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The most useful Bedrock administration commands fall into five jobs: discovering syntax, controlling access, managing players, changing the world, and automating repeatable tasks. Start with /help and confirm every command against the server’s installed release, because syntax, permission levels, and cheat requirements can change. On a Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS), also distinguish an in-game chat command from a command entered in the server console.
Before using commands in a world, enable the operator commands permission for the account that will run them. Microsoft says cheats must be enabled before commands are used; enabling cheats disables achievements for that world. The operator-commands permission is specifically required for chat commands and command blocks.
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Start with syntax and permissions
Use /help as the release-specific reference
Run /help in chat to list commands available to your account. Run /help <command>—for example, /help teleport—to display that command’s usage and arguments. This is safer than copying a syntax example written for a different Bedrock release. If a command is rejected, check spelling, argument order, permission level, and whether you are in chat, a command block, or the BDS console.
Understand permission labels
Microsoft’s command index assigns permission levels such as Any, Admin, Game Directors, and Owner. The label is separate from the cheat requirement. A command can require an elevated role, require cheats, require neither, or have different behavior in a dedicated-server console. Treat both fields as part of the command’s syntax.
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| Permission label | Practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Any | Available to ordinary users when the command is enabled; /help, /list, and /packstack are documented examples. |
| Admin | Administrative authority on the server; /op and /deop are documented examples. |
| Game Directors | Higher gameplay-control authority used by commands such as /kick in the command index. |
| Owner | Server-owner authority. /permission and /stop are marked Owner-level in the current index. |
Discovery and diagnostics commands
/help
/help lists commands you can run; /help <command> shows a command’s usage. It has Any permission and does not require cheats. Use it before a destructive operation and after an update.
/list and /packstack
/list shows players currently connected. It is useful before running a targeted kick, teleport, inventory change, or shutdown. /packstack prints the client or server behavior/resource-pack stack to chat, helping identify which packs are active when a mechanic behaves unexpectedly. Both are documented as Any-permission commands that do not require cheats.
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Grant or revoke operator status
Use /op <player> to grant operator status and /deop <player> to revoke it. Replace <player> with the account’s exact in-game name. The command index marks both as Admin-level and says cheats are not required. Grant the smallest privilege needed, and de-op temporary helpers when their work is complete.
Manage the allowlist
On a Bedrock Dedicated Server, the documented way to add someone is /allowlist add <GamerTag>. The GamerTag must match exactly, including capitalization. Typical maintenance actions are add, remove, list, on, off, and reload; confirm the exact subcommand spelling with /help allowlist on your release.
Use the BDS console when you need to change access before players connect. Keep a record of the intended GamerTags, because an apparent spelling difference can prevent an approved player from joining. Treat allowlist changes as access-control changes, not ordinary gameplay commands.
Use dedicated-server permission management
/permission list, /permission set, and /permission reload manage dedicated-server permission settings. The command index marks this family Owner-level and requiring cheats. Use /help permission to see the current set arguments and verify whether your server expects a player name, role, or file-backed setting.
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Remove a player safely
/kick <player> removes a player from the server. The command index lists it as a Game Directors command that does not require cheats. Explain the reason before or after the kick with /say or a private message when appropriate. Kicking is reversible only in the sense that the player can reconnect; it does not undo block, inventory, or chat changes already made.
Communicate with players
Chat, announcements, and on-screen text
/say <message> broadcasts server text. /tell <player> <message> sends a private message. /tellraw <target> <raw_json_message> creates formatted JSON text, which is useful for clickable or styled notices when your current syntax supports it.
/title <target> title <text> displays a large title; the /title family also supports subtitle and timing operations. /titleraw accepts JSON text for more control. Check each command’s current permission and cheat metadata in /help; do not assume that a message command has the same requirements as /say.
Change player state and movement
Game modes
/gamemode <mode> [target] changes a player’s mode. The mode can be a supported name such as survival, creative, adventure, or spectator where available in that release. Omitting the optional target applies the command to its executor; specifying a target lets an administrator change another player. Check /help gamemode for the installed release’s permission and cheat requirement.
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Teleport with explicit targets and safety checks
/teleport, abbreviated /tp, can move the executor or a selected victim to coordinates or another entity. A coordinate destination uses x y z; an entity destination uses a target selector or player name. Examples:
/tp @s 120 64 -30moves the executor to exact coordinates./tp Alex @pmoves Alex to the nearest player./tp @a 0 80 0affects every connected player, so use it only when that scope is intentional.
The command supports optional rotation, a facing destination, and a checkForBlocks safety argument. Use the check-for-blocks option when placing a player in an enclosed or unfamiliar location, and test the destination on a staging world. Always identify the victim and destination explicitly; a broad selector such as @a can move an entire server.
