doesn’t go as smoothly as planned, and that’s when users encounter the “Authentication Servers Are Currently Not Reachable” error message.

Although it’s a vague problem that often leaves players confused and searching for solutions on the internet, we assure you that it’s easy to fix.

Take a look at the guide below, where we’ll show you exactly how to overcome this problem and get back to playing in no time.

Table of ContentsShow

The Problem Explained

Normally, when users come across the “The authentication servers are currently not accessible” error, it’s precisely what the message indicates.

The issue is indeed the servers being down, and when this is the case, there’s nothing much a user can do on their end. It’s a problem that can only be solved by waiting.

Minecraft Authentication Servers Are Down Error

However, there are some cases when the users see the same message, but the problem is not in the actual servers.

According to what some users reported, if you’ve used third-party mods and software that alters the game in any way or even played on an unofficial version in the past, there are much higher chances that this error will show up when you try to play.

This can happen even on the official version of the game that you haven’t modded in any way, simply because you’ve used third-party programs in the past.

But, although all this can be rather confusing, this problem can be solved easily by applying the proven methods listed in the sections below.

Read on to learn more.

Fix 1: Paste This Command In The PowerShell

Command

There’s a very simple fix for the “Authentication servers are currently not reachable” problem that helped thousands of users. We recommend trying it out first before all others, as it has a very high success rate.

It was suggested by a Reddit user in this particular thread that covers the same topic. Read through it for more information.

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard at the same time. This will open the “Run” panel needed for this process.
  2. Within the “Open” field, paste the following: “powershell -command “Start-Process notepad $env:windirsystem32driversetchosts” -Verb runas”, and press Enter on your keyboard or the OK button, as shown in the image below.
    Minecraft PowerShell Command
  3. Windows will now ask for permission which you need to grant by clicking “yes” within the prompt window.
  4. Upon completing step 3, you’ll see an open notepad file on your screen called “hosts.” Search it entirely and delete anything that says “Mojang” within the content. You can do this by clicking Ctrl + F and typing in “Mojang“, which is the fastest way to do it.
  5. When done, save the file by pressing Ctrl + S on your keyboard while the notepad window is focused.

Now you should be able to join servers again without encountering the error.

If this text-based guide wasn’t clear enough, take a look at this helpful video which covers the entire procedure from start to finish. It should make it much easier to understand the steps.

Hopefully, this approach helped resolve the problem as it did to many other users, but if it didn’t, there are still a few other things you can try.

Take a look at the other sections below for more information.

Fix 2: Flush Your DNS Cache

Delete or Remove

Flushing your DNS can solve many problems related to connection issues, and the “Minecraft Authentication Servers Are Down” is one of them.

To cleanse your DNS, all you need to do is utilize the Windows 10 built-in Command Prompt, as we’ll demonstrate to you in the steps below.

  1. Click the magnifying glass icon located in the bottom-left corner of the Windows taskbar (or press Windows + S on your keyboard). This will open up the search panel. Within it, type in Command Prompt, right-click the first result, and choose Run as Administrator, as shown in the image below.
    right clicking Windows 10 Command Prompt and selecting Run as Administrator
  2. Inside the Command Prompt window, type in or paste the following command: “ipconfig /flushdns” and then press Enter on your keyboard. You’ll see a return message, as shown in the image below.
    ipconfig /flushdns, Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache

Now you’ve effectively flushed your DNS cache, hopefully, the Minecraft issue you previously encountered will now no longer trouble you.

Fix 3: Reset Winsock

Restart

Another method that’s also done through the Command Prompt is resetting Winsock. It’s as easy to do as flushing your DNS, and some users reported that it helped them overcome the Minecraft Authentication Server problem.

It’s worth giving it a try, as resetting your Winsock every once in a while can be healthy for your connection.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard. Type “cmd” within the box and press Enter on your keyboard.
    Windows cmd
  2. When the Command Prompt window opens, type in “netsh winsock reset” and press Enter on your keyboard again.

This will reset your winsock, and, hopefully, solve the issue preventing you from launching Minecraft and playing on servers.

Note: To reset your winsock, Windows might ask for you to launch Command Prompt as an Administrator.

To achieve this, tap the magnifying glass icon in the lower-left corner of the taskbar, or press Windows + S on your keyboard simultaneously. Then, enter “Command Prompt” and right-click the first result. Choose “Run as Administrator” from the options provided.

You can learn more about what Winsock is and how resetting it sometimes helps in this article which covers the topic thoroughly

Conclusion

With that said, you now know which actions to take upon encountering the Minecraft Authentication Server error that can prevent you from playing the game.

Hopefully, the methods listed in this guide will help you overcome the problem, as they did for many other users.

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Bojan Veselinovikj
LinkedIn

Bojan is a video-game developer and a tech enthusiast. Combining these two passions allow him to keep you informed on everything that's new in this fast-paced digital world.