Minecraft gamerules list: the new names since 1.21.11 and the ones worth changing

If /gamerule keepInventory true stopped working for you, you are not doing anything wrong: the rule was renamed. Java Edition 1.21.11 moved every gamerule into a registry with snake_case names, so keepInventory became keep_inventory, doDaylightCycle became advance_time, and a few rules disappeared or were replaced. Most guides online still show the old names.

This page lists the current names for the rules people actually use, what each does, its default, and which ones are worth changing on a server or a world with friends.

Quick answers

• Keep inventory: /gamerule keep_inventory true
• Stop the day/night cycle: /gamerule advance_time false
• One player sleeps for everyone: /gamerule players_sleeping_percentage 0
• Stop creepers blowing up blocks: /gamerule mob_griefing false (this also stops other mobs changing blocks, see below)
• Check a rule's current value: leave the value off, for example /gamerule keep_inventory

How the command works

/gamerule <rule> [<value>]

Rules are true/false switches or whole numbers. Names are resource locations, so the full form is minecraft:keep_inventory; the minecraft: part can be left out. You need operator permission (or cheats enabled in single player) to change them. Our guide to ops and permissions covers giving someone that access on a server.

Old name to new name

Old name (before 1.21.11)	New name
keepInventory	keep_inventory
doDaylightCycle	advance_time
doWeatherCycle	advance_weather
doMobSpawning	spawn_mobs
doMobLoot	mob_drops
mobGriefing	mob_griefing
doInsomnia	spawn_phantoms
spawnRadius	respawn_radius
announceAdvancements	show_advancement_messages
naturalRegeneration	natural_health_regeneration
doImmediateRespawn	immediate_respawn
doFireTick	removed, use fire_spread_radius_around_player

The rules worth knowing

Rule	Default	What it does
keep_inventory	false	Keep your items and XP when you die
mob_griefing	true	Lets mobs change blocks and pick up items
advance_time	true	Day/night cycle and moon phases move on
advance_weather	true	Weather changes by itself (/weather still works)
players_sleeping_percentage	100	Share of players in the Overworld who must sleep to skip the night
spawn_phantoms	true	Phantoms appear when you skip sleep
spawn_mobs	true	Natural mob spawning (spawners, structures and raids still spawn)
mob_drops	true	Mobs drop items and XP
fall_damage	true	Players take fall damage
natural_health_regeneration	true	Health regenerates from a full hunger bar
immediate_respawn	false	Skip the death screen
random_tick_speed	3	Speed of crop growth, leaf decay and other random ticks
fire_spread_radius_around_player	128	How far from players fire can spread; 0 turns spread off, -1 removes the limit
tnt_explodes	true	TNT explodes when lit
pvp	true	Players can hurt each other
max_entity_cramming	24	Mobs packed into one space before they take damage; 0 turns it off
respawn_radius	10	How far from world spawn new and respawning players can appear
show_advancement_messages	true	Advancements are announced in chat
command_block_output	true	Command blocks report what they run to operators
reduced_debug_info	false	Hides coordinates and most of the F3 screen
locator_bar	true	Shows the locator bar for other players
ender_pearls_vanish_on_death	true	Thrown pearls disappear when you die
allow_entering_nether_using_portals	true	Nether portals work

What to change on a friends' world

• players_sleeping_percentage 0 or 50. With 0, one person in bed skips the night for everyone. Every server with more than two players ends up wanting this.
• keep_inventory true if dying and losing everything ruins the fun for your group. Many survival purists leave it off; it is a matter of taste.
• mob_griefing false stops creeper holes in your base, but read the warning below first.
• spawn_phantoms false if you keep forgetting to sleep and the phantoms annoy you.

The mob_griefing trap

Turning off mob_griefing does more than stop creeper damage. It also stops villagers farming crops, sheep eating grass (so they never regrow wool), endermen picking up blocks and snow golems leaving trails, and it affects mobs picking up items. Several farms rely on those behaviours, so check before you flip it on a world with automation. Our villager trades guide and wool farm guide both depend on it staying on.

Rules for testing and building

• advance_time false plus /time set day: permanent daylight for building.
• advance_weather false plus /weather clear: no more rain interrupting screenshots.
• spawn_mobs false: a peaceful-feeling world without switching difficulty, while spawners and raids still work.
• random_tick_speed: raising it makes crops and saplings grow faster for testing. Very high values make the game stutter and grow things far faster than anything you will see in survival, so put it back to 3 when you are done.

What about Bedrock?

Bedrock Edition has its own list and did not get the Java rename. It still uses its own names, and it has a few rules Java does not, such as showcoordinates for the coordinates display.