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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteMinecraft gamerules are world-level switches and values changed with /gamerule <rule> <value>. The correct rule name depends on your edition and version: Java Edition changed to snake_case names in 1.21.11, while older Java releases use legacy camelCase and Bedrock uses lowercase names without separators.
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Use the tables below to choose settings for building, survival, multiplayer or testing, then verify the exact names in the current Minecraft Wiki for your version before applying them. A misspelled or version-incompatible name will not change the rule you intended.
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A gamerule is a named setting stored with a Minecraft world or server. It can enable or disable a system-wide behavior, or change a numeric value used by the game. Gamerules affect everyone in that world rather than only the player who enters the command.
Most rules accept true or false. Numeric rules, such as randomTickSpeed on older Java versions, require an integer. In chat, put a slash before the command:
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/gamerule <rule_name> <value>For example, a current Java installation can use:
/gamerule advance_time falseThe same command without the leading slash is the command form used in command blocks and some server consoles.
Before you change anything
- Identify the edition: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition do not use the same spelling for every rule.
- Identify the version: Java 1.21.11 is the naming boundary documented by current guides. Java 1.21.10 and earlier use the older camelCase names.
- Check command access: You need permission to run commands in the world or server. If the command is rejected before it is parsed, ask the world owner or server administrator to grant the appropriate access.
- Record the original value: Use the command with only the rule name when supported by your edition to display its current value, or note the setting before changing it. This makes an experiment reversible.
- Change one variable at a time: Especially for tick-related settings, changing several rules together makes it difficult to identify the cause of lag or unexpected behavior.
Rule names by edition and version
| Platform | Naming style | Examples | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition 1.21.11 and later | snake_case | keep_inventory, mob_griefing, advance_time, natural_health_regeneration |
Use underscores exactly as shown. Argument names are case-sensitive. |
| Java Edition 1.21.10 and earlier | Legacy camelCase | keepInventory, mobGriefing, doDaylightCycle |
Do not substitute the newer names on an older release. |
| Bedrock Edition | Lowercase, normally with no separators | keepinventory, mobgriefing, pvp, showcoordinates, commandblockoutput, dodaylightcycle |
Bedrock’s list and defaults are not identical to Java’s. |
Java command arguments became case-sensitive in version 1.13. A command copied from an old tutorial can therefore fail even when the words appear otherwise correct. The 1.21.11 rename also means that a Java world updated from an earlier release may require you to update command blocks, functions and server scripts that contain old names.
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Core gamerules and practical settings
The following commands cover the settings most players ask about. Java commands use the 1.21.11-and-later spelling; the Bedrock column gives the documented lowercase equivalent where one is available.
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| Goal | Java 1.21.11+ | Bedrock example | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze the day/night cycle | /gamerule advance_time false |
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false |
Stops normal passage of in-game time. Re-enable with true. |
| Prevent mobs from altering blocks | /gamerule mob_griefing false |
/gamerule mobgriefing false |
Stops mob-based world changes covered by this rule, such as common explosive or creature block damage. |
| Keep items after death | /gamerule keep_inventory true |
/gamerule keepinventory true |
Retains a player’s inventory on death instead of dropping it in the world. |
| Freeze weather progression | /gamerule advance_weather false |
Check your Bedrock version | Prevents the normal weather cycle from advancing. Existing weather may need to be changed separately. |
| Disable phantom spawning | /gamerule spawn_phantoms false |
Check your Bedrock version | Stops phantoms from spawning through this gamerule. |
| Hide command-block feedback | /gamerule command_block_output false |
/gamerule commandblockoutput false |
Suppresses command-block output messages in chat; it does not disable command blocks. |
| Change random block updates | /gamerule random_tick_speed <integer> |
/gamerule randomtickspeed <integer> |
Changes how frequently random ticks process systems such as crops and fire spread. Higher values increase tick work and CPU use. |
Important: The Java snake_case names in this table are for 1.21.11 and later. If you are on Java 1.21.10 or earlier, use the legacy spelling documented for that release instead of guessing from the newer form.
Best settings for common play styles
Building and decoration
- Use
advance_time falsewhen you need a fixed lighting setup for large builds, screenshots or redstone demonstrations. - Use
advance_weather falsewhen changing rain or thunder would interrupt construction or recording. - Use
mob_griefing falseon a shared build world where accidental mob damage is more disruptive than the survival challenge.
These choices change the environment for every player. Tell visitors that the world is intentionally frozen or protected so they do not mistake the behavior for a bug.
Casual survival
keep_inventory trueremoves the item-recovery run after death and is useful for family or learning worlds.spawn_phantoms falseremoves one nighttime threat without changing other hostile-mob rules.- Leave
advance_timeandadvance_weatherenabled if you still want the normal day, night and weather rhythm.
Keeping inventory changes the consequences of death, so it is best treated as a deliberate difficulty choice rather than a universal “correct” setting.
