If you run a Minecraft server with EssentialsX, sooner or later you will need to peek inside a player’s ender chest — to verify a duplication report, recover items after a rollback, or investigate a suspected exploit. The good news is that EssentialsX makes this a single command. The bad news is that almost every guide on the internet tells you to do it the wrong way. This guide gives you the exact, correct command, every alias, the permission nodes that control who can use it, and an important security caveat that most server owners overlook.
EssentialsX is a Bukkit-API plugin, which means it runs on Spigot, Paper, and Paper forks like Purpur for Minecraft: Java Edition. It does not run on vanilla, Bedrock, Fabric, or Forge. If your server is on the right software, the ender chest viewer is built in — no extra plugin required. If you are still choosing a host, our Minecraft hosting plans ship Paper-ready out of the box so EssentialsX installs in seconds.
The correct command: /enderchest
The command to open another player’s ender chest is /enderchest . That is the whole answer. Run it on any online player and EssentialsX opens their ender chest in a chest-style GUI, exactly like the inventory viewer.
/enderchest SteveRun with no argument and it opens your own ender chest from anywhere on the map — handy for quick storage access without standing in front of a placed block:
/enderchestThe common mistake: it is NOT /invsee enderchest
This is the single biggest piece of misinformation about EssentialsX ender chests. There is no /invsee syntax. The /invsee command only opens a player’s main inventory and does not accept an “enderchest” argument. Viewing an ender chest is a completely separate command — /enderchest . If you have been trying to chain the two together and getting an error or unexpected behavior, that is why. For the inventory side of things, see our companion guide on how to see a player’s inventory using EssentialsX.
Every alias for /enderchest
EssentialsX registers a generous list of aliases for this command, so you can type whichever one you remember. They all do exactly the same thing — the e-prefixed forms exist to dodge conflicts when another plugin claims the shorter name:
/echest/eechest/eenderchest/endersee/eendersee/ec/eec
A quick note on /endersee: it is an alias of /enderchest, not a command in its own right. Plenty of forum posts treat “endersee” as if it were a distinct feature — it is not. /endersee Steve and /enderchest Steve are byte-for-byte the same operation. The shortest forms most admins use day to day are /ec and /echest.
Permission nodes you need
EssentialsX gates the ender chest command behind two permission nodes. Which one you grant determines whether a player can only open their own chest or can also open everyone else’s. By default, players have no EssentialsX permissions until you assign them through your permissions plugin (LuckPerms, GroupManager, or similar).
| Permission node | What it grants |
|---|---|
essentials.enderchest | Lets the player open their own ender chest with /enderchest (no argument). |
essentials.enderchest.others | Lets the player open another player’s ender chest with /enderchest . This is the staff-only node. |
So a normal player typically gets essentials.enderchest as a convenience (remote access to their own storage), while moderators and admins additionally get essentials.enderchest.others. Grant the others node only to ranks you trust — and read the next section before you do.
The security caveat every server owner must know
Here is the detail that separates a safe permission setup from a dangerous one. The inventory viewer, /invsee, has a “view-only” lockdown node called essentials.invsee.preventmodify. When you grant it, that staff member can look at a player’s inventory but cannot take or add items.
The ender chest has no such protection. There is no preventmodify equivalent for /enderchest. Anyone you give essentials.enderchest.others to can edit the contents of any player’s ender chest — add items, remove items, swap them out — and there is no view-only mode to fall back on. This is confirmed behavior in EssentialsX, not a config oversight you can toggle off.
The practical implication: essentials.enderchest.others is effectively an “edit any player’s ender storage” permission, not a “view” permission. Treat it the same way you would treat creative mode or item-give powers. On most servers that means restricting it to a high-trust admin rank, logging its use with a tool like CoreProtect, and keeping it away from junior moderators who only need to look. If you need true view-only investigation, your only EssentialsX option today is the inventory viewer with essentials.invsee.preventmodify — there is simply no equivalent for ender chests.
How to install EssentialsX and grant the permission
If you do not already have EssentialsX running, the setup is straightforward on any Spigot or Paper server:
- Download the latest EssentialsX jar and drop it into your server’s
/pluginsfolder. (Our Minecraft control panel docs walk through plugin uploads step by step.) - Restart the server so the plugin loads and generates its config files.
