TNT

TNT is a block that can be activated by a redstone signal, flint and steel, stray fire, flaming projectile or explosion.

TNT

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool	Any tool
Blast resistance	0
Hardness	0
Luminous	No
Transparent	No
Flammable	Yes (15)
Catches fire from lava	Yes
Map color (Java)	4 FIRE

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Primed TNT is a gravity-affected entity that produces a damaging, block-destroying explosion after four seconds.

This article discusses both the TNT block and the primed TNT entity. When the TNT block is activated, the block is replaced with the primed TNT entity, which is what produces the explosion. The TNT block has a display name of "TNT" in the player's inventory; however, it also has an in-game name of "tnt" when used in commands such as /setblock. The primed TNT entity has a display name of "primed TNT" in chat, but also has an in-game name of "tnt" when used in commands such as /summon.

In this article, "TNT" refers to the block, and "primed TNT" refers to the entity.

Obtaining

Breaking

TNT can be broken instantly with any tool or by hand. Primed TNT cannot be broken as it is an entity, but it can be removed with the /kill command.

Natural generation

Nine TNT blocks occur naturally in each desert pyramid.

Two TNT blocks flank a trapped chest in one secret woodland mansion room.

Mob loot

An enderman holding a block of TNT drops the block upon death.

Generated loot

Item	Structure	Container	Quantity	[hide]Chance
Java Edition
TNT	Buried Treasure	Chest	1–2	62.7% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": "1–2", "chance": 0.6273730871195727, "structure": "Buried Treasure", "container": "Chest" }
	Desert Pyramid	Suspicious sand	1	12.5% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.125, "structure": "Desert Pyramid", "container": "Suspicious sand" }
	Shipwreck	Supply chest	1–2	7.5% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": "1–2", "chance": 0.07454407362754456, "structure": "Shipwreck", "container": "Supply chest" }
Bedrock Edition
TNT	Buried Treasure	Chest	1–2	34.3% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": "1–2", "chance": 0.3433494144021395, "structure": "Buried Treasure", "container": "Chest" }
	Desert Pyramid	Suspicious sand	1	12.5% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.125, "structure": "Desert Pyramid", "container": "Suspicious sand" }
	Shipwreck	Supply chest	1–2	7.5% { "item": "TNT", "stacksize": "1–2", "chance": 0.07454407362754456, "structure": "Shipwreck", "container": "Supply chest" }

Crafting

Ingredients	Crafting recipe	[hide]Description
Gunpowder + Sand or Red Sand		It is possible to use any combination of sand and red sand.

Usage

A TNT explosion.

Activation

TNT blocks can be activated by:

• using a flint and steel or a fire charge
  • Attempting to ignite TNT while sneaking results in the block catching fire, rather than the TNT becoming primed immediately.
• using an item enchanted with Fire Aspect ‌
• a redstone signal
• projectiles that create fire or explosions
  • flaming arrow
  • fireballs
  • small fireballs
  • wither skulls
• explosions
• fire spreading onto the TNT block (the block burns for several seconds before activating)
• being placed by a dispenser, or a dispenser using a flint and steel on a TNT block

Behavior

Primed TNT

Hitbox size	Height: 0.98 blocks Width: 0.98 blocks

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When activated, a TNT block is replaced with an entity called primed TNT that creates an explosion after four seconds. Primed TNT is affected by gravity, and can be pushed by flowing water, lava, and pistons.

The amount of time before primed TNT explodes depends on how the TNT was activated:

• If activated by fire or a redstone signal, primed TNT explodes after 80 game ticks (4 seconds).
• If activated by an explosion, primed TNT explodes after a random number of game ticks between 10 and 30 (0.5 to 1.5 seconds).
• If summoned using commands, primed TNT explodes after 80 game ticks. This change is seen in 1.21.5 in Java Edition. Prior versions would have a fuse value of 0, meaning they would explode instantly.

