Teleporting on a Minecraft server lets players instantly move to coordinates or jump to another player’s location. The feature is built into the game, but it requires operator (OP) status to use. Once you have OP access, the /tp command works right away without any server configuration changes. This guide covers how to get OP permissions on your server, how to use every /tp variant, and how to expand teleportation with plugins or mods.
How Teleporting Works in Minecraft
By default, players can only travel through portals. The /tp command (also written as /teleport) unlocks instant movement anywhere in the world. You can teleport yourself to a set of coordinates, move to another player’s position, or send a player somewhere else.
The command is considered a cheat, so it requires elevated permissions to run. On a vanilla server, that means having OP status. If you run a plugin-based server, tools like EssentialsX or LuckPerms can grant teleport access to non-OP players through permission nodes. On a singleplayer world you need to enable cheats before /tp will work.
How to Get OP Permissions
Operator status gives your account admin-level access on the server, including the ability to run commands like /tp. You set it from the server console, not in-game.
- Head to your Apex server panel, then click Console in the top left corner.
- Type
op [player]into the console text box and press Enter, replacing[player]with the exact Minecraft username.
- If it worked, the console returns: “Made [player] a server operator.”
You only need to do this once per player. For more detail on operator levels, see how to become OP in Minecraft.
How to Use the /tp Command
Once you have OP status, open the in-game chat and run any of the commands below. The /tp and /teleport forms work the same way on both Java and Bedrock.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|---|
/tp [x] [y] [z] |
Teleports you to exact X, Y, Z coordinates. |
/tp [x] ~ [z] |
Teleports you to X and Z while keeping your current Y height. |
/tp [player1] [player2] |
Moves player1 to player2’s current location. |
/tp [player] [x] [y] [z] |
Sends a specific player to the given coordinates. |
For a deeper look at coordinate-based travel, the guide on how to tp to coordinates in Minecraft covers relative and local coordinates in detail.
Teleport Plugins and Mods
If you want more than the vanilla /tp command, plugins and mods add extra teleport options that work well on multiplayer servers.
Plugins (for Spigot, Paper, or Bukkit servers):
- EssentialsX — Adds
/tpa(teleport request) and/tpahere(request a player to come to you). Players can accept or deny requests, which works well on servers where you don’t want forced teleportation. - LuckPerms — Lets you give specific ranks or players teleport permissions without making them full OPs. Useful for survival servers where you want limited teleport access.
Mods:
- Waystones — Adds craftable waystone blocks that players can link to and teleport between. No commands needed; players interact with the block directly.
These options replace or extend the default /tp command, so the vanilla OP requirement may not apply once they are installed.
Minecraft Teleport FAQ
Why won’t my /tp command work?
Your account needs OP status on the server before you can run /tp. If you have OP and the command still fails, a plugin may be overriding the default command. Check that no active plugin blocks or replaces /tp.
Do OP permissions carry a security risk?
Yes. OP gives full access to all server commands. Only grant it to players you trust completely. For a large server, use LuckPerms to assign limited teleport permissions instead of full OP access.
Why are my teleport plugins not working?
The most common causes are version mismatches between the plugin and your server software, or missing permission nodes. Check the plugin’s documentation to confirm it supports your current server version.
