How to Change Game Rules on a Minecraft Server (Java 26.x List)

Q: What is the one player sleep command in Minecraft 26.x?

/gamerule playerssleepingpercentage 0. On 1.21.10 and older it is /gamerule playersSleepingPercentage 0.

Q: Do game rules reset when the server restarts?

No. They are saved in the world's level.dat. They only reset if the server loads a different world.

Q: Can I change game rules in server.properties?

No. Game rules are not in server.properties. Use the gamerule command in the console. Since 1.21.9, pvp, allow-nether, spawn-monsters and enable-command-block moved from the file into game rules.

Q: How do I see all game rules?

Type gamerule in game and press Tab to scroll through every rule name your version supports. The Minecraft Wiki also keeps a full table with defaults.

To change a game rule on a Minecraft Java server, type gamerule <rule> <value> in the server console, for example gamerule players_sleeping_percentage 0 or gamerule mob_griefing false. The change works instantly, needs no restart and is saved in the world. Since Java 1.21.11 every rule uses a snake case name, so old commands like gamerule doDaylightCycle false fail on 26.x servers. Below is how the command works, the rules server owners change most with their defaults, and the Paper trap that catches people out.

For Bedrock Dedicated Server, see how to change game rules on a Bedrock server instead. Bedrock still uses lowercase names like keepinventory.

How do I use the gamerule command?

There are three forms:

What you want	Console command
Change a rule	`gamerule mob_griefing false`
Check a rule's current value	`gamerule mob_griefing`
Use the full name	`gamerule minecraft:mob_griefing false`

In game, add a slash and you must be an operator at level 2 or higher. In the console, no slash and no permission needed. Values are true and false for switches, or a whole number for rules like random_tick_speed.

Game rules live inside the world, not in server.properties. That has two consequences:

They survive restarts with no file editing.
If you swap to a new world folder, it starts with default rules again. Set them again after a world reset.

The game rules server owners change most

Names are for Java 1.21.11 and every 26.x release. The old name is listed so you can translate commands from older guides and videos.

Rule (26.x)	Old name	Default	What it does
`keep_inventory`	`keepInventory`	`false`	Players keep items and XP on death
`players_sleeping_percentage`	`playersSleepingPercentage`	`100`	Percent of players who must sleep to skip the night. `0` or `1` means one player is enough
`mob_griefing`	`mobGriefing`	`true`	Creepers blow up blocks, endermen take blocks, villagers farm. `false` stops all of it
`advance_time`	`doDaylightCycle`	`true`	`false` freezes the time of day
`advance_weather`	`doWeatherCycle`	`true`	`false` freezes the weather
`spawn_phantoms`	`doInsomnia`	`true`	`false` stops phantoms spawning for players who do not sleep
`spawn_mobs`	`doMobSpawning`	`true`	`false` stops natural mob spawning
`immediate_respawn`	`doImmediateRespawn`	`false`	Skips the death screen
`natural_health_regeneration`	`naturalRegeneration`	`true`	Health comes back from a full hunger bar
`show_death_messages`	`showDeathMessages`	`true`	Death messages in chat
`show_advancement_messages`	`announceAdvancements`	`true`	Advancement messages in chat
`respawn_radius`	`spawnRadius`	`10`	How far from world spawn new players land. `0` puts them on the exact spot
`random_tick_speed`	`randomTickSpeed`	`3`	Crop, tree and grass growth speed. Raising it costs CPU
`fall_damage`	`fallDamage`	`true`	Fall damage on or off
`tnt_explodes`	`tntExplodes`	`true`	`false` makes TNT harmless
`raids`	`disableRaids` (inverted)	`true`	`false` turns raids off
`send_command_feedback`	`sendCommandFeedback`	`true`	Command replies in chat
`command_block_output`	`commandBlockOutput`	`true`	Command blocks announce what they ran
`max_entity_cramming`	`maxEntityCramming`	`24`	Mobs in one block before they take damage

