Item Frame

From Minecraft Wiki

An item frame is an object used for displaying things for decorative purposes.

Natural generation[edit | edit source]

A single item frame generates inside end ships in treasure room, along with a shulker that guards it. The item frame holds an elytra.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Item frames can be placed on walls in a similar manner to Paintings. When item frames are placed, they appear as a brown square with a beige outline. Once an item frame has been hung on a surface, a player can place an item into the frame and then click on the item to rotate it within the frame, allowing for a wide variety of display options. Most blocks placed inside an item frame will be displayed three-dimensionally, instead of flat. For example, a wooden block would protrude slightly from the frame.

In Survival, a placed item frame can be removed by hitting it. The frame and any item that was in the frame will drop as an item, to be retrieved and used again by a player. Similar to paintings, an item frame can be shot with an arrow from a bow, causing it to fall off the wall.

File:ItemFrameMapNew.png
When a map is incomplete, the item frame gets larger.

When a map is put in an item frame, it will make the map a block in size, which will hide the item frame. This allows the player to hang maps on the walls. If clicked on, the map will rotate 90° instead of 45°, the latter is the normal item or block rotation amount. If the map is incompleted, the undiscovered area displayed as transparent, thus make the frame behind visible.

Uses[edit | edit source]

An item frame can serve many purposes, including:

  • Decoration
  • Emitting a Redstone signal
  • Displaying one or more maps on a wall
  • As of 1.13, item frames can be placed on the floor and ceiling of buildings. This allows players to put them on a "table" and make a big map, like the ones in woodland mansions but more detailed.

Using Pick block on an item frame with item pick the item instead of the frame. Because item frames are entities[Java Edition only], multiple frames can occupy the same block without having to detact the others.

To put something in the frame, one must first have the item of their choice in their hand. Then one must right-click the frame while holding the desired item. Any right-clicks on the "framed" item will rotate it by 45o. When an item is inside an item frame, a Redstone Comparator can emit a Redstone signal based on the item's rotation: 1 for no rotation, 2 for one rotation, and so on, with a maximum of 8. The item frame will display the item a player was holding, even if the item is in another frame. Item frames are most commonly used in Minecraft shops or houses on servers.

Many players like to make "grandfather clocks" by stacking two Gold Blocks on top of each other, then attaching an Item Frame on one side, and finally placing a clock inside the Item Frame. Players who want to save their Gold can alternatively just create a "wall clock" instead. Some players create "castles" in Creative, and then they make halls full of item frames with powerful weapons in the frames. This mimics what was often done in the Middle Ages by rich soldiers, to preserve their weapons. Additionally, players can make backsides of chairs out of them.

Crafting[edit | edit source]

Item Frame
Stick Stick Stick
Stick Leather Stick
Stick Stick Stick


Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • Item frames were released for Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition on Thursday, April 4, 2013.
  • The icon of an item frame looks like it has a miniature iron sword or feather inside the frame. 
  • Item frames used to despawn when the player is 20 blocks away from it and the item in it goes away as well.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

File:ItemFrameNew.png
Click for full Item Frame gallery.