- Install a permissions plugin such as LuckPerms if you do not have one — EssentialsX nodes do nothing without a permissions manager.
- Assign the nodes to the appropriate group. With LuckPerms, that looks like the commands below.
/lp group default permission set essentials.enderchest true
/lp group admin permission set essentials.enderchest.others trueThe first line lets every player open their own ender chest remotely. The second restricts the cross-player viewer to your admin group. Adjust the group names to match your own rank ladder.
Ender chest vs. inventory viewer at a glance
| Feature | Inventory (/invsee) | Ender chest (/enderchest) |
|---|---|---|
| Command for another player | /invsee | /enderchest |
| Open your own | n/a | /enderchest |
| Use permission | essentials.invsee | essentials.enderchest |
| Others permission | (included in essentials.invsee) | essentials.enderchest.others |
| View-only lockdown | essentials.invsee.preventmodify | None — edit access only |
| Works on offline players | No (online only) | No (online only) |
One shared limitation worth calling out: like /invsee, the ender chest viewer works on online players only. EssentialsX does not currently support opening an offline player’s ender chest. Offline inventory and ender chest viewing has been a long-standing community feature request, but it is not a shipped feature. If a player has logged off, you will need to wait until they reconnect.
Where the ender chest viewer fits in your admin toolkit
The ender chest command rarely lives in isolation. Most staff setups bundle it with a handful of other EssentialsX moderation tools. A few that pair naturally:
- Vanish — investigate quietly without players knowing staff are watching. See how to use the EssentialsX vanish ability.
- Jail — contain a rule-breaker while you finish an investigation. Learn how to create a jail with EssentialsX.
- Inventory viewer — the companion
/invseecommand, which does have a view-only mode, covered in our inventory viewing guide.
Together these give you a full investigation loop: go invisible, inspect inventory and ender chest, and jail if needed — all from the same plugin.
Troubleshooting common errors
- “You do not have permission” or “Unknown command” — the player is missing
essentials.enderchest.others, or you forgot to install/configure a permissions plugin. Run a permission check and confirm the node is set totrueon the right group. - Nothing happens / “Player not found” — the target must be online. Double-check the spelling of their username; EssentialsX matches the exact online name.
- The GUI opens but changes do not save — this is unusual for ender chests since there is no preventmodify node; if it happens, you likely have a conflicting inventory-management plugin intercepting the GUI. Disable other inventory plugins to isolate it.
- Command works for your own chest but not others — you have
essentials.enderchestbut notessentials.enderchest.others. These are two distinct grants.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EssentialsX command to see another player’s ender chest?
Use /enderchest — for example /enderchest Steve. Aliases include /echest, /ec, and /endersee, all of which do the same thing. It is not /invsee ; that syntax does not exist.
What permission do I need to view another player’s ender chest?
You need essentials.enderchest.others. The plain essentials.enderchest node only lets a player open their own ender chest with the no-argument /enderchest command.
Can I give staff view-only access to an ender chest?
No. Unlike /invsee, which has the essentials.invsee.preventmodify view-only node, EssentialsX has no preventmodify equivalent for ender chests. Anyone with essentials.enderchest.others can edit the contents. Grant it only to trusted ranks.
Does /enderchest work on offline players?
No. The ender chest viewer works on online players only, the same as the inventory viewer. Offline viewing is a community feature request, not a shipped feature.
Does this work on Bedrock, Fabric, or Forge servers?
No. EssentialsX is a Bukkit-API plugin that requires Spigot, Paper, or a Paper fork like Purpur on Minecraft: Java Edition. It does not run on vanilla, Bedrock, Fabric, or Forge.
What is the difference between /endersee and /enderchest?
There is no functional difference. /endersee is simply a registered alias of /enderchest. /endersee Steve and /enderchest Steve perform the exact same action.
Wrapping up
Viewing a player’s ender chest in EssentialsX comes down to one command, /enderchest , and two permission nodes, essentials.enderchest for your own and essentials.enderchest.others for everyone else’s. The most important thing to remember is the security gap: there is no view-only mode, so the others permission is really an edit permission — hand it out accordingly. Set it up on a Paper server, log its use, and you have a clean, reliable way to investigate storage disputes and recover items on your Minecraft community.
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