What Simple Voice Chat works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt |
| Minecraft versions | 1.8.8, 1.12, 1.12.1, 1.12.2, 1.16, 1.16.1, 1.16.2, 1.16.3, 1.16.4, 1.16.5, 1.17, 1.17.1, 1.18, 1.18.1, 1.18.2, 1.19, 1.19.1, 1.19.2, 1.19.3, 1.19.4, 1.20, 1.20.1, 1.20.2, 1.20.3, 1.20.4, 1.20.5, 1.20.6, 1.21, 1.21.1, 1.21.2, 1.21.3, 1.21.4, 1.21.5, 1.21.6, 1.21.7, 1.21.8, 1.21.9, 1.21.10, 1.21.11, 26.1, 26.1.1, 26.1.2, 26.2 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Simple Voice Chat answers the Minecraft proximity chat question directly. Install this voice chat mod (also called a mic mod) and nearby players hear each other's microphone automatically, with volume fading as the distance between you grows. It runs as an optional mod for Minecraft Java Edition on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt from version 1.16.5 through the current 26.2 release, with a companion plugin covering Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, and Folia servers.
How Simple Voice Chat Works
The mod creates a dedicated UDP voice server running alongside the Minecraft server process. Audio from your microphone is encoded using the Opus codec and sent only to players within the configured range. A small HUD icon shows which nearby players are currently speaking. Beyond proximity chat, you can create or join private group channels that let you talk to specific players regardless of your in-game position.
- Proximity-based audio with natural distance falloff.
- Private group channels for voice across any distance.
- Per-player volume controls and individual mute buttons.
- Push-to-talk or voice-activation input modes.
- Server-side admin controls to mute or manage players.
Installation for Client and Server
On a modded server running Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, or Quilt, install the same mod JAR on both the server and every participating client. On a Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, or Folia server, install the companion voicechat-bukkit plugin on the server and the standard mod JAR on each client. Players who do not have the mod installed can still join the server and play normally; they simply have no voice chat.
- 1.Download the JAR for your loader and Minecraft version from the Modrinth page.
- 2.Place the JAR in the mods folder on both client and server (for modded servers), or use the voicechat-bukkit plugin on Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, or Folia.
- 3.Start the server, then connect from the client.
- 4.Press V (default keybind) in-game to open the voice chat menu and select your microphone and speakers.
Supported server software and proxies
Simple Voice Chat ships two separate server-side paths. Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt servers run the same mod JAR as the client. Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, and Folia servers use the standalone voicechat-bukkit plugin instead, so a server that never runs mods still gets full proximity voice chat. Velocity, BungeeCord, and Waterfall proxies get their own plugin build for multi-server networks, set up separately from the backend servers behind them. This split plugin option is one thing that sets Simple Voice Chat apart from mods like Plasmo Voice, which needs a matching server or proxy build instead of a standalone plugin.
Configuration and Settings
An in-game settings screen lets you choose input and output devices, adjust microphone sensitivity and gain, switch between push-to-talk and voice activation, and toggle noise suppression. Server administrators can configure the maximum voice distance, codec quality, and the port the voice server listens on through the server-side config file. Group channels created in the group menu persist until the creator closes or disbands them.
Common connection and audio problems
Most connection failures trace back to the UDP port, not the mod. A broken-plug icon in the client instead of a connected one usually means the server's voice chat port, 24454 by default, is not open, is blocked by a firewall, or is filtered by a host's DDoS protection. Docker hosts need to publish that port specifically as UDP, since a TCP-only mapping will not work. Running behind Velocity or BungeeCord needs the proxy's own voice chat setup followed in addition to the backend server config, or the same port problem shows up there instead.
If other players cannot hear you, check that the right microphone is selected in the in-game voice chat settings and that voice activation has not muted you; push-to-talk avoids that mix-up entirely. If proximity voice suddenly stops working for everyone nearby, check whether you are in a group channel first. Group members only hear each other through the group, and leaving the group restores normal proximity chat.
Questions about Simple Voice Chat.
5 questions
How do I install Simple Voice Chat?
Download the build that matches your loader and Minecraft version from the Modrinth page. Place the JAR in your mods folder on both client and server for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, or Quilt. For Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, or Folia servers, install the standalone voicechat-bukkit plugin on the server instead and keep the mod JAR on each client. Open the in-game menu with V to set up your microphone.
Does Simple Voice Chat need the plugin or the mod on the server?
Yes, one or the other. Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt servers need the same mod JAR the clients use. Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, and Folia servers use the separate voicechat-bukkit plugin instead, and Velocity, BungeeCord, and Waterfall proxies use their own plugin build. Clients without the mod can still join and play; they just cannot use voice chat.
Can I use Simple Voice Chat on Bedrock Edition?
No. Simple Voice Chat is a Java Edition project. It ships as a mod for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt, plus a plugin for Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, Folia, and several proxies, but no Bedrock Edition build exists among its loaders. Bedrock players cannot install any version of it.
Which Minecraft version and loader does Simple Voice Chat support?
Simple Voice Chat covers Minecraft Java Edition 1.16.5 through the current 26.2 release on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt, plus Paper, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, Folia, and proxy builds for the same version range. Each loader and version combination ships as its own separate download, so match the file on the Modrinth page to both your exact game version and your loader or server software.
Can I join a server using Simple Voice Chat without a microphone?
Yes. The mod is optional on the client side. You can install it and simply not configure a microphone, or skip installing it entirely. Players without the mod can join the server and use text chat as normal.
