"You cannot play online multiplayer through Xbox Live because of how your account is set up"

Reproduced on iOS when a slow connection to Internet.

Yes I have had this occur as well. I will keep a good look in 1.2.6 update and see if it still occurs.

I experienced this at home with well over 100mbit connection. I believe it has to do with getting the token or whatever from Xbox live. But the server doesn't always pass it properly.

STEPS TAKEN TO FIX PROBLEM:

installing the XBOX app first and signing in there. Then go back to MCPE and choose settings -> profile -> sign out of my account.

Click play again then relogin, if it doesn't work then reboot the phone first, then login the XBOX app again. then go back to the MCPE and it works

UPDATE: Still occurs on 1.2.6 not fixed.

In my case this seems to because I created a Microsoft account with a child's date of birth, then changed it to an adult birthday - because permissions were not working... That actually fixed the problem for a while, then something changed and I started getting this error again.

According to Xbox support, the birthday used to create the MS account is copied to the XBL account when it is created, and can then never be changed. It doesn't explain why I couldn't give a child account permissions to play online servers in the first place, or why changing birthday fixed it temporarily.

I've spent hours logging in and out of xbox app, xbox site, Microsoft live, xbox site etc etc trying to fix this for "Awzaw JD", an adult account with full permissions currently unable to even see online servers, nevermind play on them.

Xbox Support eventually suggested I just make a new account, but I know many kids with this problem on the public servers I manage who don't want to lose their Gamertag, and even more whose parents don't have time to search through family and child permissions settings.

I'm on a 200Mbps FTTH connection and have the same issue across multiple android and iOS devices. My main adult account works fine.

Having similar issues with iOS and with Win10 on a PC

Very true. Has occured to me as well, especially when there is a network problem during the time minecraft is being started.

Reproduced on Android & Windows 10 and unfortunatelly affects also the newest version - 1.2.9.

This happened to me. Solution: Make sure you are connected to strong internet before opening minecraft and/or logging into xbox live. This happened to me on windows 10 version. I had forgotten to turn my internet on and I had received this message. Hope this helps someone!

Thanks, but unfortunatelly it didn't help, I've already checked using different ISPs.
I've tried 30/10Mbps @home, 200/200Mbps @work, LTE, etc... nothing has changed. It is probably Xbox Live account bug 😞

I've got this one two - Windows 10 + MCPE. Have a family arrangement Realms works fine for me (Dad) and youngest - can play each other fine. Eldest the settings don't get picked up by the app. Have deleted/reset both minecraft & xbox app and still no joy.

Ps Minecraft 1.2.10 on Windows 10 1709

Just checked and I logged the broken account into another machine (My Surface Pro) on which MC Realms is fine for me, and still no joy. Can only conclude xbox live settings for account are corrupt in some way? Btw disable all privacy and security settings and see different errors (see attached) change then back and back to same problem

Yeah, the problem is bad. I wanted to play with one of my friends and it pulls up that message. I go to Xbox.com and change the settings, open the Xbox app, Power-off my Kindle, everything. No result. Even in the best Wi-fi spot in the house. Some say "Oh, oh, get in a spot with good Wi-fi, oh, oh, it'll work" YEAH WELL I'M IN THE BEST WI-FI SPOT IN THE HOUSE AND IT DOESN'T WORK. And they also say "Oh, oh, just turn on Multiplayer on Xbox.com, oh, oh, it'll work" YEAH WELL THERE'S NO SUCH SETTING. So please help me, someone.

The settings referred to are over here - https://account.xbox.com/en-GB/Settings (Xbox One "join multiplayer" is the one you need. In our case that's set for three of us in the family, but only works for two of us and we can play each other. So basically wifi/broadband speed eliminated. Also (included in attachments) I get different errors for that person depending on whether the setting is ticked or not - so the Minecraft App pulls the settings OK. So my guess is that the Realms piece that's broken somewhere... I've also elimanted the PC, as the same user gets the same error on more than one laptop - including the one that works for me...

I have this problem too. No-one in the family can play together in realms. Is this under investigation?

This has happened to me also. Me and my brother tried to play together on our Xbox’s but it just keeps giving us a message that I need permission. I’ve gone and checked the privacy and online safety settings on the two Xbox’s and both allow everything. We used to be able to play together and now nothing.

I could never add my little brother or anyone ether even if friends is turned on. its done this for a very long time. -from a kid

This even happened on xbox one once for me.

I totally agree with this bug.

Have abandoned my xbox (limited edition Minecraft version - what a waste) and am now playing Multiplayer without issue and signed into xbox live with two Win 10 machines.
I had to purchase another Win 10 Minecraft licence to supplement my one free one after buying the Java Edition - was a bargain at MMOGA!
Hopefully the XB version is fixed soon....

