Zombies are hostile mobs that players meet during nightfall in Minecraft, and some desire to become them. Though that option doesn’t exist without complex commands (availability inconsistent), private servers, and modding, it’s undoubtedly attractive. Who wouldn’t? After all, these creatures are a nightmare if players don’t find shelter and protect themselves on all sides. Even that isn’t guaranteed, since zombies open wooden doors on the hardest difficulty. That forces players to find iron doors, use sturdier materials, and equip themselves in armor. Since there’s merit in spending time as a zombie, both in solo mode and multiplayer, we’ll show you how to be a zombie in Minecraft.
1. Use a zombie skin for your Minecraft character
We’ll be upfront and state that you won’t really “be” a zombie after you change your Minecraft skin, but you can get pretty close. Since zombies are a popular choice, you get to play around with a lot of designs you can purchase on Marketplace or through independent skin designers. That applies whether you create it from scratch via skin generator sites or download premade skins. Most importantly, the method works for Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, doesn’t involve shady files, and can be seen by others without modifications. Hence, it is beginner-friendly and shouldn’t pose danger to the game.
2. Become a zombie in Minecraft via the Minecraft Marketplace item
This is the easiest, Minecraft-approved, and safest way to truly turn into a zombie. Unfortunately, Marketplace is limited to Bedrock Edition, which still includes PC, mobile, and console versions. Another downside is that such items are usually paid, and will cost a certain amount of Minecraft currency named Minecoin. If you aren’t a Java Edition player and don’t mind paying a bit to support creators who permit you to transform into a zombie, proceed with these steps:
- Visit the Minecraft Marketplace on your device or in your browser. You must be logged into a Minecraft account and have enough Minecoin.
- Search for a zombie-related item. Although we’re unaffiliated and there are plenty, the simplest one with lots of positive reviews is Become a Zombie by Lifeboat.
- After clicking or tapping the Get This Item button and going through payment, you’ll acquire this item.
That particular item lets you become a zombie in free roam mode (Survival/Creative) or play a built-in story to turn from a zombie into a human. You can also summon a zombie army to help you (or turn villagers into zombies during village events) and chase friends in multiplayer. Beware of the daylight since you’ll catch on fire like a regular zombie.
3. Use mods to be a Minecraft zombie
The method above, while great, suggests that a lot of Java Edition players are left out. They simply do not have access to the Marketplace and their game version is incompatible with items. Luckily, the game has been out for years and there are a plethora of mods available for PC and mobile. Since we have no preference or affiliation, and myriad choices exist, we’ll mention the Zombie Mode add-on by DiamondKing567 for Pocket Edition. Like the one above, you will exchange night and day since daylight sets you on fire, and you’ll befriend other hostile mobs. Additionally, you can transform villagers into zombie villagers and do plenty more.
4. Using in-game commands to turn into a zombie (Unreliable)
We noted the possibility of using Minecraft’s commands/cheats when demonstrating turning into a creeper in Minecraft. The reason for unreliability is that Redstone Repeaters aren’t available in all versions of Minecraft. Additionally, commands change from time to time, and this one may fail to work or needs to be modified in future versions. Finally, you must do this in single-player mode or on a server where you have administrator permissions. If that fits your needs, keep the guide open for reference and follow these steps:
- Join a Minecraft world.
- Enter /give @s command_block to give yourself a command block and use it.
- Enter effect @p invisibility 1 to make yourself invisible.
- In the Repeater, configure:
- Redstone — Always Active
- Block Type — Repeat
- Enter execute @p ~~~ tp @e [name=f] ~~~ facing ^^^1 and repeat step 4 after opening a command block again.
- Switch to Creative Mode, then get “Name Tag”, “Anvil”, and “Spawn Zombie Egg” items.
- Place Anvil in front of you, then input “Name Tag” you obtained.
- Enter the name you put in step 5. We typed f in the “Repair & Name” field.
- Use Spawn Zombie Egg to summon a zombie, then apply the Name Tag you configured via Anvil. The zombie will now be named f, and you can control it. In reality, you are invisible, and see the world from a zombie point of view.