Table of Contents
Who this is for: Minecraft players wanting to add cheats to worlds they’ve already started building in.
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Enabling Cheats Through the Pause Menu
The quickest way to enable cheats in your existing Minecraft world is through the in-game pause menu. Press Esc while playing, then click “Open to LAN.” This opens a dialog where you can toggle “Allow Cheats” to ON before clicking “Start LAN World.” Your world will temporarily become a LAN server, but you can play solo with cheats enabled.
This method works immediately and doesn’t require closing your world. However, cheats will disable when you restart Minecraft, so you’ll need to repeat this process each gaming session.
Using NBT Editors for Permanent Changes
For a permanent solution, you can modify your world’s data files using NBT (Named Binary Tag) editors like NBTExplorer or Universal Minecraft Editor. First, make a backup copy of your world folder located in your Minecraft saves directory.
Open your world’s level.dat file in the NBT editor and locate the “allowCommands” tag. Change its value from 0 to 1, then save the file. This permanently enables cheats for that world without needing to use the LAN workaround repeatedly.
Steps for NBT Editing:
- Download NBTExplorer or similar tool
- Navigate to your Minecraft saves folder
- Open your world’s level.dat file
- Find “allowCommands” and set to 1
- Save and reload your world
Alternative Methods and Considerations
Some players prefer creating a new world with identical settings and cheats enabled, then using tools like MCEdit to transfer builds. While more complex, this ensures clean world data without potential NBT editing issues.
Remember that enabling cheats disables achievements in Java Edition, though this restriction varies by platform. Bedrock Edition players can sometimes re-enable achievements through specific world settings.
Whether you’re building massive structures or experimenting with game mechanics, having access to creative tools opens up endless possibilities in your Minecraft adventures.
TL;DR
Enable cheats in existing worlds by opening to LAN through the pause menu, or permanently modify the level.dat file using NBT editors like NBTExplorer.
