# How to Turn On Keep Inventory on a Minecraft Server

> Stop players dropping their items when they die, with one game rule.

Source: https://www.beaconhosting.org/knowledgebase/how-to-turn-on-keep-inventory-on-a-minecraft-server
Category: Minecraft
Last updated: 2026-10-22

By default, players drop their items and experience when they die. The **keepInventory** game rule keeps them.

## Turn it on

Run this in **Console** (or in game as an operator, with `/`):

```
gamerule keepInventory true
```

It works straight away and is saved with the world, so it stays on after restarts.

## Turn it off

```
gamerule keepInventory false
```

## Check it

```
gamerule keepInventory
```

## Things to know

- Game rules are **per world**. On Paper, the Nether and End are separate worlds; run the command in each, or use Multiverse to set it everywhere.
- It also keeps **experience**.
- Changing worlds or resetting the world resets game rules to their defaults.

> [!TIP]
> Want items kept only for some players? On Paper, plugins such as **EssentialsX** give a `keepinv` permission you can assign per player.