Sign

Sign

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (16)
Tool
Blast resistance	1
Hardness	1
Luminant	No
Transparent	Yes
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No

A sign is a non-solid block that can display text. A sign can also be used to block or redirect the flow of water or lava while still allowing entities to pass.

Obtaining

Natural generation

An oak sign can be found in igloo basements.

Spruce signs can be found in taiga village houses, as part of a chair.

Breaking

Signs can be broken with any tool, or without a tool, but an axe is fastest.

Block	Sign
Hardness	1
Tool
Breaking time
Default	1.5
Wooden	0.75
Stone	0.4
Iron	0.25
Diamond	0.2
Netherite	0.2
Golden	0.15

A sign also breaks and drops itself as an item if the block the sign is attached to is moved, removed, or destroyed.

If a sign is broken while being edited, the player continues to edit the sign, although in Bedrock Edition breaking the sign stops the editing operation.

Chest loot

Item	Structure	Container	Quantity	Chance
Bedrock Edition
Oak Sign	Village	Taiga house chest	1	10.7%

Item	Structure	Container	Quantity	Chance
Java Edition
Spruce Sign	Village	Taiga house chest	1	9.7%

Crafting

Ingredients	Crafting recipe
Matching Planks + Stick	33333333

Usage

Signs can be used to display text.

Placement

Comparison of the sign sizes.

Signs may be placed on the top or side of other blocks (including some non-solid blocks like fences, glass, and other signs). To place a sign, use a sign item while pointing at the block the sign should be attached to, enter the desired text (possibly none), and click the "Done" button or press "escape" on a keyboard (or press × in Bedrock Edition, on an Xbox controller, on a PlayStation controller, or B on a Nintendo Switch controller. Closing the virtual keyboard on a mobile device also exits the typing menu). To place a sign on a block that can be interacted with by the use control (for example, chests, note blocks, etc.), sneak while placing the sign.

Signs on the top of a block stand on a short post and face toward the player who placed it, in any of 16 different directions. Signs placed on the side of a block simply float there, even if the block doesn't make contact with the sign.

For more information about the blocks signs can be placed on, see Opacity/Placement.

Text

Placing a sign opens an editor interface resembling a magnified view of the sign. Up to four lines of text can then be entered using a keyboard (hardware or on-screen). The editor supports limited editing, including moving the cursor and inserting and deleting characters. Formatting codes can also be used to apply decorative effects such as color, bold, italic, and underline to various bits of the text. Depending on the edition and platform in use, copy and paste operations may be supported and the editor may also support keyboard entry of Alt-codes for displaying Unicode characters.

As text is entered in the editor, the sign is updated in-world and other players can watch the message develop. Closing the interface saves the text permanently, after which the message can only be changed by replacing the sign with a new one.

After placing and affixing text on a sign, a player can change the text color by using a dye on it. When colored with dye, the text color may differ from any color specified by formatting codes.^{[more information needed]}

A player can use a glow ink sac on a sign to make its text glow.‌^{[upcoming: BE 1.17 & JE 1.17]} The glowing text is not affected by lighting. The player can use a regular black ink sac on the sign to remove the glowing effect.

In creative mode, the combination Ctrl + pick block can be used to copy an already-placed sign, including its text (with decorations), into the player's inventory.

A dyed sign facing east or west will have its text appear more saturated and bright than a sign facing north or south. However, it is actually the sign that is dimmer, because Minecraft's lighting engine uses side lighting to make the world appear less flat, but the text on signs is not affected by this.^{[needs testing]}

in Bedrock Edition, inappropriate words or phrases in a sign's text are displayed as asterisks.

in Java Edition, signs can be created with JSON text, which allows complex formatting (colors, bold, italic, etc.), hover and click events, localized translation (for Minecraft technical terms, like "Redstone Repeater", otherwise translations must be provided in language files in resource packs), and the incorporation of scoreboard values into text. Use the /data merge block command to create or alter JSON signs.

Example: /data merge block ~ ~1 ~ {Text2:'{"text":"line2","color":"blue"}'}

Signs can post the success count of JSON text hover and click events to scoreboard objectives. The objectives to be used can be specified by running the /execute store command or by modifying the sign's NBT data directly with the /data merge block command.

