How To Set Tick Speed In Minecraft Using Commands And Game Settings

You might have heard about tick speed while reading advanced Minecraft guides. It is a type of function that controls how the event triggers in the game get updated and activated. For example, tick speed defines how quickly or slowly fluid in liquid blocks can flow. It is part of the game's core mechanic, and in this article, we are going to show you how to set tick speed in Minecraft, updated for the latest versions as of November 2025 (Minecraft 1.21.x for both Java and Bedrock Editions).

1. How to set tick speed in Minecraft using commands
2. How to increase tick speed in Minecraft using game settings
3. What is a game tick in Minecraft?
4. Tips and Tricks for Managing Tick Speed

Minecraft tick speed can be changed at any time in 2025 versions.

1. How to set tick speed in Minecraft using commands

You need to enable cheats on your world for commands to work. The option can be found on the creation menu when creating a new Minecraft world or in the world settings for existing worlds. Below is a step-by-step guide on setting the tick speed command, valid for Minecraft 1.21.x in 2025.

Firstly, you need to open the chat window. For Java Edition on PC, press the T key. For Bedrock Edition on consoles like PS5 or Xbox Series X, use the D-pad on the controller. Once the chat window opens up, enter the Minecraft tick speed command to change the tick speed as you like. The primary command is:

/gamerule randomTickSpeed <value>
/gamerule randomTickSpeed (to check current value)

The first command sets an exact value for the random tick speed, controlling how quickly things like crops grow or leaves decay. The second checks the current tick speed. Note: In Java Edition, the default is 3; in Bedrock Edition, it's 1. These commands are available in all recent versions of Minecraft, including 1.21.x.

In Java Edition (as of 1.21), there's an additional advanced command: /tick. This allows more control over the game's tick rate, such as:

/tick query - Shows current tick information.
/tick freeze - Freezes the game ticks.
/tick step <time> - Advances ticks by a specified amount.
/tick rate <value> - Sets the target tick rate (default 20 ticks/second).

The core game loop of Minecraft runs at a fixed speed of 20 ticks/second. This means if you want random events to update every 4 seconds, set randomTickSpeed to 80 (4 seconds * 20 ticks/second).

Change Game Tick Speed — How to set tick speed in Minecraft to grow trees in a short time in 2025.

2. How to increase tick speed in Minecraft using game settings

In Bedrock Edition, players can change the random tick speed directly in the game settings without commands. While playing, pause the game, go to Settings > Game > Cheats (enable if needed), and scroll to "Random Tick Speed" at the bottom. Enter the new value.

In Java Edition, this option isn't available in the GUI; use commands instead. The rule works the same: Multiply the desired speed interval (in seconds) by 20 to get the tick value.

Random Tick Speed in Minecraft — Random tick speed in Minecraft can also be changed in settings (Bedrock Edition, 2025).

What tick speed should you use in Minecraft?

This option should only be changed temporarily, as permanent high values might cause lag or crashes. Increase it gradually to test your hardware. The tick speed affects crop growth, fire spreading, and more. Normal is 3 (Java) or 1 (Bedrock); setting to 15 makes things five times faster. Set to 0 to disable random ticks.

Minecraft world breaking down — If you set your random tick speed too high, the game will break down in no time at all.

3. What is a game tick in Minecraft?

Simply put, a game tick is the unit of time in Minecraft. The default tick speed in Minecraft is 20 ticks per second, with one tick every 0.05 seconds. One Minecraft day lasts 24,000 ticks, or 20 real-life minutes. Press ALT + F3 in-game to view TPS (ticks per second).

Advancements and updates happen based on ticks. A lower tick rate (via /tick in Java) slows updates; higher can improve performance but risk instability. The effective highest tick speed is around 256 ticks/second before diminishing returns, but randomTickSpeed can be set higher with caution.

Why should you change Minecraft random tick speed?

Minecraft random tick speed affects random events like fire spread, plant growth, leaf decay, random lightning, and mob behaviors. Increasing it speeds up farming or breeding for quicker resources.

temporary tick speed — How to set tick speed in Minecraft temporarily in 2025.

Don't set it too high—values like 500,000 can crash the game. For example, from default 3, setting to 21 increases plant growth by 7x.

4. Tips and Tricks for Managing Tick Speed

Reset to Default: Use /gamerule randomTickSpeed 3 for Java or 1 for Bedrock to revert changes.
Optimal Farming: Set to 10-20 for faster crop growth without overwhelming your system. Combine with bone meal for even quicker results.
Avoid Lag: Monitor FPS with F3; if it drops below 30, lower the tick speed. High values are great for single-player but risky on servers.
Java Advanced Trick: Use /tick freeze to pause the world, make changes, then /tick step 1 to advance one tick at a time for precise testing.
Bedrock Slider Tip: In realms, enable cheats temporarily via settings to adjust without commands.
Performance Boost: Lower tick rate with /tick rate 10 in Java for smoother gameplay on low-end hardware, but it slows everything.
Warning: Extremely high randomTickSpeed can cause infinite loops, like rapid fire spreading—always backup your world.