Alex Ruben
How To Resolve Minecraft Failed To Login Due To Invalid Session
If you’re hitting that annoying “Failed to login: Invalid session” message in Minecraft, it’s kind of a pain but not impossible to fix. Usually it pops up because your session tokens are wonky, or there’s a glitch in the background, maybe some network hiccup. The good news is, there are a few tricks that can get you back in the game without too much fuss. Sometimes, just restarting stuff or clearing some caches can do the trick. But on other setups, you might need a slightly deeper fix—like resetting network settings or signing out/in again. After running through these, you should be able to connect without that error blocking your progress. Just takes a little patience and some command-line magic. Here’s what’s been known to work.
How to Fix the Invalid Session Error in Minecraft
Check and End Minecraft Processes Completely
This helps if the launcher or game has some stuck sessions that aren’t properly closing, which can cause the invalid session error. Minecraft can be weird like that—sometimes it keeps processes running in the background even after closing it, and that messes with new login attempts.
- Open the Task Manager. On Windows, hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click the taskbar and choose Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- Look for any entries labeled “Minecraft” or “Java,” especially if you’re running mods or the bedrock edition. Right-click and pick End Task.
Basic, but surprisingly effective. Sometimes Minecraft just doesn’t shut down properly, and that old session clashes with the new login. Expect the error to clear up after a clean exit and restart.
Sign Out, Then Sign Back Into Your Account
This is a quick one but often helps resolve session conflicts—especially if your account tokens got jumbled.
- Launch the Minecraft launcher.
- Click your profile icon or name on the top right (depends on launcher version) and select Log Out.
- Close the launcher entirely, then reopen it.
- Log back in with your Microsoft or Mojang account, making sure credentials are correct.
Sometimes this refreshes your session tokens. No guarantees, but on one setup it worked immediately, on another, it needed a quick reboot afterward—because of course, Windows has to make everything a little more complicated than needed.
Change DNS Settings to Improve Network Stability
If the problem is network-related—like DNS hiccups or slow resolution—changing DNS servers can help. This move is beneficial especially if your ISP’s DNS is flaky or overloaded.
- Open Control Panel and set View by to Large icons.
- Click Network and Sharing Center.
- On the left, select Change adapter settings.
- Right-click your active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection and choose Properties.
- Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
- Select Use the following DNS server addresses.
- Input:
8.8.8.8(Google DNS primary)8.8.4.4(Google DNS secondary)
- Click OK and close all the windows.
In some cases, just switching to a public DNS like Google’s makes the connection a bit more reliable—especially if your ISP’s DNS is throwing things off. This isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s worth a shot.
Flush DNS Cache and Reset Network Stack
Okay, if that didn’t help, then flushing the DNS cache and resetting network settings might do the trick. These commands reset some lower-level network stuff that might be causing the session invalidation.
- Open the Start menu and search for cmd.
- Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Run these commands one after the other, pressing Enter each time:
ipconfig /flushdns– flushes DNS cache; helps clear outdated or corrupted DNS data.netsh winsock reset– resets Windows’ network socket settings, which can fix deeper network problems.
- After these, restart your PC to make sure everything is fresh and applied properly.
On some setups, this delay can fix the invalid session error, especially if your network got bogged down or some cache got stuck. It’s a bit of a curse when Windows makes network issues so opaque.
Other Tips to Try
While the above covers most common fixes, keep an eye on some other factors:
- Whitelist Minecraft in your firewall or antivirus if they’re overly aggressive. Sometimes they block necessary authentication traffic.
- Check the official Minecraft server status page to see if the login servers are having issues.
- Ensure your internet connection isn’t dropping or throttling, especially if you’re on a flaky Wi-Fi or VPN.
Most of the time, stopping stubborn processes, refreshing your account session, or tweaking DNS settings will let you in again. If you’re still stuck after all that, maybe reach out to Minecraft support or check fan forums—I’ve seen some weird account lockouts or regional blocks that only they can clear up. But for most, these steps restore access without pulling too much hair out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the error keeps coming back even after trying everything?
Sometimes the issue isn’t on your end—like server maintenance, account issues, or regional restrictions. Double-check the official Minecraft support page, and maybe try again after a bit.
Can I just keep trying to log in multiple times?
Sure, but if the session tokens are really messed up, repeated attempts without fixing underlying issues might not do much. Sometimes, a full sign-out/in cycle or the network troubleshooting are needed first.
What are the best DNS servers to use if Google’s don’t work?
Besides Google’s 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, Cloudflare’s DNS (1.1.1.1) is another solid choice. Not sure why, but just switching DNS can sometimes sidestep those annoying login blocks.