Minecraft Realms, for those unfamiliar, is a subscription-based service that allows players to join an online game hosted on a personal server and, depending on the service, gain access to a catalog of Minecraft content.
But Minecraft Realms enthusiasts sometimes run into the infamous “Invalid Session ID” error which prevents them from playing, and given this is a subscription-based experience, being unable to enjoy the content you paid for can be quite frustrating.
Fortunately, this guide has all the answers for overcoming the Minecraft Realms Invalid Session ID Error, so without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
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The Problem Explained
According to what users reported across multiple forum threads, the “Failed to login: Invalid Session” error occurs right after trying to join the server, and the message is shown in the image below.
This is how a concerned user described their experience:
I am unable to connect to servers or join LAN worlds in Minecraft. It keeps displaying the error message “Failed to Login: Invalid session (Try restarting your game)”. Multiplayer used to be satisfactory, but now I need assistance in resolving this problem. Can anyone aid me?
User on Stack Exchange
As you can see, despite the error message displayed on the screen, the issue is still somewhat unclear, as most users are unsure what precisely an invalid session is or how to restart their client (launcher) correctly.
According to the most upvoted answer on a forum thread covering this problem, an outdated session ID will always result in this error when trying to join the server, and it usually happens when the user tries running multiple instances of the game.
It could also happen if the user left their computer on with the launcher running for more than 24 hours, as the session ID resets daily, and they’re given a new one each time they start the launcher and log in. So, if the user tries to join with “yesterday’s session ID,” they will encounter this error.
If you are dealing with the same problem, know there are a few proven solutions that will help you overcome it, and they are relatively easy to apply, even for users without much experience.
Take a look at the sections below for a step-by-step guide for each known solution that fixes Minecraft’s “Invalid Session ID” error.
Fix 1: Properly Restart The Minecraft Launcher
One of the easiest and most convenient methods for fixing this problem is to “acquire” a new session ID by restarting the Minecraft launcher.
In most cases, this error happens if you “double launch” Minecraft on your computer and log into your account through both sessions simultaneously because the ID of the first instance (session) immediately becomes outdated when you launch the second session and log in through it.
So, to fix this problem, you need to close all Minecraft instances on your PC, log out, wait about thirty seconds for the servers to “acknowledge” that you’re no longer logged in (as stated here), and then start the client once more and log back into your account.
Here’s the process step by step:
- Close all running Minecraft instances on your PC. You can do this through the Task Manager too.
- Log out of your Minecraft account through the launcher and close it.
- Wait about thirty seconds for the game’s servers to “acknowledge” you’re no longer logged in.
Note: You can restart your PC during this time to ensure no parts of the game or launcher are still running on your PC. You need to wait it out either way, so why not fully use the time.
- Start the Minecraft launcher and log back into your account.
- Launch the game and try joining the server you previously couldn’t due to the error.
The problem should now be fixed, as this method helped many users, and it will most likely work in your specific case as well.
However, if you still seem to be experiencing issues, there are more things you could try. Take a look at the other sections down below to find out more.
Fix 2: Add Minecraft As A Firewall Exception
Sometimes your firewall settings can cause problems if Minecraft keeps being detected as a potential threat.
To prevent this from happening and avoid your connection with the game’s servers getting blocked, you need to add Minecraft as an exception in your firewall settings.
Here’s how to do that:
- Click on the Windows Search Box to open it, type in Firewall & Network, then press Enter.
- Scroll down and click on the “Allow an app through the firewall” option.
- Add the Minecraft client to the list of safe apps.
- Save the changes and exit the panel.
You don’t need to restart your computer after this change, but we still recommend doing so if you’ve previously had the game running. This will ensure there aren’t any “leftover” processes in the background that might cause problems.
Start Minecraft again and try joining a server. You should now no longer see the “Invalid Session ID” error.
Fix 3: Change Your Minecraft Account Password
According to a Minecraft player on this Reddit post, the Session ID problem may arise due to a “double login.” This implies that someone else could be logged into your account simultaneously with you.
To better explain, if someone has access to your account, as soon as you start the Minecraft launcher, your account gets assigned a new session ID, and the one you’re currently using becomes invalid as it’s now considered old.
Therefore, the person who logged in after you will be able to play, but you won’t.
For this reason, we always recommend changing your Minecraft password and ensuring nobody else has access to your account but you.
This happened to a Minecraft user who posted their experience in this specific Reddit thread, believing their account was compromised.
Hopefully, this method will solve your problem.
Conclusion
The “Invalid Session ID” error can be frustrating to deal with, but most of the time, fixing it doesn’t take too much effort.
Hopefully, the methods listed in the guide above will help you overcome it with ease and regain your ability to enjoy the game without any further problems.