Countdown timer

Primed TNT has a data tag called fuse that acts as a countdown timer, and stores the number of game ticks until the primed TNT explodes. The timer decreases by 1 every game tick, and the Primed TNT explodes when it reaches 0. When summoned by activating a TNT block, fuse is set to 80; when summoned with commands, it is set to a default value of 0, and the primed TNT explodes on the next game tick, unless a different value is specified.

Explosion

When TNT is activated, the primed TNT entity is placed offset from the bottom center of the TNT block position by [+0.5, +0.0, +0.5], and given an initial velocity of 0.2 blocks per tick upward, and 0.2 blocks per tick in a random direction. When the primed TNT explodes, the explosion is located at 0.06125 blocks above the entity's position (at ¹⁄₁₆ block height). Primed TNT creates explosions with a power of 4, which can break most blocks. Blocks destroyed by primed TNT attempt to drop items as if mined by a player.

The explosion deals a maximum of 56HP × 28 damage and high knockback to a player exposed to the explosion. On Peaceful difficulty, a TNT explosion does not damage the player, but it still breaks blocks and damages entities.

Appearance

Primed TNT's texture blinks, alternating every 0.5 seconds between the TNT block's texture, and a copy of it that has been brightened to near-white. The effect is dynamic and the brightened texture can't be found in the assets.

Portals

A primed TNT is teleported to the respective dimensions when entering a nether portal or end portal, maintaining its fuse, direction and speed. In Java Edition, after teleporting through a nether portal, the primed TNT cannot destroy nether portal blocks.

Underwater behavior

TNT usually cannot be used to destroy blocks underwater; however, there are some circumstances in Java Edition where TNT can be made to destroy blocks underwater.

In Java Edition, if TNT is activated while a gravity-affected block (e.g. sand, or gravel) is on top of it, the block falls through the primed TNT entity, and when the primed TNT explodes, it can break blocks.

If TNT is placed on top of a block whose height is less than a full block (e.g. soul sand, honey block, etc.) and activated, the primed TNT can destroy blocks. If TNT is activated while on top of a soul sand block, a bubble column forms, but the primed TNT does not float away. Primed TNT is affected by bubble columns if summoned farther up the column, or if pushed into the bubble column by a piston.

In Bedrock Edition, TNT is unable to destroy blocks underwater by any of the above methods: falling blocks partially displace primed TNT, and primed TNT is always pushed upward by a soul sand's bubble column. There is however a variation of TNT called underwater TNT (When Education Edition option is enabled) that can destroy blocks underwater.

Redstone component

A TNT block is considered a redstone mechanism component, and is activated when it receives a redstone signal.

TNT is a non-conductive (transparent) block and cannot be powered. When a TNT block receives a redstone signal, it does not activate any other adjacent TNT blocks via redstone, but any adjacent TNT blocks are activated by the explosion.

Crafting ingredient

Name	Ingredients	Crafting recipe	[hide]Description
Minecart with TNT	TNT + Minecart
Underwater TNT	Sodium + TNT		‌

Sounds

Generic

Java Edition:

[hide] v t e grass sound type
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.grass.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.grass.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.grass.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.25	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.grass.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.grass.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide] v t e grass sound type
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.grass	0.7	0.8–1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	use.grass	0.8	0.8–1.0
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.grass	0.3	0.5
	Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.grass	0.4	1.0
	Players	Walking on the block	step.grass	0.3	1.0
	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.grass	0.11	1.0
	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.grass	0.21	1.0

Unique

Java Edition:
Primed TNT use the Friendly Creatures sound category for entity-dependent sound events.

