Particles

This article is a stub.

You can help by expanding it.

Particles are a graphical effect in Minecraft. Particles always seem to face the player and will usually disappear after a short period of time. They only appear from another entity such as fire. Particles collide with solid blocks and are slowed down by cobwebs, but are unaffected by other entities. Each particle texture is 8x8 pixels.

You can reduce the amount of particles visible in the Options menu. These options range from All to Minimal. All renders all particles, decreased renders half the amount of particles, minimal only renders block breaking particles. As of 14w04b, /particle can be used to spawn particles.

Types of Particles

In Minecraft's code one can find a variety of particles. To help coders or curious players, the types of particles and their coding names in the game's code are displayed below.

Particle names in italic will always be shown, even if the "Minimal" particle setting is used.

Particle name	Block/entity/event	Image
hugeexplosion	Explosion	File:Particle hugeexplosion.png
largeexplode	Small explosion	File:Particle largeexplode.png
fireworksSpark	Firework trail and explosion	File:Particle fireworksSpark.png
bubble	Water
suspended	—	—
depthsuspend	The void, water	File:Particle depthsuspend.png
townaura	Mycelium	File:Particle townaura.png
crit	Critical hits
magicCrit	Enchanted sword	File:Particle magicCrit.png
smoke	Torches, primed TNT, End portals
mobSpell	Potion effects	File:Particle mobSpell.png
mobSpellAmbient	Beacon effects	File:Particle mobSpellAmbient.png
spell	Splash potions	File:Particle spell.png
instantSpell	Instant health/damage splash potions	File:Particle instantSpell.png
witchMagic	Witches	File:Particle witchMagic.png
note	Note Blocks
portal	Nether portals, Endermen, ender pearls, eyes of ender, ender chests
enchantmenttable	Enchantment tables near bookshelves	File:Particle enchantmenttable.png
explode	Explosion
flame	Torches, furnaces, Magma Cubes, monster spawners
lava	Lava
footstep	—
splash	Water, rain, wolves
wake	Fishing	File:Particle wake.png
largesmoke	Fire, Minecart with Furnace, Blazes	File:Particle largesmoke.png
cloud	Dead mobs
reddust	Redstone, Redstone Torches	File:Particle reddust.png
snowballpoof	Snowballs, Eggs	File:Particle snowballpoof.png
dripWater	Water	File:Particle dripWater.png
dripLava	Lava	File:Particle dripLava.png
snowshovel	—	File:Particle snowshovel.png
slime	Slimes	File:Particle slime.png
heart	Breeding
angryVillager	Attacking a villager in a village	File:Particle angryVillager.png
happyVillager	Bone Meal, trading	File:Particle happyVillager.png
barrier	Barriers
blockcrack_(id)_(data)	Breaking blocks, sprinting, ocelots	File:Particle blockcrack.png
iconcrack_(id)_(data)	Eating, eyes of ender, breaking tools	File:Particle iconcrack.png

Command

If you would like to execute this command to make particles, make sure to use this command. Keep in mind that [count] and [player;entity] are optional. /particle <name> <x> <y> <z> <xd> <yd> <zd> <speed> [count] [player;entity]

Issues

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

Trivia

Most particle colors can be changed using resource packs, however the color of smoke particles used in redstone, portals, and Endermen can't be changed without mods.
The rain particles affect the rain sound.
Mobs spawned using a Monster Spawner emit smoke particles when spawning.
Particles are slowed when passing through a Cobweb.
Particles will appear where your face is pointing.
Bubble particles seem to only appear when they are in water.

Gallery

This is a picture of the render radius of particles. It seems to be round, but not entirely circular, as seen at the back.
An image of particles.png with the primary purposes of each particle texture explained.

References

Entities