Block entity

A block entity (also known as a tile entity) is an additional object associated with certain blocks.

Usage

Block entities can store additional information about their block, beyond the finite set of block states that a block may have. For example, all blocks that can store items use a block entity for this purpose. Block entities can also tick, running code regularly while loaded, even when not interacted with directly. Complex rendering not available to normal block models is also achieved with block entities. Blocks with block entities can be moved by pistons in Bedrock Edition, but not in Java Edition.

List of block entities

These are the current blocks that hold block entities.

Block Entity	Usage
Beehive Bee Nest	Stores bees and their entity data. Ticks regularly to determine when the bees should exit.
Signs Hanging Signs Chalkboard‌ Poster‌ Slate‌	Stores written text. Renders the text and the sign itself.
Sculk Sensor Calibrated Sculk Sensor	Stores the redstone signal strength. Listens for nearby vibrations.
Sculk Catalyst	Stores xp levels. Listens for nearby deaths, and spreads charges.
Sculk Shrieker	Stores the number of activations. Listens for nearby vibrations.
Banners	Stores color‌, the patterns, and a custom name. Renders the banner with its patterns.
Chest Trapped Chest Shulker Box Dyed Shulker Box Dispenser Dropper Barrel Chiseled Bookshelf Decorated Pot	Stores its contents and a custom name for the interface. For chests, trapped chests and shulker boxes, renders the opening and closing animation. For decorated pots, renders the wobble animation.
Furnace Smoker Blast Furnace Brewing Stand Campfire Soul Campfire	Stores its contents, the cooking and fuel times, and a custom name for the interface. Ticks regularly to advance the cooking time. For campfires, renders the contained items.
Hopper	Stores its contents, the transfer cooldown, and a custom name for the interface. Ticks regularly to advance the cooldown and search for items to pull.
Lectern	Stores the page the book is currently on. Renders the book.
Crafter	Stores which slots are disabled and the crafting cooldown. Ticks regularly to advance the cooldown.
Beacon	Stores the pyramid level, active effects, and contents. Ticks regularly to check for a valid pyramid, and apply effects to nearby players. Renders the beacon beam.
Creaking Heart	Stores the UUID of the transient creaking associated with this creaking heart.
Monster Spawner Trial Spawner	Stores: - the entity to be spawned - the delay until the next entity is spawned, and the min and max values for the next spawn delay - how many entities to spawn per spawn attempt - additional data about the entity to be spawned (such as equipment, and status effects) - the loot reward for the trial spawner Ticks regularly to advance its cooldown, check for spawn conditions, and spawn mobs. Renders the spinning entity inside.
Vault	Stores its loot configuration and tracked players. Renders the spinning items inside.
Note Block‌	Stores the note to be played.
Item Frame‌ Glow Item Frame‌	Stores the contained item. Renders the item.
Piston Sticky Piston	Stores the offset of block, and blocks that it should move or break.‌ Also stores the moving process.
Moving Piston	Stores the offset of block‌, direction of movement‌, and ID of the moving block. Renders the block.
Jukebox	Stores the contained music discs. Regularly ticks to end the song when time has elapsed.
Enchanting Table	Stores a custom name for the interface. Renders the book animation.
End Portal End Gateway	Stores the destination location. Renders the block.
Player Head Zombie Head Skeleton Skull Wither Skeleton Skull Creeper Head Dragon Head Piglin Head	For player heads, stores the player's skin information. Renders the block.
Command Block	Stores the command text, its output strength, and the output text.
Structure Block	Stores information about the structure.
Jigsaw Block	Stores the structure pool and the block this jigsaw block becomes.
Nether Reactor Core‌	Stores whether the reaction started and the time remaining in the reaction.
Daylight Detector	Ticks regularly to update its output signal strength.
Flower Pot‌	Stores the ID and the data value of the block displayed inside of it.
Redstone Comparator	Stores its output strength.
Bed	Stores its color‌. Renders the block.
Cauldron‌	Stores details about liquid content. Cauldrons containing dyed water store water color. Cauldrons containing potions store the potion's ID and a tag of whether it is a splash potion or not.
Conduit	Ticks regularly to check its activation area for valid activation blocks and apply effects to nearby players. Renders the block.
Bell	Ticks regularly to apply the glowing effect to nearby raiders when used. Renders the swaying animation.
Lodestone‌	To link with a compass.
Suspicious Sand Suspicious Gravel	Stores the loot table and contents. Renders the item while brushing.
Compound Creator‌ Element Constructor‌ Lab Table‌ Material Reducer‌	Stores the items in the lab table and the process of lab experiment.

Render limits

Block entity rendering stops beyond a hard-coded block limit which is modeled after the radius of a sphere. This limit is not affected by the Render Distance nor the Entity Distance scale in the Video Settings.

Some effects related to block entities stop rendering beyond a different number of blocks:

• The beacon and end gateway beams stop rendering beyond 256 blocks in Java Edition or 64 blocks in Bedrock Edition or when the end gateway is out of frame.
• The outlines created by a structure block stop rendering beyond 96 blocks.

See also

• Chunk format § Block entity format – describes the save format for block entities
• Entities, which are all the dynamic, moving objects throughout the Minecraft world, plus several non-moving objects that resemble blocks.
• Block states, which are, like block entities, extra pieces of data that further define a block.