How to Restart Time in Minecraft
This Minecraft tutorial explains how to use a game command to restart time with screenshots and step-by-step instructions.
Has time in your game been stopped so that day and night cycles no longer occur? Did you know that you can use a cheat in the game to restart time and restore day/night cycles? Let's explore how to use this cheat (game command).
Supported Platforms
The restart time command is available in the following versions of Minecraft:
| Platform | Supported (Version*) |
|---|
 Java Edition (PC/Mac) | Yes (1.6.1) |
 Pocket Edition (PE) | Yes (1.0.5) |
 Xbox 360 | No |
 Xbox One | Yes (1.2) |
 PS3 | No |
 PS4 | Yes (1.14.0) |
 Wii U | No |
 Nintendo Switch | Yes (1.5.0) |
 Windows 10 Edition | Yes (1.0.5) |
 Education Edition | Yes |
* The version that it was added or removed, if applicable.
NOTE: Pocket Edition (PE), Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 10 Edition are now called Bedrock Edition. We will continue to show them individually for version history.
Requirements
To run game commands in Minecraft, you have to turn cheats on in your world.
Restart Time Command
- Java
- PE
- Xbox
- PS
- Nintendo
- Win10
- Edu
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)
In Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac), the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule doDaylightCycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)
In Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE), the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Xbox One Edition
In Minecraft Xbox One Edition, the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft PS4 Edition
In Minecraft PS4 Edition, the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition
In Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition, the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Windows 10 Edition
In Minecraft Windows 10 Edition, the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Restart Time Command in Minecraft Education Edition
In Minecraft Education Edition, the syntax to restore day/night cycles and allow time to advance using the /gamerule command is:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
Examples
- Java
- PE
- Xbox
- PS
- Nintendo
- Win10
- Edu
Example in Java Edition (PC/Mac)
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac):
/gamerule doDaylightCycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule doDaylightCycle false
Example in Pocket Edition (PE)
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft PE:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
Example in Xbox One Edition
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft Xbox One Edition:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
Example in PS4 Edition
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft PS4 Edition:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
Example in Nintendo Switch Edition
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft Nintendo Switch Edition:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
Example in Windows 10 Edition
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft Windows 10 Edition:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
Example in Education Edition
To restart time so that there is both day and night cycles again in Minecraft Education Edition:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle true
To stop time from advancing:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle false
How to Enter the Command
1. Open the Chat Window
The easiest way to run a command in Minecraft is within the chat window. The game control to open the chat window depends on the version of Minecraft:
- For Java Edition (PC/Mac), press the T key to open the chat window.
- For Pocket Edition (PE), tap on the chat button
at the top of the screen.
- For Xbox One, press the D-Pad (right)
on the controller.
- For PS4, press the D-Pad (right) on the controller.
- For Nintendo Switch, press the right arrow button
on the controller.
- For Windows 10 Edition, press the T key to open the chat window.
- For Education Edition, press the T key to open the chat window.
2. Type the Command
In this example, we are going to restart time with the following command:
/gamerule doDaylightCycle true
Type the command in the chat window and press the Enter key to run the command.
The game rule will be changed for your world.
You will see the message "Game rule doDaylightCycle has been updated to true" appear in the lower left corner of the game window to indicate that time has been restarted. Now, the sun will travel across the sky and the time will advance again.
Congratulations, you just learned how to use the cheat to restart time in Minecraft!
Check the value of doDaylightCycle gamerule
Check in Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)
In Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac), you can check the value of the doDayLightCycle gamerule with the following /gamerule command:
/gamerule doDaylightCycle
This command will return one of the following values:
doDayLightCycle = true
doDayLightCycle = false
When doDayLightCycle is true, time is advancing as normal (this is the default). When doLightCycle is false, time is stopped at the current moment.
Check in Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)
In Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE), you can check the value of the dodaylightcycle gamerule with the following /gamerule command:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle
This command will return one of the following values:
dodaylightcycle = true
dodaylightcycle = false
When dodaylightcycle is true, time is advancing as normal (this is the default). When dodaylightcycle is false, time is stopped at the current moment.
Check in Minecraft Windows 10 Edition
In Minecraft Windows 10 Edition, you can check the value of the dodaylightcycle gamerule with the following /gamerule command:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle
This command will return one of the following values:
dodaylightcycle = true
dodaylightcycle = false
When dodaylightcycle is true, time is advancing as normal (this is the default). When dodaylightcycle is false, time is stopped at the current moment.
Check in Minecraft Education Edition
In Minecraft Education Edition, you can check the value of the dodaylightcycle gamerule with the following /gamerule command:
/gamerule dodaylightcycle
This command will return one of the following values:
dodaylightcycle = true
dodaylightcycle = false
When dodaylightcycle is true, time is advancing as normal (this is the default). When dodaylightcycle is false, time is stopped at the current moment.
Other Time Cheats
You can use other time commands in Minecraft such as:
