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 /trigger Command in Minecraft: Player Buttons
/trigger lets players who are not operators change their own score in a special scoreboard objective, which data packs and command blocks then react to. Make the objective with the trigger criterion, enable it for a player, and they can run /trigger
How do you set up /trigger?
/scoreboard objectives add menu triggermakes a trigger objective called menu./scoreboard players enable @a menulets every player use it.- A player runs
/trigger menu(adds 1),/trigger menu add 5or/trigger menu set 2. - A repeating command block or function checks the score, does something, resets it to 0 and enables it again.
Why does /trigger need enabling?
After each use the objective is disabled for that player until it is enabled again. That stops players spamming it or changing the score whenever they like, so a map stays in control. Scoreboard basics: /scoreboard.
What is /trigger used for?
Chat menus are the classic use: /tellraw text with click events that run /trigger, so players click options in chat. Data packs also use it for settings, such as turning a feature on or off for one player; see data packs.
What are the rules?
The objective must already exist with the trigger criterion, and its name is a single word. Only players can run /trigger, on themselves. It works in singleplayer without cheats, which makes it handy for adventure maps; see Adventure mode.
Is there a Bedrock version?
No. Bedrock maps use buttons, NPC dialogue or scripting instead. More command differences: Bedrock commands.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need op for /trigger?
No. It is permission level 0, but the objective must be enabled for you.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.