Air is an invisible block used to define empty space where any other blocks could otherwise exist.
Cave air[Java Edition only] is the underground air found in caves and some generated structures.
Void air[Java Edition only] 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,[1][2] and underground structures generate cave air. Void air is used in place of unloaded chunks and above or below the world's buildable area.[Java Edition only]
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[]
| 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 |
| Name | Identifier | Form | Item ID[i 1] | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | air | Block & Giveable Item[i 2] | Identical[i 3] | 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.[3] | |||
| 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:
| |||||
| However, air is not dropped by the following:
| |||||
| 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.[4] | |||||
| 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.[5] | ||||
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[]
- 13w38b: tile.air.name
Issues[]
Issues relating to "Air" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ MC-125112 — "Surface mineshafts in mesas use cave_air" — resolved as "Won't Fix".
- ↑ MC-128250 — "Surface water and lava ponds use cave_air" — resolved as "Won't Fix".
- ↑ "This snapshot may be very crashy because @_grum redefined the concept of "air". We're keeping an eye on the crash list though!" – @Dinnerbone (Nathan Adams) on X, September 20, 2013
- ↑ MC-108872 — resolved as "Works As Intended".
- ↑ MC-90635