How to Change Gamemode & Difficulty on a Minecraft Server
Whether you want a creative build server or a hardcore survival world, gamemode and difficulty are two quick settings. Here is how to change both — for one player or the whole server — with commands and in server.properties.
Change gamemode (survival, creative, adventure, spectator)
As an operator, use the /gamemode command:
/gamemode survival
/gamemode creative
/gamemode adventure YourFriendAdd a player name to change just that person; leave it off to change yourself. Short forms like /gamemode 1 (creative) also work.
Set the default gamemode for everyone
The gamemode new players start in is set by gamemode in server.properties. Set force-gamemode=true to snap returning players back to it every time they join.
Change difficulty (peaceful, easy, normal, hard)
/difficulty peaceful
/difficulty hardThis applies to the whole server immediately. The startup default is the difficulty line in server.properties. Note that hardcore=true locks difficulty to hard and makes death permanent.
Why is my difficulty not sticking?
hardcore=trueforces the world to hard difficulty.- Peaceful removes hostile mobs and slowly heals players — that is expected, not a bug.
- You changed server.properties but did not restart.
- A datapack or plugin is overriding it.
In server.properties
gamemode=survival
force-gamemode=false
difficulty=normal
hardcore=falseCommands change things right now; server.properties sets the defaults for the next start. Use the command to test, then bake it into properties to make it permanent.
Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB / Microsoft. ESAGAMES is an independent hosting provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by Mojang or Microsoft.
Your rules, your world
Set gamemode, difficulty and every other rule from an easy panel — Minecraft hosting, protected and online in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change gamemode on a Minecraft server?
As an operator, run /gamemode creative (or survival, adventure, spectator). Add a player name to change just them. To set the default for everyone, edit gamemode= in server.properties and restart.
How do I change the difficulty on my server?
Run /difficulty hard (or peaceful, easy, normal) from the console or as an op — it applies to the whole server instantly. The startup default is the difficulty line in server.properties.
Why does my difficulty keep resetting to hard?
Almost certainly hardcore=true in server.properties, which locks the world to hard difficulty with permanent death. Set hardcore=false and restart to change difficulty freely.
What is force-gamemode in Minecraft?
A server.properties option that, when true, resets players to the server's default gamemode every time they join — useful to stop players keeping creative between sessions.
Go deeper on this
Guides and explainers that pair with this fix — from our guides and blog.
How to Make a Minecraft Server
Set up a Java server from scratch — version, server.properties, EULA and going live.
ReadSettings to Reduce Minecraft Lag
View distance, Paper tuning and pre-generation for a smooth 20 TPS.
ReadBest Free Minecraft Plugins
EssentialsX, LuckPerms, WorldGuard and CoreProtect — the essentials.
ReadBest Minecraft Modpacks to Host
The best packs to run, and the RAM each one needs.
ReadRelated articles
Fix Minecraft "java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space"
Server crashing with "OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space"? Every cause and how to fix it for good.
Read fix MinecraftHow to Allocate More RAM to a Minecraft Server
Give your Minecraft server more RAM — the -Xmx/-Xms flags, doing it in a panel, and how much to allocate.
Read fix MinecraftWhy Can't My Friends Join My Minecraft Server? (Every Fix)
Friends stuck on "Can't connect to server"? Every cause — IP, port, firewall, version, whitelist — and the fix.
Read fix