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​TNT fizzes	Blocks	When a TNT block is lit	entity.tnt.primed	subtitles.entity.tnt.primed​	1.0	1.0	16
	​Explosion	Blocks	When a TNT block explodes	entity.generic.explode	subtitles.entity.generic.explode​	4.0	0.56-0.84	16

Bedrock Edition:

[hide]Sounds
Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	When a TNT block is lit	random.fuse	1.0	1.0
	Blocks	When a TNT block explodes	random.explode	4.0	1.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Block tags	[hide]Translation key
TNT	tnt	Block & Item	enderman_holdable	block.minecraft.tnt

Name	Identifier	[hide]Translation key
Primed TNT	tnt	entity.minecraft.tnt

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Alias ID	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID	[hide]Translation key
TNT	tnt	tnt / 0	46	Block & Giveable Item	Identical	tile.tnt.name

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	[hide]Translation key
Primed TNT	tnt	65	entity.tnt.name

Block states

Java Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	[hide]Description
unstable	false	false	Hitting the TNT block breaks it, dropping it as an item that can be picked up.
		true	Hitting the TNT block causes it to ignite and then explode.

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Metadata Bits	Default value	Allowed values	Values for Metadata Bits	[hide]Description
explode_bit	0x1	false	false	0	Hitting the TNT block breaks it, dropping it as an item that can be picked up.
			true	1	Hitting the TNT block causes it to ignite and then explode.

Entity data

TNT has entity data associated with them that contain various properties of the entity.

Java Edition:

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Dynamic block entity data
  • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template[show]
  • [Short] fuse: Ticks until explosion. Default is 0 (80 since Java Edition 1.21.5). If activated from a TNT block, the fuse duration is 80 ticks (4 seconds).
  • [NBT Compound / JSON Object] block_state: The block model to use. defaults to tnt if not specified.
    • [String] Name: The resource location of the block.
    • [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Properties: Optional. The block states of the block.
      • [String] Name: The block state name and its value.
  • [Float] explosion_power: A value from 0 to 128. The size of the explosion. Defaults to 4.0. If set to the default value, this field is not saved to the entity's NBT.

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Entity format.

