/time set dayThe /time command controls the in-game time. One full day-night cycle is 24,000 ticks (20 minutes real time). Use /gamerule doDaylightCycle false to freeze time after setting it.
The /time command controls the in-game clock in the Overworld. Set the time of day to any tick, use named presets like day and midnight, add ticks to fast-forward, or query the current game time. This generator builds the correct syntax for any of those scenarios.
A full Minecraft day-night cycle is 24,000 ticks, equal to exactly 20 real-time minutes. The cycle starts at tick 0, with the day preset at tick 1,000, noon at tick 6,000, the night preset at tick 13,000, and midnight at tick 18,000. Those tick values are the key to controlling time.
Rather than memorizing the numbers or converting between real time and ticks in your head, the generator handles the math. Pick a preset or enter a custom tick value, choose between set, add, or query, and copy the command.
The Overworld runs on a continuous tick counter that loops every 24,000 ticks. Here are the key time markers and what happens at each point:
| Time Preset | Tick Value | In-Game Clock | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 1,000 | 7:00 AM | Sun is up, safe to explore |
| Noon | 6,000 | 12:00 PM | Sun at peak height |
| Night | 13,000 | 7:00 PM | Monsters start spawning |
| Midnight | 18,000 | 12:00 AM | Darkest point, village sieges roll |
| Sunrise | 23,460 | 5:27 AM | Undead start burning |
| Sunset | 12,542 | 6:32 PM | Undead stop burning, bees enter hives |
The moon cycle repeats every 192,000 ticks (8 in-game days), cycling through 8 phases. During a full moon, surface slime spawn chance is at its highest (50%), dropping to 0% at the new moon.
Note: the Nether and End have no day-night cycle. Time commands still work there, but they only affect the Overworld clock. Villager schedules are tied to that clock: they start working at tick 2,000 and go to rest at tick 12,000.
Lock time for building: run /gamerule doDaylightCycle false then /time set 6000 to lock the world at noon, the ideal lighting for building without shadows shifting.
Mob farm testing: set time to /time set 18000 (midnight) with doDaylightCycle false to test hostile mob farm rates at peak darkness.
Cinematic screenshots: the best sunrise colors appear between ticks 22,225 and 23,757. Try /time set 23000 for a golden-hour effect.
Skip ahead by days: use /time add 24000 to advance exactly one full day without changing the time-of-day. This progresses the moon phase and day counter while keeping the same lighting.
A full Minecraft day-night cycle is exactly 24,000 ticks, which equals 20 real-time minutes. Daytime lasts from tick 0 to tick 12,542, and nighttime runs from tick 12,542 to tick 23,460. The remaining ticks are sunrise and sunset transitions.
The /time set day command sets the time to tick 1,000, which is early morning with the sun already above the horizon. Noon is tick 6,000 with the sun at its highest. Undead mobs stop burning at tick 23,460 (dawn) and start burning at tick 12,542.
Run two commands: /gamerule doDaylightCycle false to stop time from advancing, then /time set day (or /time set 1000) to lock it at daytime. The world stays at that exact time until you re-enable the daylight cycle.
The /time set command sets the absolute time to a specific tick value. The /time add command adds ticks to the current time. For example, /time add 6000 moves the clock forward by 6,000 ticks (5 real-time minutes) from wherever it currently is.
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