Minecraft Server Commands (Java Console List, 2026)

Q: Do Minecraft server console commands need a slash?

No. In the console you type whitelist add Steve. In game chat you type /whitelist add Steve. Most servers accept a slash in the console too, but leaving it out always works.

Q: How do I see who is online on my Minecraft server?

Run list in the console. It prints the number of players and their names.

Q: What is the command to save a Minecraft server?

save-all. Use save-all flush before copying the world, since it waits until everything is written.

Q: How do I stop a Minecraft server safely?

Run stop in the console. It kicks players, saves every world and shuts down. Avoid closing the window or killing the process.

Minecraft Java server commands are typed in the server console without a slash, or in chat with a slash by an operator. The ones you will use every week are whitelist add, op, kick, ban, list, save-all and stop. This page lists every command that matters for running a Java server on 26.x, grouped by job, with the exact syntax and what each one does. Bedrock servers use a different set, covered in our Bedrock server commands list.

How do you run commands on a Minecraft server?

There are two places to type a command:

Where	How to type it	Who can
Server console	`whitelist add Steve` (no slash)	Anyone with access to the console or panel
In game chat	`/whitelist add Steve`	Operators with a high enough permission level

The console always runs commands at the highest level, so it works even before anyone is an operator. That is why the first thing most owners do is run op YourName in the console. Our guide on how to op someone explains the four permission levels and which commands each one unlocks.

Player and access commands

Command	What it does
`list`	Shows who is online and how many players are connected
`whitelist on` / `whitelist off`	Turns the whitelist on or off
`whitelist add <name>`	Lets a player join. Works for players who are offline
`whitelist remove <name>`	Takes a player off the list
`whitelist list`	Shows everyone on the list
`whitelist reload`	Reloads `whitelist.json` after you edit it by hand
`op <name>` / `deop <name>`	Gives or removes operator rights
`kick <name> [reason]`	Disconnects a player. They can rejoin straight away
`ban <name> [reason]`	Bans an account permanently
`ban-ip <name or ip> [reason]`	Bans an IP address
`pardon <name>` / `pardon-ip <ip>`	Removes a ban
`banlist [players or ips]`	Shows current bans
`setidletimeout <minutes>`	Kicks players idle for this long. `0` turns it off

From 26.3 a brand new server has the whitelist on by default, so nobody can join until you add them. Our whitelist guide covers enforce-whitelist and the JSON file, and how to ban, kick and mute players covers moderation.

Saving and stopping

Command	What it does
`save-all`	Writes the world to disk
`save-all flush`	Writes everything to disk and waits until it is done. Use before copying files
`save-off`	Stops automatic saving, so files do not change while you copy them
`save-on`	Turns automatic saving back on. Never forget this after `save-off`
`stop`	Saves the world and shuts the server down cleanly

Always use stop instead of killing the process. A hard kill can lose the last few minutes of play or damage a chunk that was being written. save-off, save-all flush, copy, save-on is the safe way to back up without stopping, explained in how to back up a Minecraft server.

World and time commands

Command	What it does
`time set day` / `time set night`	Changes the time. `time set 1000` is morning
`time query daytime`	Shows the current time of day
`weather clear` / `weather rain` / `weather thunder`	Changes the weather, optionally for a number of seconds
`difficulty <peaceful, easy, normal, hard>`	Changes difficulty until the next restart
`defaultgamemode <mode>`	Sets the mode new players start in
`gamemode <mode> [player]`	Changes one player's mode
`gamerule <rule> [value]`	Reads or changes a game rule
`setworldspawn [x y z]`	Moves the world spawn
`spawnpoint [player] [x y z]`	Sets one player's respawn point
`worldborder set <diameter>`	Limits how far the world goes
`seed`	Shows the world seed
`locate structure <id>`	Finds the nearest structure, like `minecraft:village_plains`

difficulty from the console does not survive a restart. To make it stick, set difficulty= in server.properties, as explained in how to change the difficulty. Game rules use snake case names since 1.21.11, so it is gamerule keep_inventory true, not keepInventory. The full list is in how to change game rules on a Minecraft server.

