Air

See also: Void

"Space" redirects here. For the keybind control, see jumping.

This article is about the normal block. For the NBT tag, see Entity format § Entity Format. For the April Fools joke, see Air (April Fools' joke). For the contraption that stops water flow, see Airlocks.

Air
Stackable	No
Tool	None
Blast resistance	0
Hardness	0
Luminous	No
Transparent	Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No

Air is an invisible block used to define empty space where any other blocks could otherwise exist.

Cave air‌ is the underground air found in caves and some generated structures.

tile.air.name‌ was a placeholder for undefined items, blocks, food, and many more. It only existed in version 13w38b, as there was code in the game's files that is empty.

Void air‌ is used internally for blocks above (Y>319) and below (Y<-64) the world, and in unloaded chunks.

Obtaining

In Bedrock Edition, air cannot be obtained in the inventory without editing. In Java Edition, the block is completely unobtainable. Air can be destroyed or created only by the placement or removal of other blocks respectively.

Upon world generation, all otherwise empty spaces are occupied by air. In Java Edition, badlands mineshafts and lava lakes generate cave air, and underground structures generate cave air. Void air is used in place of unloaded chunks and above or below the world's buildable area.‌

Usage

Air, shown at left, is represented by blue cubes within structures. Cave air and void air are also shown as such.

Air shares some properties with non-solid blocks, including allowing the player or mob to move within that space without suffocating, and also to catch their breath if they are drowning in water.

Air can be visualized with the use of structure blocks in save mode. With "Show invisible blocks" enabled, the air is represented as small blue cubes. All air types are displayed identically as blue cubes.

Cave air and void air have no special properties; they function the same as normal air.

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Block	Identifier	Form	Translation key
Air	air	Block & Item	block.minecraft.air
Cave Air	cave_air	Block	block.minecraft.cave_air
Void Air	void_air	Block	block.minecraft.void_air

Fluid	Identifier
Empty	empty

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Item ID	Translation key
Air	air	Block & Giveable Item	Identical	tile.air.name

History

Java Edition pre-Classic
Cave game tech test					Added air, which is any space devoid of blocks.
Java Edition Indev
0.31		?			Air now affects liquid blocks that are horizontally adjacent to it. If air is touching the fluid block, there is a 2⁄3 chance for the fluid block to disappear and make the pool recede, and a 1⁄3 chance for the fluid block to fill the air, making the pool spread.
Java Edition
1.9		16w02a			Air is now translatable into other languages.
1.10		16w20a			Air can now be visualized with the use of structure blocks.
1.13		18w06a			Two new variations of air have been added: cave air and void air.
					Caves now generate cave air instead of normal air.
					Void air is now internally used at Y values less than 0 or greater than 255 and in unloaded chunks.
1.15		19w39a			Outlines of Air shown by "show invisible blocks" by a Structure Block no longer have black outlines.
1.18		21w37a			Void air is now internally used at Y values less than -64 or greater than 319 and in unloaded chunks.
Pocket Edition Pre-release
Pre-release					Added air.
Legacy Console Edition
TU1	CU1	1.00	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added air.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added air.

Data history

Java Edition pre-Classic
Cave game tech test					Air currently isn't internally a block.
Java Edition
1.7.2		13w38b			Air is now internally a block.
1.13		17w47a			Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeric ID was 0.

Air "item"

The following content is transcluded from Technical blocks/Air.

Java Edition
1.7.2		13w38b			Air now has an item form corresponding to its block ID, which can be obtained via the /give command or inventory editors with numeric item ID 0. It is not intended to be obtained in conventional gameplay.
					It is also dropped in quantities of 0-2 by entities with no actually defined item drops: Slimes above size 1 Adult villagers The ender dragon Bats Silverfish Giants
					However, air is not dropped by the following: Players Magma cubes of size 1 Wolves Ocelots Baby animals
					Air blocks cannot be placed in spaces which are themselves air. However, they can be placed in blocks such as water and grass, as well as probably any other replaceable block.
		13w38c			The direct item form of air has been removed from the game. It can once again no longer exist as an item in any way, only as a placed block.
					It is still, however, suggested with the /give command.
1.9		15w42a			Breaking frosted ice with a Silk Touch tool would create an invisible air item entity. This cannot be picked up by the player directly, but could by hoppers; if interacting with such a hopper an instant crash will occur.
		15w45a			Frosted ice will no longer drop air.

Appearances

Java Edition
1.7.2		13w38b			The air item uses this texture in inventories, as a dropped item or when in an item frame.
					The air item is completely invisible when held in first or third person view.
					If anisotropic filtering is set to a nonzero value, the missing texture is a 4x4 checkerboard, resulting in this item's appearance changing.

Names

Java Edition

• 13w38b: tile.air.name

Issues

Issues relating to "Air" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia

• If a trade's result is Air (possible through Command), you cannot buy it nor consume the Emeralds.

See also

• Technical blocks