Learn the difference between the various Game Modes in Minecraft and what suits your play style best! Read on to understand the Creative, Survival, Adventure, Spectator, and Hardcore modes of Minecraft, and how to switch Modes in-game.

Minecraft Game Modes

Minecraft can be enjoyed in different ways. Originally, Minecraft offered only two Game Modes, the Survival and Creative Mode. However, new modes have been added to the game which are the Adventure, Spectator, and Hardcore modes.

Supporting Editions and Platforms

Minecraft Edition	Game Modes	Platforms
Bedrock	Survival Creative Adventure	PC Xbox Playstation NIntendo Switch Mobile
Java	Survival Creative Adventure Spectator Hardcore	PC Mac Linux

Game Mode Differences

Creative

Creative mode is where a player is free to be creative in their world without limits. They have an unlimited access to all resources in their Item Selection and Survival Selection tabs, can make and break any block instantly, and use items without worrying about durability.

Creative Mode Features
No health bar No hunger bar Unlimited Items Double tap jump to fly Search bar

Players can create a new Minecraft world through Creative Mode. They can also switch into Creative Mode from another mode anytime in-game.

Survival

Survival mode is where a player must simply last as long as they can in that world. Players must put effort into collecting resources, crafting tools, satisfying their hunger, building shelter, and more, in order to survive their world.

Survival Mode Features
Blocks can be broken Health, hunger, and experience bars present Health bar can be damaged by mobs Activities reduce health and hunger bar Players can die and respawn All items and experience are lost when respawned

Players can create a new Minecraft world through Survival Mode. They can also switch into Survival Mode from another mode anytime in-game.

Adventure

Adventure mode is more focused on exploring rather than crafting and mining. This is because in Adventure Mode, blocks can only be broken if a block is labeled breakable or if the player uses a tool specific for breaking blocks.

Adventure mode challenges players to find other ways to collect items and loot other than breaking blocks, such as from spawned structures around the map.

Adventure Mode Features
Blocks can't be destroyed by hand Items with CanDestroy tag can destroy a block Blocks with CanPlaceOn tag can be placed Health, hunger, and experience bars present Players can die and respawn

From a world created via Creative or Survival mode, players can switch to Adventure Mode through the Personal Game Mode menu, or through these /gamemode commands applicable for all platforms:

How to Switch to Adventure Mode
Gamemode Commands	/gamemode a /gamemode adventure

Players cannot create a new Minecraft world through Adventure Mode.

Spectator

Spectator Mode is where players cannot interact with any objects in the game, and they can fly and go through solid objects. Players are only there simply to observe and are not noticed by mobs.

Spectator Mode Features
No health, hunger, and experience bar Can fly Go through solid objects and invisibility Perfect to escape areas where you got lost or ran out of resources

From a world created via Creative or Survival mode, players can switch to Spectator Mode through these ways:

How to Switch to Spectator Mode
enter /gamemode spectator on the chat Dying in Hardcore Mode

Players cannot create a new Minecraft world through Spectator Mode.

Hardcore

Hardcore Mode is like Survival Mode, but it puts players in the hardest difficulty level. Players will not respawn when they die in this mode, and will have to delete the game world manually afterwards.

Hardcore Mode Features
Same Features as Survival Mode Only one life Health, hunger, and experience bar present Hostile mobs

To play a game in Hardcore Mode, simply create a new Minecraft World and select the Hardcore Mode. There is no other way to switch to Hardcore Mode once a world has already been created.

How to Switch Game Modes

Players can only start and create a new game on Minecraft by choosing the Default Game Modes, Creative and Survival, and Hardcore for the Java Edition. To switch to other Game Modes in-game, here are some easy ways you can do:

Personal Game Mode

This method can be done on the Bedrock edition only.

How to Switch Modes
1	Pause the game to open the Main Menu and select "Settings"
2	Select the Game Tab on the side bar
3	Click on the Personal Game Mode menu and select the desired Game Mode for yourself
4	Click on the Default Game Mode menu to change the Default Game Mode for other players

Images are taken from the Nintendo Switch but instructions can be used for all platforms supporting Minecraft Bedrock

Gamemode Commands

This method can be done both for the Bedrock edition and Java edition.

How to Switch Modes
1	Pause the game to open the Main Menu and select "Settings"
2	Select the Game Tab on the side bar
3	Scroll down to the Cheats Section and turn on "Activate Cheats" (For Bedrock Edition). Or Activate Cheats before creating a new world (For Java Edition)
4	Open the Chatbox in-game
5	Type in the command for the desired Game Mode: /gamemode [mode name] or /gamemode [first letter of mode] example: /gamemode adventure or /gamemode a
6	Confirmation message for successful Mode Change appears

How to Open Chat Box
PC/Mac	Press T
Xbox PlayStation Nintendo Switch	Press "right" on the D-pad
Mobile	Tap on the "speech bubble" icon

Game Mode Changer

How to Switch Modes
Press F4 while holding F3 to open and use the Game Mode Switcher (For Java Edition Only)

There is no other way to switch to Hardcore Mode once a world has already been created. To play in Hardcore Mode, simply create a new Minecraft World and select the Hardcore Mode.

Minecraft Related Guides

Latest News and Game Info

Latest News
All Available Platforms and Editions	Bedrock vs Java: Edition Differences
Realms and Server Status	Java & Bedrock Merge Guide
Pocket Edition Guide	1.20 Speculations and Predictions
Java and Bedrock Merge	-
Game Features
Can You Play Cross-Platform?	Online and Local Multiplayer Guide
How to Play Education Edition	Game Mode Differences
Difficulty Mode Differences	List of Controls
How to Make and Use Skins	Is the Illusioner in the Game?