Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
The /tick Command in Minecraft: Freeze and Speed Up
/tick changes how fast the game runs on Java Edition. /tick freeze pauses mobs, redstone and crops while players still move; /tick step runs a few ticks at a time; /tick rate 40 doubles the speed; /tick sprint 1d skips ahead as fast as your computer can. The normal rate is 20 ticks per second.
What can /tick do?
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/tick query | Shows the target rate and how long ticks are taking |
/tick rate <rate> | Sets the target ticks per second |
/tick freeze | Pauses everything except players and what they ride |
/tick unfreeze | Starts the game again |
/tick step [time] | While frozen, runs that much time, then freezes again |
/tick sprint [time] | Runs that much time as fast as possible, then reports performance |
Times can be ticks or use units such as 10s or 1d.
What is /tick good for?
- Debugging redstone one tick at a time; see redstone basics.
- Growing a farm or waiting out a night quickly with sprint; see crop farming.
- Slowing a fight or parkour section to film it.
- Checking server lag with query; see chunks and ticks.
What does it not change?
Players are not sped up by rates above 20, so you do not walk faster. Things that do not happen every tick, such as opening a door, flipping a lever or powering a line of dust, still work while frozen. It cannot be run from a command block.
Who can use it?
Operators with permission level 3, so on a server only trusted staff. In singleplayer turn cheats on first; since Java 26.2 that is done in the pause menu's World Options. More: Minecraft commands.
Does Bedrock have /tick?
No. Bedrock's closest tools are the randomtickspeed game rule for crops and /time for day and night; see game rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the normal tick rate?
20 ticks per second.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.