Light Block

This article is about the invisible light-producing block. For light producing blocks in general, see Light § Light level.

Light Block

Renewable	No
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool	None
Blast resistance	Yes
Hardness	Yes
Luminant	See § Usage
Transparent	Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No

Light blocks (in Bedrock Edition) or lights (in Java Edition) are invisible blocks, primarily intended for map makers, that can produce any light level from 0 to 15. The light block is also the only light-emitting block capable of producing light level 8.

Obtaining

Light blocks cannot be mined or targeted, similar to air. Light blocks with a light level of 0 are generally functionally identical to air. They do not attach to any block, meaning that breaking an adjacent block does not remove the light block. However, they can be broken by replacing them with another block. The exception is water (including, in Bedrock Edition, flowing water), which can occupy the same space as a light block. See Waterlogging for more information.

Light blocks are not in the player's Creative inventory. They can be obtained using commands such as /give. In Bedrock Edition, specifying the data value from 0 to 15 determines the block's light level; if the data value is not specified, the light block emits a light level of 0. The command is: /give <target> light_block [amount: int] [data: int (0 - 15)] [components: json]. In Java Edition, using /give <target> minecraft:light{BlockStateTag: {level:"<int>"}} can give a light block with a specific light level and corresponding model. If the level is below 0, the non-bulb texture is used, and above 15 the level 15 texture. If the block state is not specified or not between 0 and 15, the light block emits a light level of 15.

Usage

A Light block with a light level of 9.

A light block is intended for use in adventure maps.

Each light block (as a block or as an item) has an associated light level, which can be anything from 0 to 15. In the player's inventory, light blocks display their light level in the top-left corner and appear "brighter" at higher light levels.

In Bedrock Edition, light blocks appear to be slippery, much like ice. This can be seen by walking over the top of one with the help of another block.

Light blocks have a hitbox only when a light block is selected in the main hand; the particle appears only when selected in the main hand, and in creative mode.

When pressing use on a light block while a light block is held in the main hand, the light level of the light block increases by one, if the light level is already 15, it resets to 0.

Light blocks are detected by observers and can be waterlogged. It can be pushed and pulled by pistons.‌^{[Bedrock Edition only]}

Light source

Light blocks produce their associated light level.

Sounds

Java Edition:

Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.stone.break	subtitles.block.generic.break	1.0	0.8	16
	None	Blocks	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.stone.fall	None	0.5	0.75	16
	Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.stone.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit	0.25	0.5	16
	Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.stone.place	subtitles.block.generic.place	1.0	0.8	16
	Footsteps	Blocks	Walking on the block	block.stone.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.stone	1.0	0.8
	Blocks	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.stone	0.4	1.0
	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.stone	0.37	0.5
?	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.stone	0.12	1.0
?	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.stone	0.22	1.0
	Blocks	Walking on the block	step.stone	0.3	1.0
	Blocks	When the block is placed	use.stone	1.0	0.8

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Resource location	Form	Translation key
Light	light	Block & Item	block.minecraft.light

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Resource location	Numeric ID	Form	Translation key
Block	light_block	470	Block	tile.light_block.name

Metadata

See also: Data values

Each light block has a data value from 0 to 15, which determines its light level.

Block states

See also: Block states

Java Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
waterlogged	false	true false	Whether or not there's water in the same place as this light block.
level	15	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15	The amount of light this block outputs.

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
block_light_level	0	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15	The amount of light this block outputs.

History

Java Edition
1.17		21w13a			Added lights, with the same textures as in Bedrock Edition. However, due to a bug, they were rendered opaque in-game instead of transparent as in Bedrock Edition.
					Unlike in Bedrock Edition, while a player is holding the item, a particle is displayed similar to a barrier.
		21w18a			Textures of lights have been changed.
		21w20a			Lights are now revealed by save-mode structure blocks.
					The textures of lights have been changed once again.
1.18		21w42a			The respective item texture of lights is now used as the particle instead of four yellow stars, matching Bedrock Edition. However the texture for the four stars still exists.
Bedrock Edition
1.13.0		beta 1.13.0.4			Added textures for Light Blocks.
		beta 1.13.0.9			Added Light Blocks.
1.17.30		beta 1.17.20.22			Light Blocks now reveal a particle when the player is holding the item. Unlike in Java Edition, the respective item texture is used as the particle instead of four yellow stars.
		beta 1.17.30.20			Right-clicking a light block with another now changes its light level by 1.
					Left-clicking a Light Block while holding a light block now removes it.
1.18.0		beta 1.18.0.22			Light blocks are now invulnerable to explosions.

Issues

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

Trivia

• In Java Edition, light blocks were the only item to have a high-definition texture (32×32 instead of 16×16) until they were given new textures in 21w18a.