Interaction

Signs act as though they have a use action, so the player is unable to place blocks or use items while the cursor is pointed at them without sneaking.

Signs are removed and drop as an item when pushed by a piston (trying to pull them does nothing), except in Java Edition, where a sign causes the piston to not extend.

Signs have no collision mask (they are completely non-solid), so items and mobs can move through sign blocks. Other blocks (including other signs) can be placed on any edge of a sign.

Water and lava flow around signs. Lava can create fire in air blocks next to signs as if the signs were flammable, but the signs do not burn (and cannot be burned by other methods either, except in Bedrock Edition).

Fuel

Signs can be used as a fuel in furnaces, smelting 1 item per sign.

Note Blocks

Signs can be placed under note blocks to produce "bass" sound.

Sounds

Generic

Java Edition:

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

Bedrock Edition:

Sound	Source	Description	Namespaced ID	Volume	Pitch
?	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.wood	1.0	0.8
?	Blocks	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.wood	0.4	1.0
?	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.wood	0.23	0.5
?	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.wood	0.12	1.0
?	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.wood	0.18	1.0
?	Blocks	Walking on the block	step.wood	0.3	1.0
?	Blocks	When the block is placed	use.wood	1.0	0.8

Unique

Sound	Subtitle	Source	Description	Namespaced ID	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Glow Ink Sac splotches	Blocks	Using glow ink sac on the block‌[upcoming: JE 1.17]	item.glow_ink_sac.use	subtitles.item.glow_ink_sac.use	?	?	?
	Ink Sac splotches	Blocks	Using ink sac on the block‌[upcoming: JE 1.17]	item.ink_sac.use	subtitles.item.ink_sac.use	?	?	?
	Dye stains	Blocks	Using dye on the block‌[upcoming: JE 1.17]	item.dye.use	subtitles.item.dye.use	?	?	?

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Namespaced ID	Block tags (JE)	Item tags (JE)	Form	Translation key
Oak Sign	oak_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.oak_sign
Spruce Sign	spruce_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.spruce_sign
Birch Sign	birch_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.birch_sign
Jungle Sign	jungle_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.jungle_sign
Acacia Sign	acacia_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.acacia_sign
Dark Oak Sign	dark_oak_sign	signs standing_signs wall_post_override	signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.dark_oak_sign
Crimson Sign	crimson_sign	non_flammable_wood signs standing_signs wall_post_override	non_flammable_wood signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.crimson_sign
Warped Sign	warped_sign	non_flammable_wood signs standing_signs wall_post_override	non_flammable_wood signs	Block & Item	block.minecraft.warped_sign
Oak Wall Sign	oak_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.oak_wall_sign
Spruce Wall Sign	spruce_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.spruce_wall_sign
Birch Wall Sign	birch_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.birch_wall_sign
Jungle Wall Sign	jungle_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.jungle_wall_sign
Acacia Wall Sign	acacia_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.acacia_wall_sign
Dark Oak Wall Sign	dark_oak_wall_sign	signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.dark_oak_wall_sign
Crimson Wall Sign	crimson_wall_sign	non_flammable_wood signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.crimson_wall_sign
Warped Wall Sign	warped_wall_sign	non_flammable_wood signs wall_signs	—	Block	block.minecraft.warped_wall_sign

Name	Namespaced ID
Block entity	sign

Bedrock Edition:

Sign	Namespaced ID	Numeric ID	Form	Translation key
Oak standing	standing_sign	63	Block	tile.standing_sign.name
Spruce standing	spruce_standing_sign	436	Block	tile.spruce_standing_sign.name
Birch standing	birch_standing_sign	441	Block	tile.birch_standing_sign.name
Jungle standing	jungle_standing_sign	443	Block	tile.jungle_standing_sign.name
Acacia standing	acacia_standing_sign	445	Block	tile.acacia_standing_sign.name
Dark Oak standing	darkoak_standing_sign	447	Block	tile.darkoak_standing_sign.name
Crimson standing	crimson_standing_sign	505	Block	tile.crimson_standing_sign.name
Warped standing	warped_standing_sign	506	Block	tile.warped_standing_sign.name
Oak wall	wall_sign	68	Block	tile.wall_sign.name
Spruce wall	spruce_wall_sign	537	Block	tile.spruce_wall_sign.name
Birch wall	birch_wall_sign	442	Block	tile.birch_wall_sign.name
Jungle wall	jungle_wall_sign	444	Block	tile.jungle_wall_sign.name
Acacia wall	acacia_wall_sign	446	Block	tile.acacia_wall_sign.name
Dark Oak wall	darkoak_wall_sign	448	Block	tile.darkoak_wall_sign.name
Crimson wall	crimson_wall_sign	507	Block	tile.crimson_wall_sign.name
Warped wall	warped_wall_sign	508	Block	tile.warped_wall_sign.name
Oak item	sign	323	Item	item.sign.name
Spruce item	spruce_sign	472	Item	item.spruce_sign.name
Birch item	birch_sign	473	Item	item.birch_sign.name
Jungle item	jungle_sign	474	Item	item.jungle_sign.name
Acacia item	acacia_sign	475	Item	item.acacia_sign.name
Dark Oak item	darkoak_sign	476	Item	item.darkoak_sign.name
Crimson item	crimson_sign	753	Item	item.crimson_sign.name
Warped item	warped_sign	754	Item	item.warped_sign.name

Name	Savegame ID
Block entity	Sign

Metadata

See also: Data values

In Bedrock Edition, a sign's block data specifies the direction it is facing.

Standing

Bits	Description
0x1 0x2 0x4 0x8	A four-bit field storing a value from 0 to 15 specifying the block's orientation: 0: south 1: south-southwest 2: southwest 3: west-southwest 4: west 5: west-northwest 6: northwest 7: north-northwest 8: north 9: north-northeast 10: northeast 11: east-northeast 12: east 13: east-southeast 14: southeast 15: south-southeast

Wall

Bits	Description
0x1 0x2 0x4	A three-bit field storing a value from 2 to 5 specifying the block's orientation: 2: north 3: south 4: west 5: east
0x8	(unused)

Block states

See also: Block states

Java Edition:
Floor

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
rotation	0	0	The block is facing south.
		1	The block is facing south-southwest.
		2	The block is facing southwest.
		3	The block is facing west-southwest.
		4	The block is facing west.
		5	The block is facing west-northwest.
		6	The block is facing northwest.
		7	The block is facing north-northwest.
		8	The block is facing north.
		9	The block is facing north-northeast.
		10	The block is facing northeast.
		11	The block is facing east-northeast.
		12	The block is facing east.
		13	The block is facing east-southeast.
		14	The block is facing southeast.
		15	The block is facing south-southeast.
lit‌[upcoming: JE 1.17]	false	false true	Whether or not this sign has glowing text.
waterlogged	false	false true	Whether or not there's water in the same place as this sign.

Wall

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
facing	north	east north south west	The direction the block is facing. For example, a block facing east is attached to a block to its west. Opposite from the direction a player faces when placing the block.
lit‌[upcoming: JE 1.17]	false	false true	Whether or not this sign has glowing text.
waterlogged	false	false true	Whether or not there's water in the same place as this sign.

Bedrock Edition:
Floor

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
ground_sign_direction	0	0	The block is facing south.
		1	The block is facing south-southwest.
		2	The block is facing southwest.
		3	The block is facing west-southwest.
		4	The block is facing west.
		5	The block is facing west-northwest.
		6	The block is facing northwest.
		7	The block is facing north-northwest.
		8	The block is facing north.
		9	The block is facing north-northeast.
		10	The block is facing northeast.
		11	The block is facing east-northeast.
		12	The block is facing east.
		13	The block is facing east-southeast.
		14	The block is facing southeast.
		15	The block is facing south-southeast.

Wall

Name	Default value	Allowed values	Description
facing_direction	2	0 1 2 3 4 5	The direction the block is facing. For example, a block facing east is attached to a block to its west. Opposite from the direction a player faces when placing the block.

Block data

See also: Block entity format

A sign has a block entity associated with it that holds additional data about the block.

• Block entity data
  • Tags common to all block entities
  •  Color: The color that has been used to dye the sign. The default value is "black". One of "white", "orange", "magenta", "light_blue", "yellow", "lime", "pink", "gray", "light_gray", "cyan", "purple", "blue", "brown", "green", "red", or "black".
  •  Text1: First row of text.
  •  Text2: Second row of text.
  •  Text3: Third row of text.
  •  Text4: Fourth row of text.

