How to Set a Minecraft Server World Border
Set a world border to cap how large your Minecraft map can grow, keeping players within a fixed radius from the center
Run /worldborder set 10000 in the Console tab to set your world border size in blocks. It applies instantly with no restart needed.
Before you start
You will need a console of your server or OP permissions in game to run world border commands.Also, no restart is needed for any of the commands below because changes apply live.
op <player-name>
If you run a multiple world setup through a plugin like Multiverse core, check the Related section below, since some plugins manage borders per world and can override vanilla settings.
Steps
- Open the Console tab in the panel.
- Set the border size in blocks from the center:
worldborder set 10000
- Set the center point. It defaults to 0 0 if skipped:
worldborder center 0 0
- To shrink the border gradually instead of instantly, use add with a negative number and a time in seconds:
worldborder add -2000 3600
This shrinks the border by 2000 blocks over one hour.
- Set how much damage players take per block outside the border:
worldborder damage buffer 5
worldborder damage amount 0.2
- Set how early players see the warning overlay before the border reaches them:
worldborder warning distance 500
worldborder warning time 15
- If you run multiple worlds, repeat these commands after switching worlds with your world management plugin, as vanilla worldborder settings apply to only one world.
If you have op permissions in game, then you can use the above mentioned commands with '/' at start!
If you want to edit this through files instead of console commands, the border's data is stored in each world's worldborder.dat file inside the world folder > dimensions > minecraft > overworld > data > minecraft, it can be accessed through the Files tab. Editing this directly is not recommended since it is a binary NBT file, the console commands above are the supported route.
Verify
Fly or walk to the end of your set border. You should see blue barrier type walls marking the boundary. Run /worldborder get in console to confirm the current size in blocks.
If it doesn't work
The command ran but nothing changed: you may be in the wrong world if you run multiple worlds, since the border applies to your current world only.
The border does not match what you set: a world management plugin like Multiverse or WorldBorder may be enforcing its own border settings and overriding vanilla ones. Check that plugin's config instead.
Players report taking damage inside the border: check your damage buffer value, since a low buffer means damage starts very close to the line rather than right at it.
The border did not shrink gradually: confirm you used add with a time in seconds, not set, since set moves the border instantly regardless of size difference.
