Redstone Components in Minecraft: A Complete Guide

Over the years, Redstone has become one of the most daunting topics for all the players of Minecraft. But not anymore. We are here with a complete guide, explaining all the Redstone components, what they do, and how to make them in Minecraft. From crafting recipes to usage, we will go over all the Redstone elements in the game. But it’s a long road to explore, so let’s dive right in!

Redstone Components in Minecraft (2022)

To make it easier to understand, we will first explain what is Redstone and then cover all the mechanics of each Redstone component in a separate section.

What is Redstone in Minecraft?

Redstone in Minecraft refers to one of the most advanced mechanics of this sandbox game. Almost all the game’s moving elements and power components are directly or indirectly related to Redstone. Other than the block-based elements, this mechanic also includes a variety of items that can be used to power some of the best Minecraft farms.

Minecraft Redstone Items You Can Craft

By items, here we refer to all the Redstone components that you can’t place down in your Minecraft world. Instead, these items are crafted to be used by the players directly.

• Compass
• Clock
• Potions with Increased Duration
• Mundane Potion

Compass

The compass in Minecraft is a location detection item that points toward the world’s spawn point or an active lodestone. This point is the place where you spawn when the Minecraft seed loads instead of the player’s respawn point. Moreover, you can combine it with an echo shard to make a recovery compass that will point you towards the location where you last died.

Clock

Unlike real-world clocks, Minecraft’s clocks aren’t advanced. Instead of telling times in hours or minutes, they rely on the Minecraft tick to tell the general position of the sun and moon during the day. So, you can find out whether it is noon, sunrise, sunset, or midnight just by looking at the clock. This mechanic comes in rather handy while mining underground. Moreover, the clock only works in the overworld dimension of Minecraft.

Please note that the Redstone clocks, which are a form of circuits, are different from the clock item made using Redstone dust. You can use our dedicated guide to learn about them in-depth.

Potions with Increased Duration

Potions in Minecraft, with increased duration, are a by-product of Redstone. You can add Redstone to any potion to extend its duration. But it doesn’t change the potion’s effect or its usage.

Mundane Potion

If you use Redstone dust with a water bottle instead of an existing potion in the brewing stand, you will get a mundane potion. As the name reveals, the potion doesn’t have any effect on its own. Though, it is a simple and reliable way to have a decorative potion bottle or a fake one to scare other players.

Types of Redstone Blocks in Minecraft

Blocks are Redstone components in Minecraft that can be placed, connected, and used in circuits to make farms or other cool builds in the game. All of them either have Redstone components in their crafting recipe or can be used in Redstone machines. These include:

• Redstone Dust
• Block of Redstone
• Detector Rail
• Dispenser
• Dropper
• Note Block
• Observer
• Piston
• Sticky Piston
• Powered Rail
• Redstone Lamp
• Redstone Repeater
• Redstone Torch
• Target
• Redstone Comparator
• Activator Rail

Redstone Dust

As you might already know, Redstone machines and circuits are all about connecting components to a power source. And there’s no better way to connect circuits than a wire. That’s where the Redstone dust comes in. This block works like a wire in Minecraft and transports power from one place to other. Without any connected components, the Redstone dust is completely impractical.

Though, you can use Redstone dust as a crafting ingredient for a variety of other components. But to obtain the Redstone dust, you have to mine the Redstone ore, which spawns beneath the overworld. Not to forget, many players refer to Redstone dust as Redstone, which can be misleading at times. You shouldn’t make such an error once you are through with this guide.

Redstone Block

If you have plenty of Redstone dust, you can combine it using a crafting table to make a Redstone block. This block can work as a decorative block, a storage option to store Redstone dust, or a Redstone power source too. When placed in a circuit, the Redstone block can power any Redstone component to its maximum potential.

Detector Rail

Rails work like train tracks in Minecraft. You can place and drive minecarts on them. They are a reliable way to transport players and items. And a detector rail fits well in the item transportation part. It detects whether a container minecart is filled or not and then sends a Redstone signal depending on its level of fullness.