Same thing happening to me on Android. I have the Amazon Kindle fire PE version. Tried checking all the privacy settings, just like everybody else, everything is in order to play. It seems since the 4th public server was added I've had the problem. At least this issue is still open. Hopefully it won't get closed before it's actually resolved.

Force quitting helps, but is REALLY annoying (that I have to force quit every time I want to try and play multiplayer).

For anyone still having this issue, there is a temporary workaround where the permissions can be adjusted by using a physical Xbox console (where there are additional Privacy settings). From the console, you should be able to change the user to “Adult” in the Parental Control UI: Settings -> Account -> Privacy & Online Safety -> Xbox Live Privacy -> Adult Default.

Obviously this won't be a viable workaround for every user, and Xbox assure us that they are working on a solution for all users to be able to adjust their settings correctly at https://account.xbox.com/settings. (Minors will still need the appropriate parental permissions in order to adjust these.)

I have been having this issue on our Xbox One (no issue on my Windows 10 or android).  The only work around that works for me is to have someone with Xbox Live Gold membership logged in.  My husband is the only one in the house with Gold.  As long as his account is signed in on the Xbox, I am able to access Realms from my account.

Commenting on here as I am having the same issue starting on 12/26/2018. I'm on version 1.8.0 This is for my personal realm. Worked fine for the first 2 weeks then I got the message. I had my privacy settings set to custom as I have it as open as possible but I also tried adult settings with no luck. Currently just playing on my PC but I would like to use that for other things while I play on my xbox.

Having this issue as well (galaxy s9) my account is a solo account with all the needed permissions set.

I'm having this issue on Samsung Galaxy S9 too. It comes at random and it persists for I don't know how much. I just give up at trying and come back several hours later until I can play.

So another year on and my girls wanted a Realm again.  Paid for a 2 player Realm, one can get on, other (eldest) gets this error STILL! Is there realy no fix for this? The privacy settings via the family account pages are identical across all the accounts.  Appaling that this hasn't be fixed yet 😞

can't you just play on a lan then?

Still a problem on Minecraft xbox one. Cannot play any type of multiplayer game other than screen sharing.

I get this error on Bedrock with both child and adult accounts, when I am on a LAN but the LAN deliberately does not have internet connectivity. That suggests maybe the root cause for other people facing this issue may be intermittent internet connectivity?

In any case it should be possible to play a LAN game without having internet connectivity to the Microsoft authentication servers.

Ah sorry the message does not mention XBox Live. Otherwise identical. I'm connecting (failing) between Bedrock edition Android platforms (Kindle Fire).

We can see a correct count of Friends online and we can see games advertised by the adult (but not the children), but attempt to connect to the advertised game times out always.

Also we see this message citing Realms on the Realms screen and in relation to LAN games and Multiplayer games in the Settings screen. The statements are identical apart from "on Realms".

Prior to this when starting the game, obviously it attempts authentication to the Microsoft auth servers. That times out and it does proceed from that. We then get to the normal menus to open saved games, connect to games etc. That's where these problems are then encountered.

I would speculate this affects all Bedrock edition (MCPE) platforms, whenever there is an internet connectivity problem?

Moderator, could you please change the subject and affected scope, since it's clear from the comments that multiple platforms are affected other than Xbox, and also the error message itself may have changed since this bug was first filed? Thank.

I am going to comment here and add a new updated issue almost a year later. I haven't logged into realms in some time, now neither my wife nor I (both adult accounts, never had any 'child' access) cannot log in on two XBox 1's, and my windows 10 PC. 

I had a simmilar issue and was ping ponged between Mojang and Microsoft trying to fix it. Mojang was absolutely useless in the end term though.

1 877 696 7786 is Microsoft’s official help number but for me they were useless and didn’t help one bit either.

The thing that fixed it for me was Microsoft’s text help line which can be found on thrie site here. The first time I did that I got a really useless Microsoft employee who just ignored me and said to go through Mojang (which I did and they were at least not ignorant but not useful either.) The second time I matched with someone who actually knew what was wrong and understood it was a Microsoft issue and dealt with it. It took a few hours but it was fixed. If one help support person refuses, just move onto the next then. Eventually someone it seems will know and will help. It’s extremely complicated how to fix it and almost hairpulling how absolutely terrible the XBox login stuff is. Hopefully this helps!

So had this problem in the past - recently tried again, failed, revisited settings and allowed create clubs -. Saved and now working - realms creates a club! 

This is mostly caused by a weak connection

No it's not caused by a 'weak' connection. It's independent of connection quality. And if indicates a specific negative acknowledgement about configuration problems at the server side. It arises because I'd some combination of incompatible configurations, probably across multiple systems (eg XBox Live + Mojang). It ought to work, but doesn't, due to bugs in the interoperability of different systems involved in the long chain between the end user and the game registration servers.

