How to Install Simple Voice Chat on a Minecraft Server

Minecraft brings players together far and wide on adventures. Surviving night after night, exploring the dangerous Nether, or coordinating a fight against the Ender Dragon requires seamless communication. Typing in chat slows down the action and breaks the immersion of your adventure. While Minecraft does not have built-in voice chat, it is possible to add that to your game and server with Simple Voice Chat.

In this Nitrado guide, we walk you through setting up Simple Voice Chat, an in-game voice chat/proximity chat mod and plugin for Minecraft servers. Its versatility of being a mod and a plugin, while providing players with an amazing experience on servers, makes it a great resource for your server. Installing SVC only takes a few minutes and before long, you and your friends can all talk inside your Minecraft world.

Complete SVC Mod and Plugin Setup Guide

To install Simple Voice Chat, you will need to download the version that’s right for you and your server. The version you’ll need will depend on if you’re running a modded server with Forge / Fabric or a Paper / Spigot server. Paper and Spigot servers will need the plugin version of SVC while modded servers will need the Forge or Fabric mod. To ensure the mod or plugin works, below we’ll detail how to download and install the right version for your server!

How to Install Simple Voice Chat Mod

Modded environments running Forge or Fabric read modifications directly from your base directory. Placing the mod into your server files allows the audio system to integrate with your custom modpack and recognize specific in-game events.

Downloading the Mod

With Minecraft mods, your server must be on Forge or Fabric first. Then, the correct version of Simple Voice Chat will need to be installed. To ensure you’re downloading the right version of the SVC mod, we recommend checking the “Files” tab for that mod located on Curseforge. Doing this will display all of the specific version downloads for Simple Voice Chat, along with their supported server type such as Forge, Fabric, or Quilt. Once you have found the right version for you, press the “Download” down-arrow option next to that version. Downloaded, you’ll then be ready to install the mod to your Minecraft server!

Installing the Mod

1. Head to your Minecraft server webinterface.
2. Next, stop your server, and then navigate to Tools > File Browser. This will open your server’s FTP to see and edit your server files.
3. Then, navigate to minecraftotherpacks > mods, and in that folder, press Upload file.
4. Afterward, locate the voicechat-forge mod file in your Downloads, select that file, and click Open to begin the upload process.
5. Allow that file to upload fully, go back to your server web interface, and restart your server. Your server will now load the SimpleVoiceChat mod!
6. Finally, ensure that the same version of Simple Voice Chat is on your Minecraft game client. To install that mod to your Minecraft game, follow this guide.

Need to make some changes to SVC? Look no further! Below, we’ll show you how to customize the plugin or mod for a unique Minecraft proximity chat experience!

Configuring the SVC Mod

1. Start by going on your Minecraft Forge / Fabric server web interface.
2. Stop your server, and navigate to Tools > File Browser.
3. Next, go to the location minecraftotherpacks > your-server-world-folder > serverconfig. Your world folder would be the folder for the main world of your server.
4. At that location, you will now see a voicechat-server.toml file that you can click to edit.
5. Inside the file, two settings need to be adjusted:
   1. bind_address = “” | For the bind address, this needs to be set to your server’s IP address without the port. Example: bind_address = “127.1.1.1”.
   2. port = 24454 | The port will need to be changed to your server’s port.
6. Finally, after making those changes save and then restart your server. SimpleVoiceChat will now work properly for your server and for players who have the mod installed on their game!

How to Install Simple Voice Chat Plugin

Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper servers rely on plugins to process proximity audio. Setting this up ensures your voice network routes correctly for all connected players without modifying their core game files.

Downloading the Plugin

1. Begin by going to the SVC plugin’s website page.
2. Next, on the page click the Files tab. This will let you see every version of Simple Voice Chat so that you can download the right version on your server.
3. Once you have found the correct version click the down arrow download button next to that.
4. After downloading the plugin, you’re ready to install the Simple Voice Chat plugin!

