WorldEdit is a Java Edition tool that turns two selected corners into a region you can fill, replace, copy, or paste with a single command, instead of placing or breaking blocks one at a time. It comes in two builds: a client mod for singleplayer and a server plugin for multiplayer, and both share the same commands. This covers installing the right build, the wand selection workflow, the ten commands worth learning first, and how to undo safely.
Installing WorldEdit for Java Edition
WorldEdit is Java Edition only. It has no Bedrock build, and the two editions cannot load each other's files because they use different mod and add-on formats. Which download you grab depends on where you want to edit.
- Singleplayer or a modded server: get the mod build for Fabric or NeoForge and drop the .jar into your mods folder.
- A dedicated or hosted server: get the plugin build for a Paper or Spigot server and drop the .jar into the plugins folder, then restart the server.
Turning on cheats or getting permission
WorldEdit commands need cheats enabled in singleplayer, which you can turn on from the pause menu without restarting the world. On a server, only operators or players with a permissions plugin grant can run WorldEdit commands by default, so ask the server owner for op status or the matching permission node before troubleshooting a command that silently does nothing.
Selecting a region with the wand
Every WorldEdit edit starts with a selection, two corner points that define a cuboid. Type //wand to get a wooden axe, then left click one corner and right click the opposite corner to set both points. Prefer typing coordinates instead of swinging an axe? //pos1 and //pos2 set a point at your current position, and //hpos1 and //hpos2 set a point at whatever block you're looking at.
WorldEdit commands to know
WorldEdit has hundreds of commands covering brushes, generation, and scripting. These ten cover selecting, editing, and undoing, which is enough to build with WorldEdit. WorldEdit's own documentation site has the full command reference for everything beyond this list.
- //wand - gives a wooden axe that sets a selection corner on left click and the other on right click.
- //pos1 - sets the first selection corner to your current position.
- //pos2 - sets the second selection corner to your current position.
- //hpos1 - sets the first selection corner to the block you're looking at.
- //hpos2 - sets the second selection corner to the block you're looking at.
- //set <block> - fills the entire selection with one block type, for example //set stone.
- //replace <from> <to> - swaps one block type for another inside the selection without touching anything else.
- //copy - copies the selection to your clipboard, remembering your position relative to it.
- //paste - pastes the clipboard relative to your current position, or at its original spot with //paste -o.
- //undo - reverses your last WorldEdit edit; add a number, like //undo 3, to reverse that many edits at once.
Undo safety
WorldEdit edits apply instantly and can flatten a large area in one command, so a wrong block type or an oversized selection is fast to create and fast to fix. //undo reverses the last edit, and //undo followed by a number reverses that many edits in one go. There's no equivalent for a vanilla /fill or /clone command, which is one reason builders reach for WorldEdit over raw commands in the first place.
WorldEdit vs FastAsyncWorldEdit vs Axiom
FastAsyncWorldEdit is a fork of WorldEdit built for speed on busy servers. It uses the same commands, so nothing here changes if a server runs FAWE instead of vanilla WorldEdit, but FAWE is a server-only plugin for Paper and Spigot with no client mod build. Axiom is a different tool entirely: a Fabric client mod with its own 3D-style editor interface rather than chat commands, built for freeform sculpting and painting instead of WorldEdit's command-driven precision editing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use WorldEdit?
Install the mod build for Fabric or NeoForge in singleplayer, or the plugin build for a Paper or Spigot server. Type //wand for a selection axe, click two corners to select a region, then run a command like //set stone or //replace dirt stone to edit it. //undo reverses a mistake instantly.
Can I use WorldEdit on Minecraft Bedrock?
Not the same WorldEdit. WorldEdit itself is Java Edition only, since Bedrock uses a different add-on format that can't load Java mods or plugins. WorldEdit for Minecraft Bedrock is a separate, independently built add-on that copies WorldEdit's selection and command idea onto Bedrock, and it requires the Beta APIs experimental toggle.
Do I need cheats or op to use WorldEdit?
In singleplayer, yes, cheats must be enabled for the world before any WorldEdit command works. On a multiplayer server, you need operator status or a permissions plugin grant for WorldEdit's commands. A regular player without either sees the command fail silently.
What's the difference between the WorldEdit mod and plugin?
Both come from the same project and share identical commands. The mod build loads through Fabric or NeoForge for singleplayer or a modded server, while the plugin build loads through Paper or Spigot for a dedicated server. Downloading the wrong one for your setup is the most common install mistake.
Can WorldEdit undo a mistake?
Yes. //undo reverses your last WorldEdit edit, and //undo 5 reverses your last five edits at once. This only covers changes made through WorldEdit commands, not blocks placed or broken by hand, so it's not a substitute for a world backup on a server.
