Barrier is an invisible block used to create solid boundaries.
Obtaining
Barriers can be obtained only using commands such as /give, /item on Java Edition, and /replaceitem on Bedrock Edition and cannot be broken in survival mode.
In Java Edition, barriers are available in the creative inventory when the "Operator Items Tab" is enabled in control settings.
Natural generation
In normal worlds, barriers don't generate naturally. They only generate in debug mode worlds, where barriers generate as the floor exclusively on Java Edition as the Debug mode world type is not on Bedrock Edition. However, due to a glitch, barrier blocks used to generate on Java Edition snapshot 20w16a in Treasure Room Bastion Remnants, specifically in Lava pools.
Usage
Barrier blocks are mainly used to build an impenetrable barrier that cannot be broken in standard survival mode play but can be placed in survival. For example, they can be used to protect a reserved area from entry by players, mobs, and other entities. Unlike other kinds of unbreakable blocks that could be used for this purpose (such as bedrock), barrier blocks are unobtrusive because they are invisible. Barrier blocks cannot be destroyed by TNT, creeper explosions, or any other explosions.
In the player's inventory, the block is displayed as a red box with a slash through it, but when placed it is completely invisible.
Barriers are transparent to light and do not block a beacon. Fences, iron bars, glass panes, and similar blocks do not visually connect with barriers. Barriers interact with blocks and mobs as a solid block. All dependent blocks can be placed on a barrier, such as torches or redstone, and it can suffocate mobs. Mobs cannot spawn on barriers. The red cross texture, however, is revealed as particle effects when falling or sprinting on them, regardless of what game mode the player is in.
In Creative mode, if a player is holding a barrier block in their hand, all placed barrier blocks display the barrier icon as a particle. This effect is client-side, and if a player holds a barrier block in survival, the particle does not appear. Barrier blocks are not shown if the particle setting is set to "minimal". Furthermore, they have a greater amount of blast resistance than any other unbreakable block.
Barrier blocks can be waterlogged by being placed into water source blocks on Bedrock Edition. See waterlogging for more details on what blocks can be waterlogged.
Barrier blocks are the most resistant blocks in Minecraft.
Piston interactivity
Barriers cannot be pushed by pistons. They also cannot be pushed nor pulled by sticky pistons.
Sounds
| Sound | Subtitles | Source | Description | Resource location | Translation key | Volume | Pitch | Attenuation distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block broken | Blocks | Once the block has broken | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block placed | Blocks | When the block is placed | block | subtitles | 1.0 | 0.8 | 16 | |
| Block breaking | Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | block | subtitles | 0.25 | 0.5 | 16 | |
| None[sound 1] | Entity-Dependent | Falling on the block with fall damage | block | None[sound 1] | 0.5 | 0.75 | 16 | |
| Footsteps | Entity-Dependent | Walking on the block | block | subtitles | 0.15 | 1.0 | 16 |
| Sound | Source | Description | Resource location | Volume | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blocks | Once the block has broken | dig | 1.0 | 0.8-1.0 | |
| Blocks | When the block is placed | dig | 1.0 | 0.8-1.0 | |
| Blocks | While the block is in the process of being broken | hit | 0.27 [sound 1] | 0.5 | |
| Players | Falling on the block with fall damage | fall | 0.4 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Walking on the block | step | 0.3 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Jumping from the block | jump | 0.12 | 1.0 | |
| Players | Falling on the block without fall damage | land | 0.22 | 1.0 |
- ↑ MCPE-169612 — Many blocks make very slightly different sounds to stone
Data values
ID
| Name | Identifier | Form | Block tags | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrier | barrier | Block & Item | dragon_immune wither_immune | block.minecraft.barrier |
| Name | Identifier | Numeric ID | Form | Item ID[i 1] | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrier | barrier | 416 | Block & Giveable Item[i 2] | Identical[i 3] | tile.barrier.name |
History
| Java Edition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | January 30, 2014 | Grum posted about an invisible block. | |||
| 14w05a |  Added barriers. | ||||
| 14w06a | Barriers now use block of redstone breaking particles instead of lava. | ||||
| A barrier particle effect has been added to the particle command. With this, the player can now see where there are barriers. | |||||
| 14w06b | Barriers are now visible when holding the item in creative mode. | ||||
| 14w20a | Withers and ender dragons can no longer break barriers. | ||||
| 14w25a |  The barrier no longer has an item model.
| ||||
 Barriers now display the missing texture as a particle when held. | |||||
| Barriers now also use the missing texture for usual block particles, for example when broken. | |||||
| 14w25b | The barrier has an item model again.[1] | ||||
| Barriers now display the expected texture as a particle when held.[1] | |||||
| 14w26a | Barriers now use the barrier item texture for particles, fixing the missing texture use.[2] | ||||
| release | Barriers can now be broken by withers, once again. | ||||
| 1.8.1 | pre3 | Withers no longer break barriers. | |||
| 1.13 | 17w47a | Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeral ID was 166. | |||
| 1.14 | 18w43a |  The texture of barriers has been changed. | |||
| 1.16 | 20w16a | Barrier blocks now generate naturally within Treasure room bastion remnants. | |||
| 20w17a | Barrier blocks no longer generate naturally within Treasure room bastion remnants. | ||||
| 1.17 | 21w20a |   Barriers are now revealed by save-mode structure blocks.[3] | |||
| 1.19.3 | 22w42a | Barriers no longer emit block particles when broken.[4] | |||
| 22w44a | Barriers are now available in the creative inventory, but only if cheats are enabled. | ||||
| 22w45a | Moved barriers behind the Operator Utilities tab in the creative inventory. The tab is only available if cheats are enabled and the "Operator Items Tab" option in the controls menu is turned on. | ||||
| 1.20.2 | 23w31a | Barriers can now be waterlogged by players in Creative mode. | |||
| Barriers can no longer produce particles when fallen onto[5] or brushed[6]. | |||||
| Bedrock Edition | |||||
| 1.6.0 | beta 1.6.0.1 | Added barriers. | |||
| 1.10.0 | beta 1.10.0.3 | The texture of barriers has been changed. | |||
| Legacy Console Edition | |||||
| TU31 | CU19 | 1.22 | Patch 3 | Added barriers. | |
| PlayStation 4 Edition | |||||
| 1.90 | The texture of barriers has been changed. | ||||
Issues
Issues relating to "Barrier" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
Trivia
- The symbol used is not compliant with ISO 3864-1, as the diagonal line is mirrored.[7]
- Invisible bedrock, a technical block in Bedrock Edition, shares many features with the barrier block.
- The barrier's vanilla block model defines only what texture to use for block breaking particles, and doesn't have a parent model or anything that would give the block a physical shape.
- Barriers are hardcoded to not render any block model.[8]
Gallery
-
Barriers support any block, and can transmit a redstone signal. -
A pig standing on a barrier. -
Barriers in debug mode. -
Dev image of barriers. -
Dev image of barriers.