Same problem across multiple devices, since Monday, in REALMS-3872

I’m on a gigabit connection with Good WiFi. It works fine on Switch.

Tengo el mismo problemas desde hace unos días, ya e cambiado la configuración y sigue igual. 

Ojalá se solucione pronto ya que estoy pagando por un realm y no e podido entrar desde el lunes 

This is just, because the Internet connection is low/is not there.

my have same problem.but this fixed  beta 1.16.68 version

I have the same issue on Minecraft Pocket Edition. Hope Minecraft fixes it.

This occurs on all bedrock edition platforms in general, making it impossible for players to play multiplayer on servers or worlds of friends.

and as the message itself says, this is because Xbox Live has many flaws and is very strict on the subject PLAY ONLINE.

I, too, am encountering the error stating I cannot play on realms due to privacy settings. All of my Xbox Live privacy settings are set to “allow” or “everybody”, and I am well over the age of 18. My ISP speeds are well over 200 mbps, so data speed is not a factor. I have done all troubleshooting with an Xbox Live agent at Microsoft. This includes log out and back in to my profile, uninstall/reinstall the game, factory reset my console, and of course quadruple check my setting via both the Xbox live website and setting on my console. I would also like to add that I can access Minecraft Realms via Pocket Edition on IOS with the same Microsoft account. I did open a ticket with Mojang Care and was advised to repeat the steps I have already taken and to upvote this open bug ticket. Fingers crossed that this is resolved soon as I have not been able to access realms on console for over 72 hours. 

Affects 1.16.100.59

This problem sometimes happens to me and I have no realms, affects 1.16.100.60.

This error started a few days ago on Xbox (1.16.40). Microsoft xbox support confirmed my profile is fine. My privacy settings have not changed, and this worked previously. I did add Game Pass Ultimate as the only change.

Mindcraft support sent me here and suggested I up vote. Is that how we get bugs fixed? By asking customers to vote on them?

I can access from the iPad with the same account. It is only on the xbox that it does not work.

Ironically, to the realms I am paying for...

I am trying to log into Realms on my Xbox One, and I'm getting the following error message:

You cannot play on Realms because of how your Microsoft Account is set up. See instructions for reviewing and changing your privacy settings at aka.ms/MCMultiplayerHelp.

• I am not playing on a child's account, so the link above is not relevant to my situation.

• I have checked and re-checked all of my settings and confirmed they are set correctly to allow me to play Realms

  • Join Multiplayer Games: Allow

  • Create and Join Clubs: Allow

  • Others can communicate with voice, text or invites: Everybody

• I have played on this Realm, with this account, many times in the past, on three different consoles.  As recently as last week.  This problem just started today.

• I spent 20 minutes on the phone with Xbox support.  They tell me it's a problem on Mojang's end.

• I have tried everything I can think of, including all the Xbox troubleshooting, checking for solutions online, and a factory reset of my Xbox.  Nothing has worked.

• Mojang support told me to try everything I'd already tried, and then to make a bug report.  So... here it is.

Any update Mojang. Still not working. How many votes does an issue need for it to become important? Thanks 

^^ what Michaela said. This is a paid service - that I cannot use. Thank you for looking at it!

I haven't been able to play for almost two weeks now.  Would love an update.

Running into the same issue as stated above. This started recently—first noticed it yesterday (11/4/2020).  Up until then, I had been able to access Realms just fine, but now I can’t see any of them.  The web address in the error message goes to an article about troubleshooting accessing Realms from a child account, which is not the type of account that I have.  

I spent so much time trying to figure this problem out, so I wanted to post an update here in case it helps anyone else: it turns out I needed an Xbox Live Gold membership.  Once I resolved that issue, I was able to play.  I feel a little sheepish I didn't realize this was the problem, but...

I'm not sure why no one thought to mention this in my weeks-long saga in contacting tech support at both Xbox and Mojang, and I have to say that the link Minecraft provides in its error message, about changing the settings dealing with a child's account, is frankly infuriating, though admittedly, it does mention the Xbox Live Gold subscription, and I missed that.

Anyway, like I said, posting this update here, in case it helps someone else, because I spent weeks trying to figure this out, to no avail.

Thanks, John, for the comment.  The first thing I did was check my gold subscription, but turns out I must have been looking at it wrong because when I checked again, I saw that it had ended right about when the issue started happening.  I got that squared away, and it’s working fine now. 

Was able to play on my friends realm last Friday, Saturday is when this issue popped up and it doesn't look like mojang wants to fix it. My privacy settings are all normal nothing has been changed.

 small update: My Xbox live gold being renewed didn't fix it

Same issue for me here - it was a childs account however I have set everything on full adult settings. Still not able to play on realms at all. Its unfortunate because I cant just delete his account and start over as an adult because he's already purchased stuff in-game, so its a loss basically. Microsoft has locked him out of realms entirely.

