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Minecraft is characterized by its multiple gamemodes: creative, survival, adventure, and spectator. While the first two are quite self-explanatory, adventure and spectator are often misunderstood or simply not well-known by players. For a full explanation about the purpose of adventure mode, check out this introduction here.

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Spectator mode was something that Mojang introduced for Java Edition back in 1.8, so it has been around for quite some time. It's a mode that doesn't see much utility unless used by server administrators or by players after dying in their hardcore survival world. The main questions players might ask are why a Minecraft world even needs to be spectated and how this mode works, which are just a few of the things explained below.

10 It's Still Exclusive To Java Edition

Minecraft Spectator Mode With Player's Hovering Head

Unfortunately for Bedrock Edition players, spectator mode is a luxury only properly working for Java Edition players. Although it's possible to access a version of spectator mode through mods in Bedrock, the whole function is still quite unstable. Developers have confirmed the feature is coming to Bedrock in the future.

Meanwhile, spectator mode remains one of the core four gamemodes in Java Edition. It's most commonly seen at the end of hardcore survival worlds as the only option left for the player since they can't respawn into the world.

9 How To Access Spectator Mode

Minecraft Spectator Mode Command

Accessing spectator mode is fairly simple. Just like any other gamemode, you simply need to press T to activate the chat at the bottom left of the screen and type in the following command: /gamemode spectator. A list should appear with all possible gamemode options as soon as the first part of the command is typed in.

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If you're in creative mode and you've enabled cheats, you can also simply press F3 + N to activate spectator mode instantly.

8 Basic Features In Spectator Mode

Minecraft Spectator Mode Player Flying Above Forest And Mountain Biome

There are a few basic features in this mode. First of all, you can fly just like in creative mode and even move through blocks seamlessly, which provides X-ray vision. You can also move through any type of entity, see all objects around, and remain invisible all the while.

To spectate a specific player or entity, you just need to get close to it and press the left mouse button. In order to cycle through players, you can use the number keys. Press Shift again to return to free fly mode.

7 It Removes The HUD

Minecraft Survival Mode Hunger And Health Bar

Being in spectator mode can feel incredibly disorienting at first due to the lack of HUD and the freedom of movement. You'll still be able to see the chat and any subtitles, if you have them on, on the screen. However, your inventory bar, health, and hunger bars will disappear.

Players can also view their inventory while in spectator mode and it will retain any item gathered while in a different gamemode like survival. However, interacting with the inventory is complicated.

6 It Makes You Invisible

Minecraft Spectator Mode Player's Invisible Head

Other players will not be able to see you when you're in spectator mode unless they also happen to be spectating the world. This is why spectator mode is often used by administrators on Minecraft servers to check up on any players who might be secretly breaking the rules.

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However, if the Glowing status effect is active on the player who's spectating, it's possible even for non-spectators to see the player in question. This makes for a fun little prank to pull on your friends who might not expect a ghostly, hovering, and glowing form of another player to pop up before them.

5 You Cannot Die, Usually

Minecraft Spectator Standing In Lava Inside A Cave

As a spectator, death isn't technically an option. There are actually only two things that can effectively deal damage to you and end your existence while in spectator mode. The first one is falling into the void, while the second involves being killed through the /kill command.

Otherwise, everything else is safe. Hazards like suffocation are simply not a thing since the player can clip through blocks with ease. The same goes for lava and fire, which don't burn the spectator. Drowning is equally impossible.

4 Flying Is Permanent

Minecraft Spectator Mode XRay Vision When Clipping Through Terrain

The interesting part about spectator mode is that you can fly with greater ease than in creative mode, even if you can't interact with the environment or have full access to all resources. Even if you were to try and drop your player model on a block, this would simply not work.

The reason is the fact that by definition, spectators will clip through anything. Therefore, they're permanently suspended in the air and can move quite fast by using the sprint key while flying around.

3 Items Can't Be Interacted With

Minecraft Using Crafting Bench In Spectator Mode

It goes without saying that items cannot be interacted with. If you happen to have any items left over from your survival or adventure gameplay in your inventory, you won't be able to use them while in spectator mode.

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Similarly, interacting with any of the game's GUIs, such as a crafting table or furnace, doesn't work. They can certainly be accessed by the player, but you won't be able to do anything with them.

2 Containers Have No Loot

Minecraft Spectator Mode Message When Trying To Open A Chest

While spectating, you might find hidden structures in your world and get curious about what's inside. Unless searching a chest that you or another player deliberately placed down, containers can't actually be opened if they spawn random loot inside.

This is because the loot for untouched containers is calculated at the moment a player first opens the container. So, don't even think about using spectator mode to cheat and check chests all over your Minecraft world.

1 Spectating Mobs

Minecraft Spectator Mode From Creeper's Perspective

Perhaps the most exciting part of spectator mode is being able to not just spectate players but also any other entity in the world, with the exception of the Ender Dragon. Suddenly, you can just jump inside the head of a Creeper and see the world from their perspective, which is, well, creepy.

Some special mobs will actually have unique filters when they're being spectated. Creepers will have a green filter, Endermen will see negative colors, and spiders will have a distorted vision replicating the idea of multiple eyes. Finally, you get to know what it's like to be a regular Minecraft mob just strolling through the world.

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