Four rules replaced lines that used to be in server.properties in 1.21.9, and people still look for them in the file:

Rule (26.x)	Replaced	Default
`pvp`	`pvp=` in server.properties	`true`
`spawn_monsters`	`spawn-monsters=`	`true`
`allow_entering_nether_using_portals`	`allow-nether=`	`true`
`command_blocks_work`	`enable-command-block=`	`true` in new worlds

Fire spread changed too: doFireTick is gone and the closest replacement is fire_spread_radius_around_player, where 0 stops fire spreading. The full rename list is in Mojang's Java Edition 1.21.11 changelog.

Popular setups

One player sleep. The most asked for change on friend servers:

gamerule players_sleeping_percentage 0

Any single player in bed skips the night. 50 means half the players online.

Stop creeper damage but keep creepers. Turn off griefing:

gamerule mob_griefing false

This also stops villagers farming and sheep eating grass, and snow golems leave no trail. If you only want creepers tamed, use a plugin or data pack that handles explosions instead.

Permanent day for a build server.

time set day
gamerule advance_time false
gamerule advance_weather false
weather clear

Keep inventory. gamerule keep_inventory true. More detail, including Bedrock, in how to turn on keep inventory.

No PvP. gamerule pvp false. For safe zones or opt in fights, see how to turn off PvP on a Minecraft server.

The Paper trap: rules are per world

On Paper, Purpur and Spigot every dimension is its own world with its own game rules. Running gamerule keep_inventory true from the console only changes the Overworld, so players who die in the Nether still drop everything. Set the rule in each dimension:

execute in minecraft:overworld run gamerule keep_inventory true
execute in minecraft:the_nether run gamerule keep_inventory true
execute in minecraft:the_end run gamerule keep_inventory true

The same applies to extra worlds made with Multiverse. Each one keeps its own rules, so set them per world or use Multiverse's own commands. On vanilla, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, one command covers the whole save.

Why does my gamerule command not work?

Message or symptom	Cause	Fix
"Incorrect argument for command"	You used an old camel case name on 1.21.11 or newer	Use the snake case name from the table
"Unknown or incomplete command"	Missing value or typo	Check spelling. Run it with no value to see the current setting
"You do not have permission"	You are not an operator	Run it in the console, or op yourself
Works in the Overworld only	Paper per world rules	Use `execute in` for each dimension
Rule reset after a restart	You started a new world, or a plugin sets it	Check `level-name` and your plugins' configs
A data pack or plugin uses the old name	It was written for 1.21.10 or older	Update it, or ask the author

On older servers (1.21.10 and below), the camel case names are correct and the snake case ones will not work. Check your version with version on Paper, or in the server log on vanilla.

Changing game rules on GamezServers

On a GamezServers Minecraft server, open the Console tab and type the command without a slash. Rules you change often, like one player sleep, can be saved as your own custom button so friends with panel access can flip them in one click. Since rules are stored in the world, they come along when you download, back up or move the server. Running an SMP? The Minecraft SMP hosting page and the SMP setup guide list the rules groups usually change on day one.

FAQ

What is the one player sleep command in Minecraft 26.x?

/gamerule players_sleeping_percentage 0. On 1.21.10 and older it is /gamerule playersSleepingPercentage 0.

Do game rules reset when the server restarts?

No. They are saved in the world's level.dat. They only reset if the server loads a different world.

Can I change game rules in server.properties?

No. Game rules are not in server.properties. Use the gamerule command in the console. Since 1.21.9, pvp, allow-nether, spawn-monsters and enable-command-block moved from the file into game rules.

How do I see all game rules?

Type gamerule in game and press Tab to scroll through every rule name your version supports. The Minecraft Wiki also keeps a full table with defaults.

Why does keep inventory not work in the Nether?

On Paper, Purpur and Spigot each dimension has its own rules. Run the command with execute in minecraft:the_nether run in front of it, and the same for the End.