«Failed to bind to port»

Errors & Fixes Reviewed September 6, 2026 1 min read

This error means the server tried to open its network port and something refused. Almost always the old process from your last session is still running.

What you are seeing

  • **** FAILED TO BIND TO PORT!
  • Perhaps a server is already running on that port?
  • The server stops immediately after printing it.

Why it happens

A port can only be held by one process at a time. If the previous run did not shut down cleanly, it is still holding the port when the new one tries to start.

What to do

  1. Stop the server properly, then start it

    Use Stop rather than Restart, wait for the panel to report it as offline, and only then start it again. A restart can begin the new process before the old one has released the port.

  2. Check server-port matches your allocation

    In server.properties, server-port has to be the port shown in the panel. If you changed it by hand to something that is not yours, the server has no permission to bind it.

  3. If it persists, use the kill button once

    That forces the process down and frees the port. Use it only when a normal stop has already failed — it does not let the world save.

How to confirm it worked

The console gets past the binding line and reaches Done.

Worth knowing

If you are running a proxy network, each backend needs its own port. Two backends pointed at the same one produce this error on whichever starts second.