Online mode, whitelist or login protection: which one you want
Three settings sound alike and do different jobs.
Online mode
Settings, Server, Online mode. On: every player must log in with a paid Microsoft account, and the server verifies it with Mojang. Off: anyone can join under any name, including your name. Off is the setting that lets pirated and alternative launchers in, and the setting that gets servers griefed.
Whitelist
A list of names allowed to join, with online mode on. Everyone else is refused. Right for a private group where everyone has a paid account. See Whitelist.
Login protection
Online mode stays on, and players without a Microsoft login register a password at the door in front of the server. Paid accounts are verified as usual; the rest prove they are who they were last time. It is the answer to “my friend uses another launcher” without turning online mode off. See Login protection.
Which combination
| Your group | Use |
|---|---|
| Friends, all paid accounts | Online mode on, whitelist on |
| Friends, some without a paid account | Online mode on, login protection on, whitelist off |
| Public server | Online mode on, no whitelist, a moderation plugin |
| Offline mode by choice | Login protection on at least; without it anyone can log in as anyone |
Good to know
- The Any launcher welcome preset at creation sets online mode on plus login protection.
- Operators and bans are by name (and UUID). In offline mode UUIDs are derived from the name, so an offline server’s player data does not carry over to online mode.