I've had this happen to me before, and I've found that the only way to solve this is to log out of your Microsoft account then log back in. As long as you don't uninstall Minecraft, all you worlds and resource/behavior packs should stay. Hope this helps!

This problem has now 'disappeared' for me. No changes to account or settings were made, and the bug is still open. Mojang, there is a bug here somewhere! I did change my account type from a Gold membership to a ultimate subscription when this problem appeared. Nothing else changed. The error that tells people to mess with their privacy settings should be changed to "just wait and eventually the problem will fix itself". While privacy settings may be one cause, there are other causes - like membership changes. Please read through the other comments (like John/Alyssa).

But this isn’t resolved? Why are they accepting money for issues that have not been resolved? How do we get our money refunded until this is solved? 

Does anyone have any recommendations please?

all privacy settings have been enabled and we cannot connect to a Realm. 

please advise. 

Just got redirected here from a semi-related but different bug. Cannot access Realms after leavint the Minecraft Beta on Xbox. (MCPE-113102)

This error comes up attempting to join a Realm not owned by me as a Playstation Player. No reason to believe it's due to parental controls, and microsoft's account settings and support pages are god awful, either giving suggestions to not fix my problem or directing me to broken links. 

I've had this issue since attempting to play online for several days now.  It concerns me that this ticket was opened years ago and is still around.  I have logged in and out and removed sign in data numerous times.  I have tried everything possible.  Permissions are absolutely set correctly on the child account are probably a little too liberal right now due to testing to see if opening everything up would help.  Please resolve this issue.  I have recently paid for a service that I have not been able to use for days.

New update - v.16.210 did NOT fix this bug.

My issue has been resolved after updating to v1.16.220.  Hopefully others can confirm.

v.1.16.221 and still the same, I'm also showing more info than I usually do just to try to see if that changes anything but same msg, also the link to the posible solutions doesn't have any option about how to solve this.

v1.16.221 still does not work.

my settings are fine, my wi fi seems pretty good, and all my other multiplayer games work fine. Its only minecraft acting this way, anyone know any potential solutions?

This just started to happen to me on my xbox. It is currently 1.17.2 and i have checked up on my privacy settings and they are all okay. I have an active xbox live gold membership active and my internet connection is working just fine. Again this just randomly started happening to me and i have no idea on what to do to fix it. I have been unable to play anything online related for minecraft. Not even my own realm that i am paying for!. Any solutions would be much appreciated. 

I've been experiencing the same problem, when I contacted Microsoft they said it was an easy fix from Mojang, if they would just reset the game server attached to the account. However when I contacted Mojang they simply said to fix my settings (despite the fact I told them that was not the issue) and then upvote this bug report. 

Here is the conversation I had with the person at Microsoft, who assured me everything would be fixed if the game server was refreshed.

Maybe you accidentally writed incorrect date, and it thinks, that you are a kid. (that happens, when you write in year that, that you are 17 years old) I think you have to get in

https://Xbox.com

 https://aka.ms/MCMultiplayerHelp

The issue seemed to be resolved in the latest update. The 'join realm' button appeared, and I just had to reset my settings again and then restart Minecraft. I have not tested it with a realm code yet, but it has the option to enter one now

I can also join a realm too through code entry as well, but I’m pretty sure when I clicked it, I got the same exact message about my account, even though I can play on servers just fine…

"You cannot play online multiplayer through Xbox Live because of how your account is set up" for me too on Xbox one when there's nothing wrong with my account and I've changed all settings to allowed, still doesnt work, restarted my xbox, hard reset it, reinstalled minecraft and I still own gold membership, so I have no idea whats going on?
and im not even trying to join realms, i legit cannot invite my friends, so theres basically no point of me playing until i can fix this

As this may be an issue with your account or billing, you will need to contact Minecraft Customer Support directly. It would be helpful if you could send them your gamertag when getting in touch (please don't share that here).

(It's also worth noting that players on Xbox will require a Gold subscription to play online.)

Quick Links:
📓 Issue Guidelines – 💬 Mojang Support – 📧 Suggestions – 📖 Minecraft Wiki

Happening to me; adult account, works when I sign in to one xbox but not my primary xbox, leading me to think it's a local issue - I've reinstalled the game, and signed out and back in again.

Hello to do this you have to go at the microsoft site then xbox then xbox profile then go to privacy settings then select Xbox Series X/S and Windows 10 Online Security then make all of the settings at the tab ok, this happened to me i solved like this and it worked and it will probaly work at you

@odigiman Please confirm if this is still an issue for you in the latest release and/or preview