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.
WorldGuard is the standard region-protection plugin for Minecraft. It lets you mark areas as protected, set per-region flags (no PvP, no mob spawning, custom greetings), control who can build where, and enforce server-wide rules. It pairs with WorldEdit — you use WorldEdit to select areas, then WorldGuard to protect them.
If you've ever lost a build to griefing, you needed WorldGuard yesterday.
Install WorldGuard
Install WorldEdit first (required)
WorldGuard depends on WorldEdit for region selection. Install WorldEdit before WorldGuard, or both at the same time.
Download WorldGuard
Go to enginehub.org/worldguard/ and pick the build for your platform:
| Platform | Build |
|---|---|
| Bukkit / Spigot / Paper | worldguard-bukkit-X.X.X.jar → plugins/ |
| Sponge | Sponge build → mods/ |
Note: WorldGuard is Bukkit-family only. There's no Forge or Fabric build. For Forge, use GriefDefender instead.
Stop the server
In the XGamingServer Panel, open Console and stop your server.
Upload to plugins/
Click Files in the sidebar. Upload worldguard-bukkit-X.X.X.jar to plugins/ (alongside WorldEdit).
Start the server
Start from Console. WorldGuard creates plugins/WorldGuard/ and a global region for each world.
Create Your First Protected Region
Select the area with WorldEdit
//wandLeft-click and right-click two corners to select the area you want to protect.
Define a region
/rg define spawnareaThis creates a region named spawnarea from your current selection. Region names are case-insensitive.
Set basic protection flags
/rg flag spawnarea build deny
/rg flag spawnarea pvp deny
/rg flag spawnarea creeper-explosion deny
/rg flag spawnarea tnt denyAdd yourself as owner
/rg addowner spawnarea YourNameOwners can build inside the region even when build deny is set.
Test it
Have a non-OP player try to break a block in the region. They should see "Hey! You can't do that here."
Region Flags Reference
Build / Damage Flags
| Flag | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|
build | allow / deny | Block placing and breaking (most common protection) |
interact | allow / deny | All entity interaction |
block-break | allow / deny | Just breaking blocks |
block-place | allow / deny | Just placing blocks |
use | allow / deny | Doors, buttons, levers, plates |
chest-access | allow / deny | Container access |
item-frame-rotation | allow / deny | Rotate item frames |
tnt | allow / deny | TNT block damage |
creeper-explosion | allow / deny | Creeper grief damage |
enderdragon-block-damage | allow / deny | Dragon block break |
wither-block-damage | allow / deny | Wither block break |
ghast-fireball | allow / deny | Ghast block damage |
fire-spread | allow / deny | Fire spreading |
lava-fire | allow / deny | Lava igniting blocks |
lava-flow / water-flow | allow / deny | Liquid flow |
PvP / Mobs
| Flag | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|
pvp | allow / deny | Player vs player damage |
mob-spawning | allow / deny | All natural mob spawning |
mob-damage | allow / deny | Mobs damaging players |
entity-painting-destroy | allow / deny | Break paintings |
entity-item-frame-destroy | allow / deny | Break item frames |
damage-animals | allow / deny | Hurt animals |
Player Movement
| Flag | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|
entry | allow / deny | Players entering the region |
exit | allow / deny | Players leaving the region |
entry-deny-message | text | Message when entry blocked |
enderpearl | allow / deny | Enderpearl teleport |
chorus-fruit-teleport | allow / deny | Chorus fruit |
Messages
| Flag | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
greeting | text | Shown when entering the region |
farewell | text | Shown when leaving |
notify-enter | text | Notify staff on entry |
Example:
/rg flag spawn greeting &aWelcome to spawn!
/rg flag spawn farewell &eSafe travels.Common Region Setups
Spawn Region
/rg flag spawn build deny
/rg flag spawn pvp deny
/rg flag spawn mob-spawning deny
/rg flag spawn creeper-explosion deny
/rg flag spawn tnt deny
/rg flag spawn fire-spread deny
/rg flag spawn lava-flow deny
/rg flag spawn greeting &aWelcome to spawn!PvP Arena
/rg flag arena pvp allow
/rg flag arena build deny
/rg flag arena mob-spawning deny
/rg flag arena enderpearl deny
/rg flag arena exit-via-teleport allowPlayer Plot (in survival)
/rg flag plot1 build allow
/rg addmember plot1 friend1 friend2The plot owner uses /rg addmember plot1 <player> to grant build access.
Global Region (server-wide defaults)
The __global__ region applies to the entire world unless another region overrides it. Useful for server-wide rules:
/rg flag __global__ pvp deny
/rg flag __global__ creeper-explosion denyRegion Hierarchy and Priority
Regions can overlap. To control which region wins, set priorities:
/rg setpriority spawn 10
/rg setpriority arena 20Higher priority wins. The arena (priority 20) overrides spawn rules (priority 10) in any overlapping area.
You can also nest regions with parent inheritance:
/rg setparent plot1 mainlandNow plot1 inherits all flags from mainland unless overridden.
Manage Region Members
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/rg addmember <region> <player> | Add a member (can build) |
/rg removemember <region> <player> | Remove a member |
/rg addowner <region> <player> | Add an owner (can build + manage) |
/rg removeowner <region> <player> | Remove an owner |
/rg info <region> | View members, owners, flags |
/rg list | List all regions |
/rg list <player> | List regions a player owns |
/rg redefine <region> | Update region bounds from current selection |
/rg remove <region> | Delete a region |
Common Issues
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
Hey, you can't do that here for OPs | Disable region.bypass permission, or set bypass flag |
| Region doesn't protect | Check flags with /rg info <region> — build deny must be set |
| Players can build in protected region | They're owner/member, or have worldguard.region.bypass.<world> perm |
| Overlapping regions don't work | Set priorities with /rg setpriority |
| Mob-spawning doesn't stop spawners | Spawners bypass natural spawning rules — break the spawner |
//wand doesn't work | WorldEdit isn't installed |
| Region disappeared after restart | Region wasn't saved — file write error, check disk space |
| Greeting message shows section sign instead of color | Use & for colors, not § |
Permissions Reference
| Permission | Effect |
|---|---|
worldguard.region.define | Can create regions |
worldguard.region.redefine.own | Can redefine own regions |
worldguard.region.flag.own | Can flag own regions |
worldguard.region.addmember.own | Can add members to own regions |
worldguard.region.bypass.<world> | Bypass all WG protections in a world |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
Forgetting build deny (just adding owner) | Add build deny — owner status only matters if build is denied |
| Not restarting after install | Restart so the global region is created |
| Editing flags via files instead of commands | Always use commands — files have strict format |
Setting mob-spawning deny and expecting spawners to stop | Spawners bypass — break them |
Giving everyone region.bypass to "fix" issues | Defeats the purpose — fix the actual region setup |
| Using WorldGuard on Forge | It's Bukkit-family only — use GriefDefender for Forge |
Related Guides
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