TNT in Minecraft is one of the most destructive items in the game. One of the most common uses for TNT is in traps. Why not have some fun blowing your friends to bits with gunpowder-fueled high-explosive. Another great way to make use of the bomb is to clear away a bunch of land that you want to build on. The explosion clears out multiple blocks but does leave a bit of a mess, so be prepared for cleanup. If you’re planning to use it clear away a lot of terrain, perhaps consider using creative mode, as all the gunpowder you’ll need will add up fast.
How to make TNT
TNT is crafted using Gunpowder and Sand or Red Sand. To craft TNT, you must make an alternating grid inside of a crafting table. Think of the slots in the 9-cell grid numbered one to nine, starting with the top-left as 1; with the last slot on the bottom right being 9. The even-numbered slots must be filled with Sand or Red Sand, and the odd slots need Gunpowder. Once crafted, you can place the block down and it will stay there. Once you introduce an ignition source though, it goes boom!
How to Light TNT in Minecraft
There are several methods to make TNT explode. It used to just be possible in older versions to just click it with a flint and steel. Some Bedrock versions may still support this method. That changed when Redstone circuits started being developed. Players got more complex with their machinations, so Mojang changed things around. The preferred way to light a block of TNT is to use a Redstone signal, carried as part of a larger circuit. But that’s not the only way.
TNT can be activated by any of the following methods:
- Using a Flint and Steel or a Fire Charge.
- A powered Redstone current.
- Being shot with a Flame-enchanted arrow.
- Being shot with an arrow shot through lava or fire.
- Being in the blast radius or a nearby explosion.
- Being summoned, though it will detonate immediately.
- Being fired from a dispenser.
- Being lit by a flint and steel out of a dispenser.
One thing to keep in mind is that Redstone and TNT react a bit differently. Normally, the delay of the explosion for a block of TNT explodes 4 seconds after being ignited. Redstone signals introduce a longer delay. When using TNT in a Redstone circuit, it doubles the capacitance over a repeater. This can technically be used to “store” a Redstone signal, introducing a longer delay depending on how many repeaters are involved. You will need to account for this when building a circuit involving TNT. The complexity of circuits involving capacitor setups is far beyond the scope of this guide though, so keep looking if you’re after that kind of tutorial.
The method could be something as simple as a pressure plate over top of the TNT that’s been buried, if you want a basic trap. Or you could use levers and a complex path of redstone repeaters and other items to carry TNT detonations over a long distance.
