How to Disable Chat in Minecraft [All Versions]

Minecraft is often played in a multiplayer setting on servers, which lets you meet new people. Unlike other games, you can’t communicate using voice chat without mods. Therefore, your best bet is to use text chat to communicate with other players. However, some players would rather not have the chat feature enabled at all.

If you’re not interested in seeing other players’ messages, you can disable it in the game. It’s not a true disable as you’re merely hiding it. However, it works very well if you want to explore in peace.

How to Disable Chat in Minecraft

Generally, all you need to do is find the option for hiding chat in the Options menu across all platforms. As each platform has different controls, we’ll go over how to disable the chat option for all versions.

For Java Edition, this is what you have to do:

1. Launch Minecraft.
   
2. Enter your server.
   
3. Press the Esc button on your keyboard.
   
4. Select “Chat Settings.”
   
5. At the top-left corner, click on “Chat: Shown” once.
   
6. Doing this will change it to “Chat: Hidden.”
   

From then on, you won’t see any new chat messages appear on your screen. You also can’t chat at all, and that includes typing commands. If you wish only to see commands, you can click the button until it says “Commands Only.”

If you wish to enable chat again, you can repeat the same steps as above to show the chat window once more.

How to Disable Chat in Minecraft Bedrock

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is what players on these platforms play:

• Xbox One
• iOS
• Android
• Nintendo Switch
• PC
• PS4

Most PC players play on Java Edition, though it’s not unheard of for some to play on Bedrock. As there are a few platforms here, we’ll guide you through each of them individually.

Xbox One

Players on Xbox One will use its included controller. The pause button to the left of the XYAB buttons will bring up the menu. Here are the steps for disabling chat on Xbox One:

1. Launch Minecraft for the Xbox One.
2. Head into a session.
3. Press the pause button on your Xbox One controller.
4. Go to “Options.”
5. Head to “Multiplayer Settings.”
6. Press “A” while highlighting the “Chat” option.
7. Make sure it says “Hidden.”

After doing so, you’ll be entirely in the dark regarding the other players’ text communication.

iOS and Android

Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on mobile devices is the same regardless of your phone’s operating system. Hence, we’ll group the exact instructions in one place to make things more convenient. For both iOS and Android, the Pause button is at the top of the screen, on the chat button’s right.

Disabling chat in Minecraft on iOS and Android goes like this:

1. Launch Minecraft on your mobile device.
   
2. Head into a multiplayer world.
   
3. Tap the Pause button.
   
4. Select “Settings.”
   
5. Choose “Accessibility.”
   
6. Tap on “Chat: Shown.”
   
7. When it says “Chat: Hidden,” you can tap “Done” and continue playing.

Mobile devices allow for easier typing than consoles, but if you don’t want to be bothered, go ahead and hide the chat window.

Nintendo Switch

You use a Pro Controller or Joy-Cons to play Minecraft on the Nintendo Switch. Even on third-party controllers, the pause button is the “+” button near the right. On the right Joy-Con, it’s the large “+” near the top.

Disabling the chat on Nintendo Switch involves these steps:

1. Open Minecraft for the Nintendo Switch.
2. Start a game.
3. Press the Pause button on your preferred controller.
4. Choose “Options” from the Pause menu.
5. Select “Multiplayer Settings” to bring up a host of options.
6. Press “A” when you’re highlighting “Chat: Shown.”
7. When it says “Chat: Hidden,” save your settings, and you can go on playing Minecraft.

Even while playing Minecraft on the go, you can always silence the hubbub and mine in peace.

PC

On PC, all you have to do is follow the same steps as in Java Edition. Here’s what to do:

1. Launch Minecraft: Bedrock Edition for PC.
   
2. Load one of your games.
   
3. Press Esc on your keyboard.
   
4. Go to “Chat Settings.”
   
5. Click on “Chat: Shown” once at the top-left corner.
   
6. Change the option to “Chat: Hidden.”
   

PS4

PS4 Minecraft players have the Start button right where the Pause button of Xbox One controllers is. Pressing it will bring up the Pause menu. If you wish to hide the chat window, here’s how you’ll do it:

1. Load a game of Minecraft on your PS4.
2. Press the Start button on the controller.
3. Select “Multiplayer Settings.”
4. Hover over “Chat: Shown.”
5. Change it to “Chat: Hidden.”
6. Exit the menu and continue playing.

These instructions are also applicable for players using a PS5 to play Minecraft.

How to Disable Chat in Minecraft Education Edition

The Education Edition is available on PC and mobile devices. Prevalent in classrooms, this version of Minecraft isn’t too different from other game versions when it comes to setting adjustments.

PC

For PC, follow these steps:

1. Launch Minecraft: Education Edition for PC.
2. Head into a classroom.
3. Press Esc on the keyboard.
4. Choose “Multiplayer Settings.”
5. Click on “Chat: Shown” once at the top-left corner.
6. Make sure the option becomes “Chat: Hidden.”
7. Exit the settings and keep playing.

Mobile Devices

Students and teachers using mobile devices can use these instructions as a guide instead:

1. Open Minecraft: Education Edition on your device.
2. Enter any session.
3. Tap the Pause button on the screen.
4. Select “Multiplayer Settings.”
5. Tap “Chat: Shown.”
6. Tap until you see “Chat: Hidden” and exit the settings menu.
7. Continue playing.

For Education Edition, educators can turn off chat for everyone in the classroom. This feature is in the game to let students focus on learning. However, the option is off by default.

Can Your Permanently Disable Chat on Servers?

If your server has special plugins, you can use them to disable the chat window altogether. There are many plugins for Minecraft, and each of them has its own instructions. An excellent plugin is Chat Disable, but it’s currently not updated anymore.

To disable chat with this plugin, perform the steps below:

1. Install Chat Disable.
2. Launch your Minecraft client
3. Head into a server you have the authorization to change.
4. Open the chat window.
5. Type “/disable chat” without quotation marks.

Other plugins may have commands that do similar actions. You can search for them online, as most are free to download and use on your servers.

No Talking Here

Disabling the chat allows you to do your own thing without being disturbed by other players. Whether it’s your preference or you’re a parent who’d rather prohibit their children from talking to others online, hiding the feature is relatively simple. A few steps are all it takes to limit the chatter and explore Minecraft’s landscapes in peace.

Which version of Minecraft do you play? Do you play on more than one platform? Let us know in the comments section below.