What is WorldEdit?
WorldEdit is a free in-game map editor for Minecraft: you mark two corners of an area and then change every block inside it with one command. It can fill a region with stone, swap one block type for another, build walls, copy a house and paste it somewhere else, rotate it and undo mistakes. Builders use it for spawns, lobbies and terrain, and server admins use it to fix griefed areas.
WorldEdit works in your world through commands that start with a double slash, such as //set or //copy. The double slash keeps them apart from normal Minecraft commands. Everything you do is tied to your selection – a box between position 1 and position 2.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Selection | The area WorldEdit works on, between two corner points |
| pos1 / pos2 | The two corners of the selection |
| Wand | The wooden axe used to set pos1 (left click) and pos2 (right click) |
| Clipboard | Where //copy stores blocks before you //paste them |
| Pattern | What to place, e.g. stone or 50%stone,50%cobblestone |
| Mask | Which blocks to affect, e.g. only grass_block |
Which WorldEdit do you need: plugin or mod?
On Paper, Purpur and Spigot servers you install the WorldEdit plugin; on Forge and NeoForge you install the WorldEdit mod. The commands are the same, only the file is different.
| Server engine | What to install |
|---|---|
| Paper, Purpur, Spigot | WorldEdit plugin or FastAsyncWorldEdit |
| Forge, NeoForge | WorldEdit mod |
| Fabric | WorldEdit has a Fabric build; if it isn't listed in "Addons" for your version, upload the file to the mods folder in "Files" |
| Vanilla | Not possible – Vanilla can't load plugins or mods |
FastAsyncWorldEdit (FAWE) is a fork of WorldEdit for Paper and Spigot that runs big edits in the background, so the server doesn't freeze when you change millions of blocks. It uses the same commands. Install either WorldEdit or FAWE, never both.
WorldEdit only needs to be on the server. Players don't install anything, although builders on modded clients often add WorldEditCUI to see the selection outline.
How to install WorldEdit on a Spot.gg server
Open "Addons" in the server panel, go to "Available to install", search for WorldEdit and install the version marked "Compatible with your server". The panel shows plugins on Paper and Purpur and mods on Forge and NeoForge, so you only see files your engine can load.
- In the server menu click "Addons", then "Available to install".
- Type
WorldEditin "Search" and open the entry (the plugin on Paper, the mod on Forge or NeoForge). - Pick the file with the "Compatible with your server" badge for your Minecraft version.
- Click "Install". If the server is running, the panel asks whether to restart it now – click "Restart".
After the restart WorldEdit creates its folder: plugins/WorldEdit/ for the plugin, config/worldedit/ for the mod. You'll find it under "Installed" in "Addons", where you can disable it, delete it or replace it with a newer version.
Running Vanilla? "Addons" will say that the engine doesn't support mods or plugins. Go to "Information" → "Modify" → "Change engine" and switch to Paper on the same Minecraft version – your world stays. Then install the WorldEdit plugin as above. If you're not sure which engine to choose, see Minecraft server software.
How to give yourself WorldEdit permissions
The quickest way is to make yourself an operator: type op YourName in the server "Console". Operators can use every WorldEdit command. In the console you type commands without the leading slash.
On a server with other players you probably don't want to hand out OP just for building. With a permissions plugin you can give WorldEdit to a builder rank only. The WorldEdit plugin checks permissions like worldedit.* (everything), worldedit.region.set or worldedit.clipboard.copy. With LuckPerms it looks like this:
lp creategroup builder
lp group builder permission set worldedit.* true
lp user Steve parent add builder
The full setup of ranks is explained in How to set up LuckPerms. Give worldedit.* only to people you trust: one //set over a huge area can wreck a map in a second.
How to select an area with the WorldEdit wand
Type //wand to get a wooden axe, left-click a block to set position 1 and right-click another block to set position 2. Everything between the two corners is your selection. WorldEdit tells you in chat how many blocks you selected.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
//wand |
Gives you the selection wand (wooden axe) |
//pos1 / //pos2 |
Sets a corner at the block you are standing on |
//hpos1 / //hpos2 |
Sets a corner at the block you are looking at |
//expand 10 up |
Makes the selection 10 blocks taller |
//size |
Shows the size of the selection |
//desel |
Clears the selection |
Tip: the wand is a normal wooden axe item, so keep it in a hotbar slot you don't use for anything else – any wooden axe in your hand selects positions instead of chopping.
Basic WorldEdit commands: //set, //replace, //walls
//set <block> fills the whole selection, //replace <from> <to> swaps one block for another, and //walls <block> builds only the sides. These three cover most everyday building.
| Command | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|
//set |
//set stone |
Fills the selection with stone |
//set with air |
//set air |
Clears the selection |
//replace |
//replace dirt grass_block |
Turns all dirt into grass blocks |
//replace (any) |
//replace oak_planks |
Replaces every non-air block with oak planks |
//walls |
//walls stone_bricks |
Builds four walls around the selection |
//faces |
//faces glass |
Covers all six sides – walls, floor and ceiling |
//overlay |
//overlay snow |
Puts a layer on top of the surface |
//count |
//count diamond_ore |
Counts blocks of one type |
Patterns let you mix blocks: //set 70%stone,20%cobblestone,10%andesite gives a natural-looking wall. Block names are the Minecraft IDs (stone_bricks, oak_planks), the same ones you'd use with /give.
