Minecraft Scoreboard Commands Guide: Objectives, Scores and Timers

Scoreboards store numbers for players and entities. Create an objective with /scoreboard objectives add, change values with /scoreboard players, and test them in commands with scores={name=1..} or execute if score. They work the same way on Java and Bedrock for the basics.

Advanced Java Bedrock

Create an objective

/scoreboard objectives add kills dummy
/scoreboard objectives add deaths deathCount

The criterion decides how the value changes. dummy changes only by commands. Java also has built-in criteria such as deathCount and playerKillCount. Bedrock supports dummy only.

Change scores

/scoreboard players set @p kills 0
/scoreboard players add @p kills 1
/scoreboard players remove @p kills 1
/scoreboard players reset @p kills

Test scores

In a selector:

/give @a[scores={kills=5..}] diamond

In execute:

execute as @a if score @s kills matches 5.. run say Five kills!

Show on screen

/scoreboard objectives setdisplay sidebar kills

On Bedrock use sidebar as well, and add the objective name after it. Use list to show it in the player list.

Build a timer

1. Create a dummy objective called timer.
2. A repeat block, Always Active, runs scoreboard players add @a timer 1.
3. Since it ticks 20 times per second, a score of 200 is ten seconds.
4. Test with execute as @a if score @s timer matches 200.. run say Time is up then reset it.

Use our game time converter to turn seconds into ticks.

FAQ

How do I make a scoreboard in Minecraft?

Run /scoreboard objectives add name dummy, then /scoreboard objectives setdisplay sidebar name.

What does dummy mean in a scoreboard?

A dummy objective only changes when a command changes it.

How do I check a score?

Use scores={name=5..} in a selector, or execute if score @s name matches 5.. in execute.

Checked by the Game Respawned editorial team against the current Java and Bedrock versions. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.