The character limit for the Text tags depends on the width of the characters. Although the Text tags are string objects, they should contain JSON text which are evaluated as compound objects.

Achievements

Icon		Achievement	In-game description	Actual requirements (if different)	Gamerscore earned	Trophy type (PS)
		It's a Sign!	Craft and place an Oak Sign.	—	15G	Bronze

History

Java Edition Classic
0.24_SURVIVAL_TEST					Signs are currently being tested as entities. They always display "This is a test of the signs. Each line can be 15 chars!" and can only be spawned by pressing B.
0.27 SURVIVAL TEST					Signs can no longer be spawned by pressing B.
Java Edition Infdev
Minecraft Infdev		20100607			Signs have been re-implemented as blocks, although still rendering as entities.
					Signs now have a crafting recipe and the text can now be edited. Editing a sign pauses the game in singleplayer.
					Signs are currently huge and drop planks when destroyed.
		20100608			Signs are now broken faster.
					Signs now drop themselves when destroyed, instead of planks.
Java Edition Alpha
v1.0.1					Signs are now smaller.
					Signs can now be placed on walls.
v1.0.5					Signs no longer require a free block above it to place.
Java Edition Beta
April 27, 2011					Hand-drawn signs are mentioned.
Java Edition
1.0.0		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 6			Signs are now broken faster using an axe.
1.3.1		12w18a			Editing a sign no longer pauses the game in singleplayer.
		12w27a			Signs are now stackable up to 16.
					The same crafting recipe now produces 3 signs instead of 1.
June 9, 2014					Searge tweeted a picture of a sign showing a username and a scoreboard score.
1.8		14w25a			Added support for JSON text to signs.
					Sign character limit now depends on character width.
		14w29a			Signs now display the cracking animation.
1.9		15w43a			A sign now generates within igloo basements.
1.11		16w33a			Signs can now be used as fuel in furnaces.
1.13		17w47a			The standing sign ID has been changed from standing_sign to sign.
					Prior to The Flattening, these blocks' numeral IDs were 63 and 68, and the item's 323.
		18w10d			Water can now be placed on the same block as signs.
1.14		18w43a			"Sign" has been renamed to "Oak Sign".
					The texture of oak sign items has been changed.
					Added spruce, birch, acacia, jungle and dark oak signs.
					The sign's text has been changed from black to white.
					A sign's recipe now requires the same type of wood instead of a random assortment.
		18w44a			Signs can now be used while holding a dye to change the text color.
					Default text color for signs has been changed back to black.
		18w45a			A new movable cursor for free text editing to signs has been added.
					Selection and copy/paste support have been added to signs.
		19w12a			Signs can now be dyed only in Creative mode.
		19w12b			Signs can now be dyed in Survival mode again.
1.16		20w06a			Added crimson and warped signs.
		20w09a			Crimson and warped signs can now be crafted.
Upcoming Java Edition
1.17		21w03a			Signs can now be tinted with Glow Ink Sacs to make the text glow.
					Works with both default and dyed signs
		21w11a			The textures of signs have been changed to reflect the changes made to planks in the Texture Update.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.5.0					Signs have been added, though they can be obtained only through inventory editors.
					The player currently cannot write on signs.
v0.6.0					Signs can now be legitimately obtained in survival and creative mode.
					The player can now write on signs.
v0.10.0		build 1			Signs now have a selection overlay.
Pocket Edition
1.0.0		alpha 0.17.0.1			Signs can now be found in igloo basements.
Bedrock Edition
1.9.0		beta 1.9.0.0			"Sign" has been renamed to "Oak Sign".
					Added spruce, birch, acacia, jungle and dark oak signs.
					The sign's text has been changed from black to white.
					A sign's recipe now requires the same type of wood instead of a random assortment.
		beta 1.9.0.2			The default sign text color has been changed back to black.
					Sign variants are now grouped in their own inventory category.
1.10.0		beta 1.10.0.3			The texture of oak sign items has been changed.
					Spruce signs now generate in new taiga and snowy taiga village houses.
1.11.0		beta 1.11.0.1			Signs can now be used as a fuel in furnaces.
					Oak signs can now be found inside taiga and snowy taiga village house chests.
1.16.0		beta 1.16.0.51			Added crimson and warped signs.
					The texture of all signs except oak sign have been changed.
1.16.20		beta 1.16.20.50			Crimson and warped signs now uses regular plank sounds instead of their stem variant sounds.
1.16.210		beta 1.16.210.59			Signs can now be used while holding a dye to change the text color.
					Signs can now be tinted with glow ink sacs to make the text glow.
					Works with both default and dyed signs.
		beta 1.16.210.60			Color on dyed signs disappears and the text turns back to black.
					Signs with applied glowing effect as well as color stops glowing and color is removed.
1.16.220		beta 1.16.220.50			Signs can now be used while holding a dye to change the text color again.
					Signs can now be tinted with glow ink sacs to make the text glow again.
		beta 1.16.220.52			Now has sounds for being dyed.
		release			A glowing effect can no longer be applied to signs due to glow ink sacs becoming inaccessible in the full release.
Legacy Console Edition
TU1	CU1	1.0	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added signs.
TU9					Signs are now stackable up to 16.
					The same crafting recipe for signs now produces 3 signs instead of 1.
		1.88			The texture of oak sign items has been changed.
					Added spruce, birch, acacia, jungle and dark oak signs.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added signs.

