How to Change the Game Mode in Minecraft (All Platforms)
Minecraft's game mode system is one of its most flexible features — it lets you switch between building freely, surviving against mobs, exploring without limits, or playing on a locked challenge setting. Whether you're setting up a server, helping a friend, or just want to stop dying while you build, knowing how to change game modes is fundamental.
Here's how it works across every major version and platform.
What Are the Minecraft Game Modes?
Before changing anything, it helps to know what you're switching between:
| Game Mode | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Survival | Health, hunger, resource gathering, mob damage — the default experience |
| Creative | Unlimited items, flight enabled, no damage taken |
| Adventure | Like Survival but with restricted block-breaking — used for custom maps |
| Spectator | Fly through the world invisibly, no interaction — Java Edition only |
| Hardcore | Survival with permadeath — world deletes on death (Java only) |
Most players switch between Survival and Creative most often. The method you use depends heavily on which version you're playing.
Changing Game Mode in Java Edition (PC/Mac) 🎮
Java Edition gives you the most control, but it requires cheats to be enabled unless you're an operator on a server.
Using the Command Console
- Press
/to open the chat/command console - Type one of the following and press Enter:
/gamemode survival /gamemode creative /gamemode adventure /gamemode spectator You can also use shorthand numbers:
/gamemode 0 ← Survival /gamemode 1 ← Creative /gamemode 2 ← Adventure /gamemode 3 ← Spectator Enabling Cheats First
If the command doesn't work, cheats may be off. To fix this:
- In a single-player world: Open to LAN via the pause menu → toggle Allow Cheats to ON. This resets when you close the session.
- When creating a new world: Under "More World Options," set Allow Cheats: ON before generating.
Changing Another Player's Game Mode (Server/Multiplayer)
If you're an operator or admin, use:
/gamemode creative [playername] Replace [playername] with their exact username.
Changing Game Mode in Bedrock Edition (Console, Mobile, Windows 10/11)
Bedrock Edition covers Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and the Windows 10/11 app version. The process is slightly different.
Via World Settings (Before Entering)
- Go to your world list and tap/click Edit (the pencil icon) on the world
- Scroll to Game Settings
- Find Default Game Mode and change it
- Save and enter the world
This sets the mode for all new players entering that world.
Using Commands In-Game
Same as Java, but you need cheats enabled:
- Open chat (tap the chat icon on mobile, or press
/on keyboard) - Type
/gamemode [mode]— Bedrock accepts:
/gamemode survival /gamemode creative /gamemode adventure Note: Spectator mode is available in Bedrock but was added later and may behave differently — it's an experimental feature in some versions.
Enabling Cheats on Bedrock
- Edit your world settings before loading in
- Toggle Activate Cheats to ON under Game Settings
⚠️ Enabling cheats on Bedrock disables achievements for that world permanently. This is a one-way switch — plan accordingly if achievements matter to you.
Changing Game Mode on a Minecraft Server
Server behavior depends on whether you're playing vanilla Minecraft, or using a server platform like Spigot, Paper, or Fabric.
As a Console Operator
If you have access to the server console (not the in-game chat), type:
gamemode creative [playername] No / needed in the server console — just the raw command.
Setting the Default Game Mode for All Players
In your server.properties file, find the line:
gamemode=survival Change survival to creative, adventure, or spectator as needed. Restart the server for changes to apply.
Op Permissions
Players with operator status (set via /op [playername] from the console) can run game mode commands in-game. Standard players cannot, unless a permissions plugin like LuckPerms grants it.
Variables That Change How This Works
The straightforward part is the command — but several factors determine whether it actually works for you:
- Version number: Commands introduced in newer versions won't work on older servers or worlds. Always check your version.
- Single-player vs. multiplayer: Cheats work differently depending on context, and LAN sessions reset cheat permissions on close.
- Server permissions: On shared or public servers, you may not have operator rights, and no client-side trick can override that.
- Bedrock vs. Java differences: Spectator mode, command syntax, and achievement locks behave differently between editions — what works on Java may not translate directly to Bedrock.
- Realm vs. self-hosted server: Minecraft Realms (the subscription hosting service) has its own admin panel with a world settings interface rather than raw command access.
- Modded environments: Mods like WorldEdit or modpacks with custom mechanics can change how game modes interact with the world.
Switching Modes Mid-Session vs. Permanently
One distinction that catches players off guard: switching your game mode via command only affects the current session or your personal state, not the world's default setting.
If you want every player who joins to start in Creative, you need to change the Default Game Mode in world settings or server.properties — not just run the command yourself.
Whether the right approach is a per-session toggle, a permanent world setting, or a server-level permissions change comes down to how your world is set up, who else is playing on it, and what you're actually trying to build or manage.