How to Install and Use WorldEdit on Your Minecraft Server
Install WorldEdit on your Minecraft Java server for in-game building tools — selections, fill, replace, copy, paste, sphere, cylinder, and brushes.
WorldEdit is the most powerful in-game world editor for Minecraft. It lets you select regions and instantly fill, replace, copy, paste, rotate, generate shapes, and apply brushes — operations that would take hours by hand finish in seconds.
WorldEdit is essential for build servers, creative servers, map development, and any admin who has ever wanted to delete a 100-block-wide griefing patch with one command.
Install WorldEdit
Download WorldEdit
Go to enginehub.org/worldedit/ and pick the build for your platform:
| Platform | Build |
|---|---|
| Bukkit / Spigot / Paper / Folia | Bukkit JAR → plugins/ |
| Fabric | Fabric JAR → mods/ (requires Fabric API) |
| Forge / NeoForge | Forge JAR → mods/ |
| Sponge | Sponge JAR → mods/ |
Compatibility: Always download the build matching your Minecraft version. WorldEdit is updated quickly after each MC release.
Stop the server
In the XGamingServer Panel, open Console and stop your server.
Upload to plugins/ or mods/
Click Files in the sidebar. Upload the WorldEdit JAR.
Start the server
Start from Console. WorldEdit creates plugins/WorldEdit/ (or config/worldedit/) on first run.
Give yourself permission
WorldEdit requires the worldedit.* permission set:
lp user YourName permission set worldedit.* trueOr if you're OP and op-permissions-level=4, you have it by default.
Basic Workflow
WorldEdit operates on selections. The standard pattern is:
- Select two corners of a cuboid region
- Run a command that operates on that selection
- Undo with
//undoif you don't like the result
Make a Selection
Get the wand:
//wandThis gives you a wooden axe. Then:
- Left-click a block → sets position 1
- Right-click a block → sets position 2
The two positions define a cuboid selection. Run //size to confirm.
Tip: If you don't want to use the wand, set positions manually with
//pos1and//pos2at your current location.
Essential Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
//wand | Get the selection wand (wooden axe) |
//pos1 / //pos2 | Set positions to your current location |
//size | Show selection size |
//set <block> | Fill selection with a block |
//replace <from> <to> | Replace blocks in selection |
//copy | Copy selection to clipboard |
//cut | Copy and remove |
//paste | Paste at your position |
//paste -a | Paste without air blocks |
//flip [direction] | Flip clipboard |
//rotate <degrees> | Rotate clipboard |
//undo [count] | Undo last operation(s) |
//redo [count] | Redo |
//clearhistory | Clear undo history |
//walls <block> | Build walls around selection |
//outline <block> | Build a hollow box (walls + ceiling + floor) |
//sphere <block> <radius> | Generate a solid sphere |
//hsphere <block> <radius> | Generate a hollow sphere |
//cyl <block> <radius> [height] | Generate a cylinder |
//hcyl <block> <radius> [height] | Hollow cylinder |
//pyramid <block> <size> | Generate a pyramid |
//drain <radius> | Remove water/lava |
//fixwater <radius> | Make stuck water flow |
//fixlava <radius> | Make stuck lava flow |
//green <radius> | Re-grow grass on dirt |
//snow <radius> | Add snow |
//thaw <radius> | Remove snow/ice |
//count <block> | Count blocks in selection |
//distr | Block distribution in selection |
//naturalize | Convert blocks to natural surface (grass/dirt/stone) |
Patterns and Masks
Patterns
Instead of a single block, //set accepts patterns:
| Pattern | Effect |
|---|---|
stone | All stone |
50%stone,50%dirt | 50/50 mix |
#existing | Keeps existing block (useful with masks) |
#solid | Random solid block |
Example:
//set 70%stone,20%cobblestone,10%mossy_cobblestoneMasks
Use //gmask <mask> to restrict operations to certain blocks:
//gmask grass_block
//set tall_grassThis places tall_grass only on grass_block.
To clear: //gmask
Brushes
Brushes turn an item into a tool that paints WorldEdit operations on right-click.
Sphere Brush
Hold any item and:
//brush sphere stone 5Now right-clicking with that item places a stone sphere of radius 5.
Other Brush Types
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
//brush sphere <block> <radius> | Sphere brush |
//brush cylinder <block> <radius> <height> | Cylinder brush |
//brush smooth <radius> | Terrain smoothing |
//brush gravity <radius> | Make floating blocks fall |
//brush none | Remove brush from current item |
Schematics
Schematics let you save selections to disk and share them.
//copy
//schematic save myhouseSaves to plugins/WorldEdit/schematics/myhouse.schem.
To load and paste:
//schematic load myhouse
//pasteYou can drop schematics into plugins/WorldEdit/schematics/ via SFTP to use builds from other servers.
Performance Limits
WorldEdit operations can affect millions of blocks. To prevent accidents:
//limit 50000This caps any single command at 50,000 blocks. To increase your personal limit, set permission worldedit.limit.unrestricted (admin only).
Warning: A
//seton a 1000×1000×100 region is 100 million blocks. It will lag your server and may cause OOM. Use//limitand operate on smaller chunks.
Performance Tips
- Use FastAsyncWorldEdit (FAWE) for huge operations — it's a drop-in replacement that runs async and is 100× faster
- Lower view-distance temporarily while doing huge edits
- Use schematics for repeated builds
- Stage big edits in chunks rather than one giant command
//undoimmediately if you make a mistake — undo history is per-session
Common Issues
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
//wand doesn't give a wand | Missing worldedit.wand permission |
| Selection is empty | Both positions need to be set — left and right click |
//set says "max blocks exceeded" | Selection too big — increase limit or shrink selection |
| Server lags during big edits | Install FAWE, lower view-distance, or split the edit |
//paste puts the build in the wrong place | Origin is the position you ran //copy at |
| Permissions denied | Set worldedit.* for the user/group |
| Forge mod blocks aren't recognized | Use the mod's namespaced ID, e.g., tconstruct:slime_block |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
Running //set 0 to clear (causes errors) | Use //set air instead |
Forgetting //undo history is per-session | History clears when you log out — make backups |
| Pasting without checking orientation | Use //rotate and //flip first |
| Editing huge regions on a busy server | Schedule for off-hours or use FAWE async |
| Not making a backup before big edits | One bad //set can wipe a base |
| Using WorldEdit on protected regions | WorldGuard regions block WE — disable temporarily or whitelist yourself |
Related Guides
How is this guide?

How to Set Up NuVotifier for Voting Rewards on Your Minecraft Server
Install NuVotifier on your Minecraft Java server and configure voting rewards from server list websites with a vote listener plugin.
How to Install and Configure WorldGuard on Your Minecraft Server
Install WorldGuard on your Minecraft Java server for region protection, anti-grief, PvP zones, mob-spawning control, and per-area gameplay flags.