History

[hide]Java Edition Classic
May 21, 2009							Notch shows interest in adding "explosives", which would blow up when a pulse from a wire was received.
October 24, 2009							TNT was teased in a blog post.
0.26 SURVIVAL TEST							Added TNT.
							Players have to hit TNT to prime the block.
							The player starts with 10 blocks of TNT in their hotbar.
							TNT's fuse time was shorter than in later versions, which is 2 seconds instead of 4 seconds.
0.28							Changed the side texture of TNT.
							TNT no longer works in survival.
0.30 (Survival)							Hitting an already active TNT block now defuses it and allows the player to pick it up.
							Explosions caused by TNT no longer produce smoke particles.
[hide]Java Edition Indev
0.31			20091223-0040				When broken, TNT replaces every block one level below it that is of the same block type as the block directly below it with wooden planks.
			20100124-2310				Explosions caused by TNT now produce smoke particles again.
							TNT now deals more damage.
			20100125				TNT's fuse time is now 4 seconds, raised from 2 seconds.
							TNT now flashes when lit.
			20100130				TNT is now craftable.
[hide]Java Edition Beta
1.6			Test Build 3				Mob traps can no longer be created by putting a pressure plate directly on top of the block of TNT.
							Players can no longer cancel the detonation of TNT by hitting it after priming it.
							TNT can no longer have torches placed on it. Any previously-placed torches remain until a block update is received.
1.7							TNT can be primed only by redstone or any other mechanism that powers the TNT block, as well as by hitting it with flint and steel. If the player hits TNT with an empty hand or while holding any other item, the block is destroyed and dropped as an item.
1.8			Pre-release				TNT explosions now emit shockwave particles.
[hide]Java Edition
1.0.0			Beta Sound Update				TNT has been given a new explosion sound.
1.2.5							Hitting TNT with flint and steel destroys TNT without priming it. Instead, TNT can be primed by using flint and steel on it.
1.3.1			12w21a				TNT can be naturally found (with structure generation turned on) in desert pyramids as a trap in the treasure room. It's a 3×3 square of 9 TNT under a sandstone floor with a stone pressure plate on the center sandstone block.
			12w26a				TNT no longer drops as an item when broken in Creative mode.
			12w30a				TNT no longer damages the player in Peaceful difficulty.
1.4.2			12w34b				TNT can now be ignited when hit with an item that has the Fire Aspect enchantment or the Flame enchantment.
1.5			13w02a				TNT is now used to craft TNT minecart.
			13w04a				TNT is now primed when released from a dispenser.
1.8			14w05b				Mobs now suffocate inside of TNT.
			14w27b				TNT's top texture is now rotated randomly, as part of the addition of arrays to block models.
			14w31a				The explosion physics have been changed, which greatly reduces the range of TNT cannons.
1.8.2			pre1				The explosion physics of TNT have been reverted to those before the 14w31a snapshot.
							Explosion force of TNT is no longer directionally biased.
1.9			15w47a				The random rotation of TNT's top texture has been removed.
1.11			16w39a				TNT now generates in woodland mansions.
1.13			18w10a				TNT now generates in buried treasure chests.
			18w11a				TNT can now be found in shipwreck chests.
1.14			18w43a				The texture of TNT has been changed.
			19w05a				TNT has become a renewable resource due to wandering traders selling sand.
			19w11a				TNT explosions now have a 100% drop rate.
1.15			19w39a				TNT no longer flashes with a solid white color when primed.
			pre1				The explosions from TNT have been optimized.
							Black and white smoke particles are removed.
1.16			20w11a				TNT can now be ignited by any burning projectile.
1.19			22w13a				TNT no longer drops when breaking a minecart with TNT.
1.19.4 Experiment Update 1.20			23w07a				TNT now drops when brushing suspicious sand in desert pyramids.
1.20			23w12a				The probability for the TNT to generate in the suspicious sand in desert pyramid has been changed from 1/7 to 1/8.
1.21			pre1				Primed TNT can now teleport through a nether portal.
			pre4				A primed TNT that has teleported through a nether portal can no longer destroy nether portal blocks.
1.21.2			24w33a				TNT can no longer destroy item frames, paintings and armor stands when in water.
							Added optional field explosion_power.
1.21.5			25w10a				Added the tntExplodes game rule.
[hide]Pocket Edition Alpha
Pre-release							Added TNT.
							TNT currently cannot be obtained except via a hex editor. When edited in, the primed TNT simply emits smoke particles, then disappears.
v0.2.0							Edited-in TNT can now be successfully primed and detonated.
v0.4.0							TNT is now able to be obtained without a hex editor in both Survival and Creative.
v0.8.0							TNT can now be ignited by Fire and Lava. (Previously would just burn away)
v0.9.0			build 1				The performance of TNT has been improved.
v0.12.1			build 1				TNT can now be ignited when hit with an item that has the Flame enchantment.
			build 10				The sound of TNT has been changed to that of Java Edition.
v0.13.0			build 1				TNT can now be naturally found (with structure generation turned on) in desert pyramids as a trap in the treasure room. It is a 3×3 square of 9 TNT under a sandstone floor with a stone pressure plate on the center sandstone block.
v0.14.0			build 1				TNT now can be used to craft minecart with TNT.
							Primed TNT can now travel through nether portals.
v0.15.0			build 1				TNT can now be ignited when hit with an item that has the Fire Aspect enchantment.
v0.16.0			build 1				An explosion in creative now gives the player materials as it does in survival.
[hide]Pocket Edition
1.0.5			alpha 1.0.5.0				An explosion in creative no longer gives the player materials as it does in survival.
1.0.7							TNT no longer does damage to a player if the TNT is in water.
1.1.0			alpha 1.1.0.0				TNT now generates in woodland mansions.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.4.0			beta 1.2.14.2				TNT can now be found inside shipwreck supply chests and buried treasure chests.
			beta 1.2.20.2				TNT can now can be used to craft underwater TNT.
1.10.0			beta 1.10.0.3				The texture of TNT has been changed.
1.16.0			beta 1.16.100.51				TNT no longer activates when a redstone torch is placed directly on it.
1.19.70			Preview 1.19.70.23				TNT now drops when brushing suspicious sand in desert pyramids.
1.21.0			Preview 1.21.0.20				TNT explosions now have a 100% drop rate.
1.21.60			Preview 1.21.60.21				TNT no longer flashes with a solid white color when primed.
[hide]Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU1	CU1	1.00	1.00	1.00	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added TNT.
TU3							TNT can no longer be directly primed by the player, but only by redstone or any other mechanism that powers the TNT block, as well as by using flint and steel. Hitting the block destroys it simply and safely so it can be picked up.
TU5							The explosion sound of TNT has been changed.
TU14		1.04					TNT now makes a sound before exploding.
							TNT does variable damage depending on difficulty setting.
TU19	CU7	1.12	1.12	1.12			TNT is now used to craft TNT minecart.
							TNT is now primed when released from a dispenser.
TU54	CU44	1.52	1.52	1.52	Patch 24	1.0.4	TNT now generates in woodland mansions.
TU69		1.76	1.76	1.76	Patch 38		TNT can now be found inside shipwreck supply chests and buried treasure chests.
			1.90				The texture of TNT has been changed.
[hide]New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0							Added TNT.

