Sea of Thieves is Rare’s online pirate adventure, played in crews on shared seas. It runs on Xbox, Windows PC (Steam and the Microsoft Store) and PlayStation 5, and every version relies on Microsoft’s Xbox services for sign-in, crews and progress. Rare’s site, seaofthieves.com, is fetched by the tool above from a machine elsewhere on the internet; you see its status code, its speed and its certificate.
Beard codes and what they say
Instead of numbered errors, Sea of Thieves names its errors after beards. The name is the fastest way to tell server trouble from home trouble.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Lavenderbeard | Problem with the game’s services | Check the result above and wait |
| Beigebeard | Connection between you and the game servers was lost | Restart the router, use a cable |
| Alabasterbeard | Connection to the game’s services dropped | Restart the game, check your network |
| Sign-in loops before the menu | Xbox account or Gaming Services problem | Sign in to the Xbox app, repair Gaming Services |
| Stuck on a loading screen after a ship move | Server merge interrupted | Wait, then rejoin from the menu |
For the full list, search the code on the official support site; each one has its own article.
The website and the game are not the same
A reachable result here means seaofthieves.com is up. The servers that host the seas, the matchmaking service and Xbox sign-in are separate, and any of them can fail without touching the website. A slow or unreachable site is more serious and often goes along with a broader Rare or Xbox problem.
Because the game uses Xbox services on every platform, an Xbox network problem can stop Sea of Thieves on PC and PS5 too. When nothing works, look at the Xbox status page as well as the game’s own channels.
Steps that bring most players back to sea
- Restart the game completely
On Xbox, quit it from the guide menu; on PC, close it and check that no game process remains.
- Check the Xbox sign-in
Open the Xbox app on PC or the account settings on PS5 and confirm that the linked Microsoft account signs in.
- Repair Gaming Services on Windows
In Windows settings under installed apps, repair or reset the Gaming Services entry, then restart the PC.
- Test the NAT type
The Xbox app on PC and the console network settings show it. A strict or unavailable NAT blocks crew sessions.
- Switch to a cable
Server merges and large naval battles punish short Wi-Fi drops.
Crossplay and the Xbox status page
Sea of Thieves puts PC players into a shared pool with console players, and PC players cannot leave it. Xbox players can limit matchmaking to other controller players, but that switch lives in the console’s system settings for crossplay rather than in the game menu. It matters when friends on different platforms cannot find each other. One Xbox player with crossplay restricted at the system level will not be grouped with a PC friend, and the game gives no clear message explaining why.
Because every version signs in through Xbox services, the official Xbox status page is the second place to look after the check above. It lists Xbox network services such as account sign-in and multiplayer gaming. An account sign-in problem marked there explains a Sea of Thieves failure on PS5 just as well as on Xbox.
The linked Microsoft account on PS5
On PlayStation 5 the game asks for a Microsoft account the first time you play, and progress is stored with that account. Sign in with a different Microsoft account later and your pirate, gold and ship cosmetics appear to be gone. They are still on the account you linked first. Sign out and back in with the original account, and the progress returns.
Xbox Game Pass players on PC can hit a related trap. The Xbox app may be signed in with one Microsoft account while the Microsoft Store uses another, and the game then starts with an empty pirate or refuses to launch at all. Make sure both apps show the same account before reinstalling anything.
When only one crew member keeps dropping while the rest sail on, the routine for checking whether a problem is yours or everyone’s is a quick first pass on that player’s network.
Quiet and busy seas
Load rises with new seasons, large updates and big in-game events, when many players log in on the same day. Planned maintenance before updates is announced on the official channels. Evenings in Europe and North America are the regular daily peak.
If the game breaks right after an update, check that the download really finished. On Xbox and PC, the Microsoft Store or Steam may still be installing in the background, and an incomplete update stops the game from joining a server until it is done. On PS5, the same applies to the console’s download queue.
Official Sea of Thieves help
- Sea of Thieves Supportsupport.seaofthieves.com
- Sea of Thieves on X@SeaOfThieves
Questions about Sea of Thieves
What does the Lavenderbeard error mean?
Lavenderbeard points to a problem with the game's own services, so it usually appears during outages, maintenance or very busy periods. It is rarely caused by your setup. Check the result above and the official support site, wait a few minutes and try again before changing anything at home.
Why do beard error codes have colour names?
Rare gave each connection or service error a colour plus the word beard, such as Lavenderbeard or Beigebeard, instead of a number. Each name matches an article on the official support site that explains the cause. Search the exact name there to see whether it is a server-side problem or a local one.
Do I need an Xbox account to play on PlayStation?
Sea of Thieves on PS5 asks you to link a Microsoft account so that progress, crews and purchases work across platforms. If that sign-in fails, the game cannot load even when PlayStation Network is fine. Make sure the linked Microsoft account is the one you expect and can sign in on the web.
Why does Sea of Thieves fail only on PC?
On Windows the game depends on Xbox services in the background, whether you bought it on Steam or from the Microsoft Store. If the Xbox app, the Gaming Services component or the Xbox sign-in is broken, the game cannot connect. Repairing or reinstalling Gaming Services fixes many of these cases.
Is there a safe mode where I cannot lose my ship?
Sea of Thieves offers a mode without unwanted encounters with other crews, alongside the full open-world mode. Both still need the game's online services, so an outage stops them equally. Only the people you meet at sea differ.
Why does my crew keep getting merged or disconnected?
Server merges happen when the game moves your ship to another server, usually with a short loading screen. If the connection drops during that move, you may be sent back to the main menu. A wired connection and a stable home network reduce disconnects during these transitions.