Torch

"Torches originally came to Minecraft after a suggestion from Syrion on the Tigsource forums. They were added in December 2009, and haven’t changed much since. The neatest trick with torches is that they can be used to quickly clear sand or gravel when you’re mining – when a falling sand or gravel block hits a torch, it'll pop off into a pick-uppable form, saving lots of shovelling time."

- Duncan Geere

Torches are non-solid blocks that emit light.

Natural generation
Torches can be found randomly generated among the supports in an abandoned mineshaft's corridors, various rooms in strongholds, as part of village lamp posts, in the basements of igloos, in woodland mansions, and in pillager outposts. Torches generate around bonus chests if each side has a block at the same height around it. In The End, torches generate as part of the exit portal, around the second pillar block from top. Whenever the Ender Dragon dies or respawns, these torches regenerate.

Obtaining
A torch breaks instantly and drops itself when broken using anything. Tools do not lose durability when used to break torches.

A torch also breaks if flowing water runs over its location, or if a piston pushes the torch or its attached block.

Usage


Torches can be placed on the top or the sides of most solid blocks, although some blocks require (see  for exceptions). Being non-solid, torches have no collision box. More information about placement can be found at Opacity/Placement.

Gravity-affected blocks like sand and gravel cannot fall if the space immediately beneath is occupied by a torch. These blocks break if they fall onto a torch.

Light
Torches give off a light level of 14. Torches also melt snow layers within 2 blocks and ice within 3 blocks (taxicab distance).

Placement
In general, torches can be placed only on solid, opaque, full blocks; exceptions are listed below.

More information can be found at Opacity/Placement.

ID
Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Block data
In Bedrock Edition, torches use the following data values:

Block states
Wall torch

Trivia
Notch originally planned for torches to become temporary light sources that would eventually burn out and require re-lighting with flint and steel. This feature was briefly reintroduced on the April Fools' hoax version 2.0, but the feature was not kept in later versions. This was originally planned to take effect on October 31, 2010 with the Halloween Update, in which all torches placed earlier would become lanterns due to the change of the data value, but it did not happen. The Lantern, however, was later introduced into the game in 1.14.

Publicity

 * www.thinkgeek.com released a real physical torch that could be purchased for $24.99, and was able to be placed on walls.