Dispenser

A dispenser is a special type of Redstone component. It uses and throws the items placed inside it. When activated, a dispenser can end up throwing a lit TNT, using a bucket, firing arrows, using spawn eggs, and more. Without the dispenser, farms like the Minecraft bee farm won’t even be possible. So learn how to make a dispenser in Minecraft using the linked guide.

Dropper

Similar to a dispenser, a dropper is another Redstone component block that can throw items. When activated, the dropper ejects items, and they drop as pickable Minecraft items. But unlike a dispenser, the items don’t get activated or used when thrown out of a dropper.

Note Block

A note block in Minecraft is a simple component block that can be activated by players as well as Redstone signals. Each time the note block is activated, it makes the sound of a single musical note.

This sound changes based on the block beneath the note block, which is a cool mechanic. Because of that, you can create a whole collection of unique sounds by pairing random blocks with note blocks. Also, if you are on Minecraft 1.19 update, the note block is essential to attract Allays and collect items easily.

Observer

An observer is an actionable Minecraft component block. It notices the changes in the block or fluid right in front and sends out a Redstone signal based on that. Even though it works differently on the Minecraft Bedrock and Java editions, it’s still one of the most powerful blocks on both. You can’t even imagine automating farms like the Minecraft sugar cane farm without an observer.

Piston

Most blocks don’t affect other blocks in-game but pistons in Minecraft are different in that aspect. They are a Redstone block that pushes mobs, players, and blocks that are right in front of it. Once their Redstone signal is removed, they pull their arm back, but the pushed entity stays in its new position.

Sticky Piston

The sticky piston in Minecraft is a variant of regular piston blocks. When activated, they also push the blocks, mobs, and players that are right in front of them. But unlike a regular piston, they stick themselves to the block that’s next to them. So, when the Redstone signal is withdrawn, they pull the pushed block back to its original position.

Powered Rail

The powered rail in Minecraft is another type of rail that acts as a Redstone component for minecarts. When activated, it gives a power boost to the minecart that passes over it. But while it is inactive, the powered rail acts as a break and immediately stops the minecart that moves over it. So, in a way, it’s the perfect rail block to control the movement of a minecart.

Redstone Lamp

Minecraft has a variety of light blocks within the game, ranging from froglight to beacon in Minecraft. But one that truly stands out amidst these is the Redstone lamp. It’s in the group of the brightest light blocks in the game but only gets activated by a Redstone signal. When powered, it is the perfect block to fit into your Minecraft house, especially if it’s underground.

Redstone Repeater

Usually, Redstone signals get transferred from one component to another and that’s it for the transmission. But Redstone repeaters take this equation to another level. You can use them to repeat, delay, and even lock Redstone signals while they’re being transmitted.

Redstone Torch

Similar to a regular torch, the Redstone torch primarily acts as a dim light source that can be manually turned on and off. But, when it’s next to a Redstone component, it acts as a reliable manual power source. You can place it on the side as well as on top of other blocks.

Target Block

The target blocks in Minecraft are an activator Redstone component. They send out a temporary Redstone signal every time they are hit with a projectile. Since most other Redstone components require you to be next to them for activation, the projectile makes it possible to activate circuits from a distance. In a way, you can also use it to send wireless Redstone signals.

Redstone Comparator

The Redstone comparator is another component block that can interact with Redstone signals. It can hold, compare, and subtract the strength of Redstone signals. Though, most players use this component for testing the state of specific blocks. Just like a detector rail, the comparator can also check the fullness of other blocks.

Activator Rail

On the surface, the activator rail appears to be similar to a powered rail. But instead of giving a power boost, the activator rail performs different “activation” actions with different types of minecarts. For example, if there is a mob in the cart, the activator rail ejects it out. But if it’s a hopper minecart, the activator rail locks it and prevents it from picking up any items.