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Command-heavy servers and technical testing
- Set
command_block_output falsewhen automated systems would otherwise flood chat. - Freeze time with
advance_time falsewhile testing daylight sensors, scheduled builds or demonstrations that must run under identical lighting. - Change
random_tick_speedonly for a controlled test, then restore the prior value before normal multiplayer play.
Keep a written list of deliberate deviations from the defaults. That record helps new operators understand why a server behaves differently from a fresh world.
How randomTickSpeed works
Random ticks are periodic, pseudo-random block updates used by systems such as crop growth and fire spread. The documented default is 3 in Java Edition and 1 in Bedrock Edition. Because the baseline differs, copying a value between editions does not produce an equivalent result.
To change it, replace <integer> with the value you want and use your edition’s spelling. For example, do not use the Java snake_case name on a Bedrock world. A higher value asks the game to perform more random-tick work; that can speed up growth but also increases CPU load and may contribute to lag.
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- Check the current edition and version.
- Save or record the existing random-tick value.
- Apply a modest change in a test area rather than immediately changing a busy production server.
- Observe crop behavior, fire spread and server responsiveness.
- Restore the recorded value if the result is too fast, unstable or expensive.
There is no single “best” number for every world. A farming test, a redstone demonstration and a public server have different CPU budgets and gameplay goals.
Java and Bedrock differences that cause mistakes
Different spelling is not cosmetic
keep_inventory, keepInventory and keepinventory are different strings tied to different edition/version conventions. The same applies to the daylight-cycle, mob-griefing and command-block-output examples. Copy the form for the world in which you are running the command.
Defaults can diverge
The random-tick defaults are 3 for Java and 1 for Bedrock. The spawnRadius default is less certain across Bedrock references: one guide lists 10 for Java and 5 for Bedrock, while a Minecraft Wiki history note says the value was set to 10 to match Java. Treat the Bedrock value as unresolved until you check the current documentation for your exact release; do not build a spawn-dependent design around an assumed number.
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Availability is not identical
Bedrock examples include pvp and showcoordinates, while the available Java rules and names can differ. A complete cross-edition list cannot be inferred from a handful of shared examples. If a rule is missing from tab completion or returns an unknown-rule error, consult the version-specific gamerule list rather than trying alternate punctuation at random.
Troubleshooting a gamerule command
“Unknown or incomplete command”
- Confirm that you typed
/gameruleand supplied both a rule name and a value. - Check the edition and the Java version boundary at 1.21.11.
- Check capitalization and underscores. Java arguments are case-sensitive from 1.13 onward.
- Use command completion, when available, to see the names accepted by that installation.
The command succeeds but nothing appears to change
- Make sure you changed the intended world or server; gamerules are stored per world.
- Check that the value is the right type: boolean rules require
trueorfalse, while random tick speed requires an integer. - Remember that disabling weather or time progression does not necessarily remove weather that is already active or undo a block change that already happened.
- For
mob_griefing, test the specific mob and behavior you care about; the rule covers mob-driven world changes, not every form of damage in the game.
A server becomes laggy after a change
Undo the last tick-related change first, especially a higher random-tick speed. If performance returns, keep the original value and test alternatives in a copy of the world. Do not assume that a value that works in a small farm will behave the same way on a multiplayer server with many loaded chunks.
A safe workflow for worlds and servers
- Write down the target: For example, “freeze daylight for a build session” or “retain items for a beginner world.”
- Confirm the platform: Record Java or Bedrock and the exact game version.
- Check the spelling: Use the version-appropriate name, including underscores or the lack of them.
- Inspect the current value: Query or otherwise record it before making a change.
- Apply one command: Use the smallest change that accomplishes the goal.
- Test the affected behavior: Advance time, trigger weather, die safely, observe a crop or run the relevant command-block system.
- Document the result: Keep a server note with the rule, value, date and reason.
- Restore temporary settings: Return testing rules to their previous values before handing the world back to normal players.
Quick decision guide
| If you want to… | Start with… | Watch for… |
|---|---|---|
| Build under constant lighting | Disable time progression | Players may lose the normal day/night cycle. |
| Protect a shared build | Disable mob griefing | Test the particular mob behavior important to your build. |
| Make death less punishing | Enable inventory retention | The world will no longer use item recovery as a survival challenge. |
| Remove phantom attacks | Disable phantom spawning | Only phantom spawning is targeted; other hostile mobs remain governed by their own systems. |
| Reduce automated chat noise | Disable command-block output | Commands still run; only their output messages are hidden. |
| Accelerate crops for a test | Adjust random tick speed temporarily | Higher values increase CPU work and can cause lag. |
Keep your gamerules maintainable
Gamerules are small changes with world-wide effects. Store the commands used to configure a server alongside its other setup notes, label whether each name is Java or Bedrock syntax, and include the game version. Recheck the list after a major Java update because the 1.21.11 naming change demonstrates that rule identifiers can be revised.
For a new world, begin with the default behavior, add only the rules that solve a specific problem, and test each one. That approach preserves predictable gameplay while still letting you tailor time, weather, mob interaction, death consequences, command feedback and tick speed to the way your group actually plays.
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