Installing the Plugin

When installing the Simple Voice Chat plugin to a server, the mod version will still need to be installed to your and your player’s Minecraft game for the plugin to work. You can install the mod to your Minecraft game by following this guide. Once installed, you’re ready to follow these instructions to add SVC to your server:

1. First, go to your Minecraft Bukkit / Spigot server web interface.
2. Afterward, stop your server and navigate to File Browser > Tools.
3. Next, head into the folders minecraftbukkit > plugins and once in that folder, press the Upload file option.
4. Then, search for the SimpleVoiceChat plugin, select it, and press Open to begin uploading that plugin file.
5. After the plugin has been uploaded to your server files, start your Minecraft server. The voice chat plugin will now load!

Configuring the Plugin

1. With the SVC plugin installed, go back to the File Browser of your Minecraft server.
2. In your server files, enter the folders minecraftbukkit > plugins > voicechat.
3. In that folder edit the voicechat-server.properties file by clicking on it.
4. Within this file, two settings need to be changed:
   1. bind_address= | The bind address option needs to be set to your server’s IP address without the port.
   2. port= | Then, the port option needs to be changed to your server’s port.
5. After making those changes, press Save changes.
6. Finally, start your server and now the SimpleVoiceChat plugin will work on your server!

Reminder: Any players joining the server will also need to have the mod version installed on their game client before the SVC plugin will function.

How to Use Simple Voice Chat

Once the audio system is running, players need a way to interact with it. The default keybinds give you control over your microphone and audio groups, while server commands help administrators manage the communication network.

Keyboard Controls for Voice Chat

• Caps-Lock | Activates push-to-talk.
• M | Mutes your microphone.
• N | Enables and disables the mod for you.
• H | Displays/hides the plugin or mod’s icons.
• V | Opens the voice chat UI menu.
• G | Allows you to manage your voice chat group.

Commands for Your Minecraft Server

• /voicechat help | Displays all commands for the plugin or mod.
• /voicechat test <player> | When run, will test the voice chat connect for a specific player. This command requires the voicechat.admin permission.
• /voicechat invite <player> | Using this command will invite a player to a group to voice chat.
• /voicechat join <group-ID> | While not recommended to use, this command will allow you to directly join a voice chat group.
• /voicechat leave | Leaves the voice chat group that you are currently in.

Permissions for Permission Plugins

• voicechat.listen – granted to all users | Allows players to hear audio from the voice chat.
• voicechat.speak – granted to all users | Determines if players can speak with voice chat.
• voicechat.groups – granted to all users | Sets if players can join voice chat groups.
• voicechat.admin – only granted to Op users | Enables use of administrative commands.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Even with a proper installation, players might experience audio hardware glitches or connection drops. Resolving these minor bugs quickly gets your community back into the game and talking again. Review these frequent errors and the exact steps needed to clear them.

Voice chat unavailable / Voice chat not connected

When you see this message or a plug icon when you are on your Minecraft server, this indicates the plugin or mod has not been fully set up. Usually, this is caused by the port option in the SVC configuration files. Re-follow the steps to configure SimpleVoiceChat and once done, the plugin or mod should then work on your server and Minecraft game!

My mic is not working

For SVC, you can select the microphone that needs to be used. If the incorrect mic is selected, other players will not be able to hear you. To change the mic selected, press the “V”-key and then click the Select Microphone button. Choose the correct device and then you can test if it works with the Enable microphone testing button. Once the mic is set correctly, other players will be able to hear you.

I can’t hear other people

With the SimpleVoiceChat mod or plugin, you can set the speaker that is used. When the speaker is set incorrectly, you will not be able to hear other players. To change the speaker set, press the V-key and then click Select Speaker. Select the correct speaker device and then afterward, test to see if that works with the “Enable microphone testing” option. Once the speaker is set properly, you will be able to hear other players.

Voice Chat is not working on Mac

On MacOS, programs are required to ask permission to grant usage of your microphone. Due to Minecraft not normally needing a microphone, the plugin/mod will not work properly using the normal Minecraft launcher. Instead, you’ll need to use the Prism Launcher to ensure Simple Voice Chat will work.

Experience Proximity Chat in Minecraft with Friends

At last with SimpleVoiceChat installed and configured on your Minecraft server, you’re ready to play like never before. Whether you’re going through caves or building houses, you and your friends will now be able to talk, work together, and discuss ideas. Alongside that, you can also use group voice chats in case you and your Minecraft friends decide to venture in different directions. The power of voice chat will truly bring a great time to everyone when you have the Simple Voice Chat plugin or mod on your Minecraft game server!