Other Blocks That Send Redstone Signals

With that, we have covered all the components and blocks with Redstone in the crafting recipe. Now, let’s go over the components that can send out Redstone signals but aren’t made out of any Redstone element. These include:

• Sculk Sensor
• Daylight Detector
• Button and Lever
• Tripwire Hook
• Weighted Pressure Plates and Pressure Plates
• Trapped Chest

Sculk Sensor

The Sculk sensor belongs to the family of Sculk blocks introduced with the Minecraft 1.19 update. They only spawn in the Ancient cities of Minecraft and can’t be crafted. Sculk sensors have to be mined with a silk touch pickaxe for you to pick it up.

The Sculk sensor can detect any and all in-game vibrations that happen around it. Whenever the sensor detects a vibration, it sends out a Redstone signal. So, it also doubles down as a Redstone activator component in Minecraft.

Daylight Detector

The daylight detector depends upon light to send out Redstone signals. It is usually placed in an open area to detect the presence or absence of sunlight. But it can also detect other bright light sources. Depending upon its setting, the daylight detector can send out a Redstone signal whenever the condition of the light right above it changes.

Lever and Button

Even though they might look different, both buttons and levers act in the same way. They are manual triggers that can be used to turn any Redstone circuit or component on and off. You can place them on the side or on top of other solid blocks. They are also the easiest way to power a Redstone door in Minecraft.

Tripwire Hook

A tripwire hook is a unique Redstone activator component in Minecraft. It consists of a string attached to a hook. Whenever a mob, player, item, or other entity touches the string, it gets activated and sends a Redstone signal. The thing that is used in the tripwire hook is easy to see in most circumstances, making it the perfect element for hidden traps and circuits.

Weighted Pressure Plates and Pressure Plates

Pressure plates are Redstone components that trigger an action. They detect the weight of the entity that stands on them and sends out a Redstone signal. In Minecraft, other than the regular pressure plates, you also find weighted pressure plates that are used to measure the number of mobs on top. With the right setup, it can act as a reliable component in Minecraft mob farms.

Trapped Chest

Trapped chests work and appear in almost the same way as a regular chest. You can place these chests in different spots and even store items in them. But when the chest is opened, the items in it get activated by a Redstone signal. For example, a TNT placed in a trapped chest will be activated when you open it.

List of Blocks Triggered by Redstone

Similar to the blocks that send out Redstone signals without having a Redstone component in their recipe, we also have similar blocks that get triggered by Redstone signals. Some of them are:

• Door, Trapdoor, and Fence Gate
• Iron Doors and Trapdoors
• TNT
• Command Block

Door, Trapdoor, & Fence Gate

Wooden doors, trapdoors, and fence gates can be manually opened by the players, but they can also get triggered by Redstone signals in the game. You simply have to place them next to a Redstone component. Whenever that component receives a trigger, the attached door, fence gate, or trapdoor will open. Then, when the signal is removed, the door, fence gate, or trapdoor will get closed.

Iron Doors and Trapdoors

Iron doors and iron trapdoors can only be opened using Redstone signals. Players can’t open them manually with their hands. They are perfect to keep hostile mobs of Minecraft away from your base, as only players can operate Redstone components. Though, components like pressure plates and tripwire hooks can be triggered by other entities too.

TNT

TNT is an explosive Minecraft block that destroys blocks and damages entities around it when activated. Players can manually activate it using items like a fire charge. But, they can be activated by receiving a Redstone signal. Because there is no preference, even the smallest Redstone signal can trigger a TNT. Without this mechanic, the tree farm in Minecraft wouldn’t even be possible.

List of All Redstone Components in Minecraft

With that, you now know about all the Redstone components in Minecraft. Whether they are made out of Redstone or get triggered by it, you can use our guide to use them freely to fit your creative endeavors. And in case you are wondering about their use case, our list of best Minecraft farms can give you a variety of ideas. But if that isn’t enough, you can try out some of the best Minecraft maps. Having said that, which is the most interesting Redstone component, according to you? Tell us in the comments below!