Freecam Flight Types, Speed Settings, and Camera Movement Explained
Freecam lets you detach the camera from your player and move it around independently, and this guide covers the flight type, horizontal and vertical speed, and how the camera moves while the feature is active.
Enabling and Disabling Freecam
Freecam can be turned on and off. When it is active, the camera operates separately from your character, and when it is disabled, control returns to normal. You toggle the feature using its key bindings, which are listed under the Freecam key bindings tooltip in the controls. If you need to change which keys activate freecam, set them in the controls menu rather than assuming a default.
Some servers restrict the feature. When that happens, an indicator reports that freecam is restricted on the current server, and you cannot use it there.
Flight Type
The type of flight used by freecam is configurable. This setting determines the style of movement the camera uses while you are flying it. The available flight types are not described in detail here, so check the setting itself to see which options your build offers.
Horizontal and Vertical Speed
Two separate speed values control how fast the camera travels:
- Horizontal speed — governs how quickly the camera moves sideways, forward, and backward.
- Vertical speed — governs how quickly the camera moves up and down.
Because these are independent, you can set a fast horizontal speed while keeping vertical movement slow, or the reverse. Adjust both to match how you want to survey an area.
How the Camera Moves
The camera's movement is governed by its own tooltip settings, which describe how it travels. Movement happens through the corresponding hotkeys, which you assign in the controls menu. The camera's look and feel are also configurable, so you can change how freecam appears while you use it.
Block Travel and Collision
Several options determine which blocks the camera can pass through:
- Ignore Transparent Blocks — allows travel through transparent blocks.
- Ignore Openable Blocks — allows travel through doors, trapdoors, and gates.
- Custom Ignore List — allows travel through specific blocks that you name. Use a block id such as "grass_block"; if you leave off the namespace, "minecraft:" is assumed. This can only be used in singleplayer, creative mode, or with operator status.
- Ignore Regular Expressions — lets you match blocks using regular expression syntax, checked against the full block id, for example "minecraft:grass_block".
- Ignore All Collision — allows travel through every block and overrides the settings above.
Always Check Initial Collision controls whether the initial perspective checks for collision even when Ignore All Collision is on.
Camera Perspective and Display
Initial Perspective sets the camera's starting viewpoint, and one option shows your player in its original position. You can also choose whether your hand is visible in freecam, and whether brightness increases while freecam is active. Show Submersion Fog controls whether a fog overlay appears underwater, in lava, or in powdered snow.
Enhancements and Interaction
Freecam enhancements include disabling freecam automatically when you take damage, and preventing player movement while freecam is active — note that multiplayer use of that second option is not advised. You can also decide whether you can interact with blocks and entities in freecam, and choose the source of those interactions. Interaction mode 'Player' is an exception to the usual restrictions.
Multiplayer and Notifications
Multiplayer options let you allow or disallow freecam on certain servers using a whitelist or blacklist. Notification options control whether messages appear at all, including separate toggles for freecam notifications when you enter or exit freecam, and tripod notifications when you enter or exit tripod cameras.