WorldEdit shapes: spheres, cylinders and pyramids
Shape commands don't need a selection – they build around the spot where you stand.
//sphere glass 10– a solid glass sphere with radius 10,//hsphere glass 10– a hollow one;//cyl stone 5 10– a solid cylinder with radius 5 and height 10,//hcyl– hollow;//pyramid sandstone 15– a pyramid,//hpyramid– hollow.
Large shapes change many blocks at once, so start small and watch the block count in chat.
How to copy, paste and rotate builds
Stand where you want the "handle" of the copy, run //copy, walk to the new spot and run //paste. WorldEdit remembers your position relative to the selection, so the build appears in the same place relative to you.
- Select the build with the wand.
- Stand in a fixed spot, e.g. the front door, and type
//copy(or//cutto remove the original). - Go to the new place, stand in the same relative spot and type
//paste.
Useful variations:
//rotate 90rotates the clipboard by 90 degrees around the vertical axis before you paste;//flipmirrors it in the direction you are looking;//paste -apastes without air blocks, so the copy doesn't erase what's already there;//stack 5 northrepeats the selection five times to the north – handy for bridges, fences and corridors;//move 10 upmoves the selection by 10 blocks.
How to undo in WorldEdit
Type //undo to revert your last WorldEdit change and //redo to bring it back. You can undo several steps: //undo 5 reverts the last five.
WorldEdit keeps the history per player, so //undo only reverts your own edits and only WorldEdit edits – blocks placed by hand are not affected. The history is kept in memory, so after a server restart you can't undo anything from before it. Before a big change, it's worth making a backup in the "Backup" tab of the panel, so you can roll back the whole world if something goes really wrong.
How to use WorldEdit schematics
//schem save <name> saves your clipboard to a file, //schem load <name> loads it back and //paste places it. Schematics are how you move builds between worlds and servers or download builds made by others.
//copy
//schem save castle
//schem list
//schem load castle
//paste
The files land in the schematics folder:
| WorldEdit version | Schematics folder |
|---|---|
| Plugin (Paper, Purpur, Spigot) | plugins/WorldEdit/schematics/ |
| FastAsyncWorldEdit | plugins/FastAsyncWorldEdit/schematics/ |
| Mod (Forge, NeoForge, Fabric) | config/worldedit/schematics/ |
To use a downloaded schematic, upload the .schem file to that folder in the "Files" tab (or connect with SFTP – the details are under "SFTP access" in "Files"), then run //schem list to check the name and //schem load to load it. Modern WorldEdit saves .schem files; older .schematic files from Minecraft 1.12 and earlier can usually be loaded too, but blocks that no longer exist may be replaced.
Brushes: terraforming from a distance
A brush binds a WorldEdit action to the item in your hand, so every right-click where you look edits the world from far away. Hold an item you don't otherwise use, for example a stick, and run:
//brush sphere stone 4– right-click places stone spheres with radius 4;//brush smooth 5– smooths rough terrain;//brush sphere air 3– a quick "eraser".
Type /none while holding the item to unbind the brush. Brushes are powerful for landscaping, but //undo is your friend here.
Common WorldEdit problems
Most "WorldEdit doesn't work" cases come from missing permissions, a wrong version for the Minecraft release or a selection that is too big.
- "Unknown command" on
//wand. WorldEdit didn't load. Check "Installed" in "Addons" and the server log in "Console" – often the file is for a different Minecraft version or engine. Install the version marked "Compatible with your server". - "You don't have permission". You aren't OP and don't have the
worldedit.*permission. Runop YourNamein the console or give the permission with LuckPerms. - The server freezes or lags during an edit. Very large
//setor//replacejobs run on the main thread in normal WorldEdit. Split the area into smaller parts, or use FastAsyncWorldEdit on Paper. - WorldEdit refuses a big edit because of a block limit. The config limits how many blocks one command may change. Admins can raise the limit in WorldEdit's
config.yml(plugin) orworldedit.properties(mod), but splitting the job is usually the better choice. - The schematic isn't found. Check that the file is in the right folder for your version (table above) and that you typed the name without the extension.
Paid Minecraft servers on Spot.gg start from $3.90 per month, and a new account can try a server free for 24 hours first – enough to install WorldEdit and test your first build.
FAQ
Is WorldEdit free?
Yes. WorldEdit is free and open source. On Spot.gg you install it from the "Addons" tab at no extra cost.
Do players need to install WorldEdit?
No. WorldEdit only has to be on the server. Players use it through chat commands; the optional WorldEditCUI mod just shows the selection outline on the client.
What is the WorldEdit wand?
A wooden axe you get with //wand. Left-click sets position 1, right-click sets position 2 of your selection.
How do I undo a WorldEdit command?
Type //undo. To revert several steps, add a number, e.g. //undo 3. //redo brings a change back.
Does WorldEdit work on Fabric?
Yes, WorldEdit has a Fabric version. On Spot.gg install it from "Addons" if it's listed for your version, or upload the file to the mods folder in "Files".
What is the difference between WorldEdit and FastAsyncWorldEdit?
FastAsyncWorldEdit is a WorldEdit fork for Paper and Spigot that performs big edits in the background and faster. The commands are the same; install only one of them.
Where are WorldEdit schematics saved?
In plugins/WorldEdit/schematics/ for the plugin and config/worldedit/schematics/ for the mod. You can upload and download them in the "Files" tab.