How to replace blocks in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition

Building something in Minecraft can take quite some time. Sometimes, one's block choice doesn't end up being ideal, and players need to swap their blocks for others. This usually takes time while players break down the blocks and replace them; fortunately, there's a console command for this demand.

Using certain commands, players can swap a group of blocks out with others without breaking them down and replacing them by hand (Image via Mojang Studios)

The /fill command, available on all current Minecraft versions, can make replacing blocks a breeze. By using it, players can save a significant amount of time breaking and manually placing blocks in replacement.

The syntax can be a little tricky and changes depending on which version of Minecraft is being played, but the payoff is certainly worth it.

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Minecraft: How to use the /fill command on Bedrock Edition

Here's how you can replace blocks on Minecraft Bedrock Edition and get a new block instead of an older one in the game.

A certain grouping of blocks can be swapped out, omitting others, thanks to the /fill command (Image via Mojang Studios || Youtube).

Before players enter the /fill command, they will want to ensure their cheats are enabled. In Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, this is accomplished from the world edit menu when creating a world or changing it from the settings option in-game. A small slider labeled "Enable Cheats" exists towards the bottom of the world edit menu, which can be clicked to activate.

Keep in mind, however, that this will disable achievements until deactivated, so players on the prowl for achievements/trophies should be mindful.

Once cheats are enabled, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition players can open their chat console in-game and type out their command. The syntax of the command to replace blocks (in Bedrock Edition specifically) is currently:

• /fill <from> <to> <tilename> [tiledata] replace <replacetilename> <replacedatavalue>

With so many arguments making up this command's syntax, things can be a little confusing for those entering it for the first time. It's worth breaking down each argument individually and what it requires:

• From - The starting x/y/z coordinates for the replacement block.
• To - The ending x/y/z coordinates for the replacement.
• Tilename - The name of the tile block to replace the region with (for example, minecraft:cobblestone for a cobblestone block)
• Tiledata - This is an optional block choice in case there are different variants for certain blocks in Tilename.
• Replace - Will replace all blocks in the region, including air blocks, allowing Minecraft players to spawn in blocks in empty, air-filled regions.
• ReplaceTilename - The name of the block to be replaced.
• Replacedatavalue - Like Tiledata, an optional argument for different variants of a block.

An example of using the /fill command to replace blocks would be:

• /fill ~5 ~ ~8 ~-20 ~-1 ~-20 diamond_block replace grass_block
• This command would replace all grass blocks with diamond blocks at the specified coordinates between ~5, ~8 and ~-20, ~-1, ~-20.

The fill command takes some getting used to for those new to the command console, but it is an invaluable asset not only for creators in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition but also for other versions.