Teleport, items and players

Command	What it does
`tp <player> <target player>`	Teleports one player to another
`tp <player> <x> <y> <z>`	Teleports a player to coordinates
`give <player> <item> [count]`	Gives an item, for example `give Steve minecraft:diamond 5`
`clear <player> [item]`	Empties a player's inventory, or removes one item
`effect give <player> <effect> [seconds]`	Applies an effect
`xp add <player> <amount> levels`	Gives experience levels
`kill <target>`	Kills a player or entities. Careful with `kill @e`, it removes item frames, pets and villagers too
`tell <player> <message>`	Sends a private message. `msg` and `w` are the same command
`say <message>`	Broadcasts a message as the server

For enchanted or named items, the /give syntax changed in 1.20.5 and again in 1.21.5. See how to give enchanted items for the current format.

Performance and debugging commands

Command	What it does
`tick query`	Shows the target tick rate and how long ticks are taking
`tick rate <number>`	Changes the tick rate. Leave it at `20` on a normal server
`tick freeze` / `tick unfreeze`	Freezes the game, handy when testing farms
`perf start` / `perf stop`	Records 10 seconds of performance data into a zip in the server folder (dedicated servers only)
`debug start` / `debug stop`	Records ticks per second over a period of time
`reload`	Reloads data packs, functions and loot tables. On Paper and Spigot it is not for plugins
`datapack list`	Shows enabled and available data packs
`transfer <host> [port] [players]`	Sends players to another server (1.20.5 and newer, the target needs `accepts-transfers=true`)

A healthy server runs at 20 ticks per second, which means each tick takes 50 milliseconds or less. If ticks are slower, read Minecraft server lag fix and what "Can't keep up" means.

Extra commands on Paper and Purpur

Paper and Purpur add a few commands vanilla does not have:

Command	What it does
`tps`	Ticks per second over the last 1, 5 and 15 minutes
`mspt`	Milliseconds per tick, the clearest lag number
`plugins` (or `pl`)	Lists installed plugins. Red names failed to load
`version`	Shows the Paper build, and whether it is out of date
`spark profiler start`	The spark profiler that ships with Paper. Stop it with `spark profiler stop` for a shareable report
`paper`	Paper's own admin commands, such as `paper version`

Never use /reload or /reload confirm to load new plugins on Paper. It leaves many plugins in a broken half loaded state. Restart the server instead, as covered in how to install plugins.

Running commands on a GamezServers server

On a GamezServers Minecraft server, open the Console tab and type commands without a slash. The common ones are also one click buttons: Save world, Make it day, Clear weather, Broadcast, Whitelist player, Make operator, Kick, Ban and List players, so friends you give panel access do not have to remember syntax. The players list shows who is online with Message, Make operator, Kick and Ban buttons next to each name.

If you want the server without paying out of pocket, the credits from sharing your link can cover it, see free Minecraft server hosting.

FAQ

Do Minecraft server console commands need a slash?

No. In the console you type whitelist add Steve. In game chat you type /whitelist add Steve. Most servers accept a slash in the console too, but leaving it out always works.

Why does a command say "Unknown or incomplete command"?

Either the name is wrong, a required part is missing, or you are not an operator with a high enough level. Game rules are a common cause: since 1.21.11 the names are snake case, like keep_inventory.

How do I see who is online on my Minecraft server?

Run list in the console. It prints the number of players and their names.

What is the command to save a Minecraft server?

save-all. Use save-all flush before copying the world, since it waits until everything is written.

How do I stop a Minecraft server safely?

Run stop in the console. It kicks players, saves every world and shuts down. Avoid closing the window or killing the process.

Can I run commands while nobody is online?

Yes. The console works whenever the server is running, with or without players.