• 

  Test of signs in early Classic.

• 

  Another early sign image.

• 

  First image of sign blocks during Alpha.

• 

  First image of signs on Pocket Edition.

• 

  First image of editing text on PE iOS.

• 

  First image of editing text on PE Android.

• 

Sign "items"

Main article: Direct item forms of blocks

Java Edition Infdev
Minecraft Infdev		20100607			Signs have an extra, unobtainable item form corresponding to its block ID, however loading a world with one appears to crash the game. It can be obtained via inventory editors with numeric item ID 63.
					Wall signs have an extra, unobtainable item form corresponding to its block ID, however loading a world with one appears to crash the game. It can be obtained via inventory editors with numeric item ID 68.
?					Sign and wall sign items no longer crash the game, allowing them to be viewed. They can be seen to use the oak planks texture.
Java Edition Beta
?					Both items are now called "Sign" in the inventory.
1.6		Test Build 3			Sign items can be obtained from the newly added debug chests, mainly from the 5th slot of the 3rd chest from the left, and the 16th slot of the 6th chest from the left.
					Wall sign items can be obtained from the newly added debug chests, mainly from the 10th slot of the 3rd chest from the left, and the 21st slot of the 6th chest from the left.
		release			Debug chests no longer spawn, preventing sign and wall sign items from being obtained this way.
Java Edition
1.0.0		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 5			The texture of oak planks used by sign and wall sign blocks in the item form has been changed.
1.3.1		12w16a			Sign and wall sign items can now be obtained in singleplayer worlds via the /give command using the respective numeric IDs.
1.7.2		13w37a			The direct item forms of signs and wall signs have been removed from the game. They can no longer exist as items in any way, only as placed blocks.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.5.0					Standing signs exist as an item and can be obtained through inventory editors.
					Standing sign items are called "Sign".
					The standing sign item, when placed, will always place the sign facing south, regardless of the player's facing direction.
?					Wall signs exist as an item.
Unknown
?					The wall sign item's name is "tile.wall_sign.name".
?					When placed, wall signs would place a wall sign block which was visually attached east and had a full block hitbox.
Bedrock Edition
?					Birch, spruce, jungle, acacia and dark oak wall signs exist as an item.
?					The items are called "tile.birch_wall_sign.name", "tile.spruce_wall_sign.name", "tile.jungle_wall_sign.name", tile".acacia_wall_sign.name" and "tile.darkoak_wall_sign.name".
?					The wall sign items use these textures respectively for items.

Trivia

• Although signs are not Entities, they still cast a shadow.

Gallery

• 

  Oak sign with Glow Ink in the dark.

• 

  Difference in visibility of a lime text, from left to right, in a lit birch sign, unlit birch sign, lit dark oak sign, and unlit dark oak sign.

• 

  The comparison between glow text and non-glow text.

• 

  Signs being different shades depending on orientation

Issues

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

References

Blocks

View at: Template:Blocks/content [edit]

Items

View at: Template:Items/content [edit]