Elden Ring Co-op: How to Play Multiplayer With Friends
November 9, 2026 · 6 min read
On this page
- Elden Ring multiplayer basics
- How to play co-op with a friend
- Rules and limits of co-op
- Rewards for helping others
- Invasions and how to avoid them
- Is Elden Ring crossplay?
- PvP: duels and the Colosseums
- Co-op in Shadow of the Erdtree
- Frequently asked questions
- How do you play Elden Ring co-op with friends?
- Can you play Elden Ring co-op for the whole game?
- How many players can play Elden Ring co-op?
- Is Elden Ring cross-platform?
- Why can't I see my friend's summon sign?
- Can you use Spirit Ashes in co-op?
To play Elden Ring co-op with a friend, both of you set the same multiplayer password, the guest places a summon sign with the Tarnished's Furled Finger, and the host uses a Furlcalling Finger Remedy nearby to see and accept it. A host can have up to two co-op guests, and the session ends when you beat the area's boss. There is no crossplay, so you must be on the same platform family.
Last checked: November 9, 2026. Online play needs the latest update, currently version 1.17.2.
Elden Ring multiplayer basics
The official Bandai Namco introduction splits online play into three types:
| Type | What you do | Key items |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative | Help a host, or bring helpers into your world | Tarnished's Furled Finger, Furlcalling Finger Remedy, Small Golden Effigy |
| Competitive | Invade another player's world to defeat the host | Bloody Finger, Small Red Effigy, Duelist's Furled Finger |
| Rescue | Join as a blue hunter to fight invaders for a host | Blue Cipher Ring and White Cipher Ring |
Most of the core items are in your possession very early. PowerPyx places the Tarnished's Furled Finger and the Finger Severer on the wall by the first Site of Grace in the opening cave, and the Small Golden Effigy hanging on a summoning pool statue just east of the first grace in Limgrave. Furlcalling Finger Remedies are sold by Merchant Kalé at the Church of Elleh, among other places.
How to play co-op with a friend
- Set a password. Both players open the Multiplayer menu, choose Settings, and enter the same multiplayer password. It is case sensitive. With a password, you only see summon signs from players using the same one.
- Meet in the same area. The official guide says you both need to be in roughly the same part of the map, for example near the same Site of Grace.
- Guest places a sign. The guest uses the Tarnished's Furled Finger to put a golden summon sign on the ground.
- Host reveals the sign. At the same time, the host uses a Furlcalling Finger Remedy. After a moment, the guest's golden sign appears in the host's world.
- Host summons. Walk up to the sign and interact with it. Repeat for a second guest if you want a group of three.
An alternative is the summoning pool system. The host activates a Martyr Effigy (the small statue near most boss areas), and the guest uses the Small Golden Effigy from the Multiplayer menu to send their sign to activated pools. The Small Golden Effigy has an "Include Distant Areas" option, added in patch 1.12, that lets you be summoned at pools across the map rather than only nearby ones.
Rules and limits of co-op
- Up to three players. One host and two co-op guests. Invaders can raise a session to four players.
- No Torrent and no fast travel for the host. The official guide says hosts can't ride Torrent, and fast travel is blocked until all guests have left.
- Guests get half the flasks. A guest's Crimson and Cerulean flasks are halved, rounded down. Three flasks at home becomes one as a guest.
- No Spirit Ashes. Spirits can't be summoned during multiplayer, for the host or the guests. See our Spirit Ashes guide for the summoning rules.
- Sessions end at the boss. Defeating a boss or mini-boss ends the session and sends guests home. Death also sends a guest home, and the host can remove guests with the Finger Severer.
That last rule is the biggest difference from most co-op games. Elden Ring does not let you explore the whole game together in one session. Each session is built around reaching and beating one boss, after which you summon each other again.
Rewards for helping others
Guests are rewarded when they help a host beat a boss or an invader. According to the official guide, a successful co-op helper or hunter earns runes, a Furlcalling Finger Remedy and a Rune Arc. Since Rune Arcs are otherwise limited, helping other players is a steady way to collect them, along with a free supply of remedies for your own sessions.
Invasions and how to avoid them
Opening your world to co-op also opens it to invaders. Invaders use a Bloody Finger or a Small Red Effigy, appear as red phantoms, and aim to kill the host. While invading they are ignored by enemies, and they can use a Phantom Bloody Finger to teleport toward the host.
Ways to handle invasions:
- Use a password. It filters summon signs, but the official guide notes it does not stop random invaders.
- Use a Group Password if you want friends to invade you on purpose. It prioritizes players with the same group password as guests and invaders.
- Wear the White Cipher Ring to call a blue hunter automatically when you are invaded.
Is Elden Ring crossplay?
No. Elden Ring does not support crossplay between PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2. GamesRadar notes that consoles from the same family can play together, and Digitally Downloaded's review of Tarnished Edition confirms that Switch 2 players can only team up with other Switch 2 players. Console players also need their platform's online subscription, such as PlayStation Plus, for online play.
PvP: duels and the Colosseums
If you enjoy fighting other players directly, patch 1.08 opened Colosseums in Limgrave, Caelid and Leyndell. They host one-on-one duels, free-for-alls and team battles of up to six players, plus special fights where spirit summoning is allowed. Outside the Colosseums, the Duelist's Furled Finger places a red sign that other duelists can use to summon you for a fight.
Co-op in Shadow of the Erdtree
The expansion uses the same multiplayer system. Patch 1.13.2 fixed bugs that blocked invasions and allowed co-op in some parts of Scadu Altus, so keep your game updated. If you are still on your way there, our guide to starting the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC explains the requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Elden Ring co-op with friends?
Both players set the same multiplayer password. The guest places a sign with the Tarnished's Furled Finger, and the host uses a Furlcalling Finger Remedy in the same area to see the sign and summon them.
Can you play Elden Ring co-op for the whole game?
Not in one continuous session. Co-op ends when you beat the area's boss, the guest dies, or the host sends them home, so you need to summon each other again for the next area.
How many players can play Elden Ring co-op?
Up to three: the host plus two co-op guests. An invader can join on top of that, for a maximum of four players in one world.
Is Elden Ring cross-platform?
No. There is no crossplay between PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2, so you can only play with people on the same platform family.
Why can't I see my friend's summon sign?
Check that you both use exactly the same password, since it is case sensitive, and that you are in the same area. The host also has to use a Furlcalling Finger Remedy, and both players need the latest game update for online play.
Can you use Spirit Ashes in co-op?
No. Spirit Ashes are disabled whenever another player is in the world. Rely on teamwork instead, and save your spirits for solo fights.