Data history

[hide]Java Edition Beta
1.7							TNT can now be created (using map editors) with a data value of 1 to make it retain the old behavior of being primed when punched.
[hide]Java Edition
1.9			15w32c				TNT's maximum fuse time has been increased from 127 ticks into 32767 ticks.
1.11			16w32a				The entity ID has been changed from PrimedTnt to tnt.
1.13			17w47a				The explode block states for the tnt ID have been removed. As a result, the old punch to prime behavior of TNT is no longer available.
							Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeral ID was 46.
1.13.1			18w30a				Added the unstable block states for TNT, acting like the explode block states did.
[hide]Pocket Edition
1.1.0			alpha 1.1.0.0				The entity ID has been changed from primedtnt to tnt.
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.21.30			Preview 1.21.30.23				The different allow underwater bit block states for the tnt ID have been split up into their own IDs.

Issues

Issues relating to "TNT" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• "TNT" stands for Trinitrotoluene. The preferred IUPAC name, however, is 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene. The chemical formula is C₇H₅N₃O₆.
• The use of sand in the crafting recipe references dynamite, a different high explosive from TNT, consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with diatomaceous earth. The block's appearance as a bundle of red sticks is also typical of dynamite.
• It takes 19.75 blocks to fall for it to reduce the timer for one second.
• Although primed TNT normally gets caught in cobwebs, TNT propelled fast enough flies through them without slowing down at all.
• It is slightly smaller than a full block when activated, as with all entity versions of blocks (see shulker).
• In Pi Edition, TNT by default doesn't do anything, but when set to data value 1, it ignites when broken.
• The longest fuse time of TNT is 27 minutes and 18.35 seconds, or 32,767 ticks.
• The TNT fuse sound uses the same sound file as when a creeper is primed, but it is played at a higher pitch when the TNT is primed.
• As seen in the Mobestiary, Minecraft Dungeons, and several pieces of merchandise, creepers have TNT inside of them.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 

  Falling primed TNT, showing the effect of gravity.

• 

  TNT triggered by redstone signal.

• 

  A giant cube room of TNT.

In other media

• 

  Magnus juggling TNT blocks, in promotion of the Story Mode Skin Pack.

• 

  A hybrid between a creeper and TNT, used to represent add-ons.

• 

  Kai and Zuri on top of a large pile of TNT, from Minecraft x Marketplace Pass.

• 

  TNT as it appears in Minecraft Dungeons.

• 

  Super TNT, an enhanced version of TNT featured in Minecraft Story Mode.

• 

  Formidi-Bomb, another enhanced version of TNT featured in Minecraft Story Mode.

• 

  TNT as it appeared in Minecraft Earth.

• 

  An officially licensed box in the shape of TNT.

• 

  TNT as seen in A Minecraft Movie.

See also

• Creeper
• Tutorials/Traps#Explosive traps
• Tutorials/TNT cannons

External links

• Block of the Week: TNT – Minecraft.net on August 11, 2017