Status effects, inventory, and spawn points
/effect adds, removes, or clears status effects. /give adds an item, /clear removes items from an inventory, and /replaceitem changes a particular inventory or equipment slot. These commands can permanently alter player state, especially when used with selectors or a large item count. Confirm target and quantity before executing.
/spawnpoint sets a player’s personal spawn point; /clearspawnpoint removes it. Use a named target when correcting one player’s respawn location instead of relying on the executor’s default target.
World settings and routine maintenance
Query and set gamerules
/gamerule queries or sets Boolean and integer rules. The reference documents rules including commandblockoutput and dodaylightcycle, and states that the command does not require cheats. Query a rule before changing it, then make one change at a time:
- Run
/gameruleor/help gameruleto confirm the available syntax. - Query the specific rule, such as
/gamerule dodaylightcycle. - Set it with the value required by your release, for example
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false. - Record the old value so another administrator can restore it.
Difficulty, time, and weather
/difficulty sets Peaceful, Easy, Normal, or Hard. /time set day, noon, night, midnight, sunrise, or sunset sets the world’s time using the documented TimeSpec values. /weather sets weather, while /toggledownfall toggles downfall. These are world-wide changes; announce them if players are building or exploring.
Mob events and ticking areas
/mobevent controls which mob events run. /tickingarea adds, removes, or lists regions that continue processing beyond the normal player-loaded area. Ticking areas can keep farms or command systems active, so list them periodically and remove obsolete entries.
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Use /help save to verify the save command’s syntax for your installed BDS release; the command can configure or check save behavior. Do not infer its arguments from Java Edition documentation.
/stop shuts down the dedicated server cleanly. The current command index marks it Owner-level and requiring cheats, while the BDS guide documents it as a console operation. Enter it in the server console when possible, warn connected players first, and wait for the process to finish before restarting or copying world files.
Building, automation, and command logic
Conditional execution
/execute runs a nested command with a changed executor, position, rotation, or condition. Microsoft examples use forms such as as, positioned as, and if block. Build complex commands incrementally: first test the selector, then the position, then the condition, and finally the nested action.
Functions and scoreboards
/function runs commands stored in a behavior-pack function file, allowing repeatable routines instead of manually pasting long command chains. /scoreboard creates objectives and manipulates scores, providing state for timers, counters, teams, and conditional systems. Keep function files and scoreboard objective names documented so another administrator can maintain them.
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/fill, /clone, and /setblock edit blocks. Use explicit coordinates and test on a backup world: a mistaken corner or mode can overwrite a large build. /summon creates an entity, /tag attaches or removes selector tags, and /event triggers an entity event. /structure saves or loads structures for repeatable builds.
Permission, context, and risk at a glance
| Command family | Permission or cheat status documented | Where to run | State changed | Risk and reversibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
/help, /list, /packstack |
Any; cheats not required | Chat | None | Read-only and low risk |
/op, /deop |
Admin; cheats not required | Chat or BDS administration context | Access privileges | Reversible with the opposite command |
/allowlist |
Owner/access-control command; verify cheat metadata with /help |
Especially useful in BDS console | Who may join | Reversible, but exact GamerTag matching is critical |
/permission |
Owner; cheats required | Dedicated-server administration | Permission configuration | Reversible if prior settings are recorded |
/kick |
Game Directors; cheats not required | Chat or administration context | Connection state | Player can reconnect; gameplay changes remain |
/gamerule |
Cheats not required | Chat, command block, or permitted administration context | World rules | Usually reversible by restoring the previous value |
/tp, /gamemode, /effect, /give, /clear |
Check current command index | Chat or command block when permitted | Player state | Target selectors can broaden impact; some effects are difficult to undo |
/fill, /clone, /setblock, /kill |
Check current command index | Chat or command block when permitted | World or entity state | Potentially destructive; restore from backup rather than guessing an undo |
/stop |
Owner; cheats required in the current index | BDS console is the safest context | Server lifecycle | Cleanly reversible by restarting, but interrupts everyone |
Safe operating procedure for administrators
- Confirm context. Decide whether the command belongs in player chat, a command block, or the BDS console.
- Check syntax. Run
/help <command>on the actual server version. - Limit the target. Prefer a named player or narrow selector over
@aor@e. - Preview the consequence. For movement, inspect coordinates; for block edits, inspect both corners; for inventory changes, verify item and count.
- Back up before destructive work. Make a world copy before
/kill,/fill,/clone,/clear, broad entity commands, or structure operations. - Announce service actions. Warn players before
/kick,/stop, difficulty changes, or a world-wide teleport. - Record changes. Note altered gamerules, allowlist entries, permission changes, ticking areas, and scoreboard objectives.
- Verify the result. Use
/list, a follow-up query, or a controlled test player instead of assuming success from the absence of an error.
With this workflow, the command list becomes an operational toolkit rather than a collection of risky shortcuts: discover the installed syntax, apply the narrowest target, understand whether the change affects a player, world, or server process, and keep a recovery path for anything destructive.
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