How to create and use item frames in Minecraft (2024)

Did you finally collect the ender dragon egg in Minecraft or do you have too many rare items in your inventory? Well, in that case, you can keep it inside the ender chest, but you can’t show off your precious loot. It would be a waste not to let it out. It becomes even more important if you are trying to make a name for yourself with the best Minecraft survival servers. This is where item frames come into play. This simple yet efficient decorative block is the best solution for displaying your most amazing items. So let’s take off the curtains and learn how to create and use item frames in Minecraft.

First, we’ll explain the basics of item frames in Minecraft, and then we’ll give you a recipe for crafting them. Use the table below to easily navigate to the section you want.

What is item frame in Minecraft

Item frames are decorative items in Minecraft that allow you to display in-game items and blocks. It acts more or less like a picture frame for items and can be placed on the surface of other blocks. Interestingly, since item frames function like entities in Java Edition, the game treats them as movable items and even candidates for Minecraft vehicle commands.

On the other hand, in Bedrock edition it is considered a block entity and refers to a block with additional data attached to it. However, this difference does not affect gameplay unless you plan to use commands that involve item frames.

How to find item frames in Minecraft

Besides the crafting described below, there are two other ways to obtain item frames in Minecraft: looting and trading. So let’s first consider the alternatives.

plunder

Item frames only generate naturally in End Ships in The End dimension. That’s where your Minecraft elytra will be held and displayed. You can select both items by destroying the item frame. However, each endship only has one elytra, so you only get one item frame. This makes looting to collect item frames a rather unproductive option.

transaction

If your journey to the End doesn’t go as planned, you can also trade 7 Emeralds with the Cartographer Villager for an Item Frame. However, this trade will only be available if the villager reaches the “Expert” trading level. Although it may seem a little complicated, you can obtain emeralds fairly easily by trading with other villagers.

Check out our guide to Minecraft villager jobs to learn how. It’s only a matter of time before you get the right deal. This will make it easier to collect a large amount of item slots at once.

What you need to create an item frame

Looting and trading are viable methods, but we recommend sticking to crafting. Thanks to simple materials and ease of use. To create an item frame in Minecraft, you need to collect the following items:

• 8 sticks
• 1 leather
• craft table

Sticks are one of the easiest items to craft in Minecraft. Simply place two wooden planks vertically in your craft area and turn them into sticks. Additionally, each plank gives you two bars, so you only need four planks to get the bars you need for your item slot.

On the other hand, there are various ways to obtain leather in Minecraft. However, to obtain leather, we recommend killing Mooshrooms, Cows, Horses, Donkeys, Mules, Llamas, or Trader Llamas. Each of these Minecraft mobs has a fair chance of dropping up to 2 leathers upon death.

If you are visiting the Nether, you can also kill hoglins for leather, but they will only drop 0-1 leather. Don’t forget, you can also create a cow farm in Minecraft and collect tons of leather in no time.

Minecraft Item Frames: Crafting Recipes

Follow these steps to create an item frame in Minecraft.

1. First, open the worktable by right-clicking or using the secondary action key.

2. Next, place the leather in the center cell of the second row of the crafting area. This cell is also the center of the entire worktable.

3. Finally, fill the rest of the crafting area with sticks and your item frame is ready.

How to make a glowing item frame

Item frames are a great option for displaying in-game items, but they’re enough on their own. If your base is underground or you are presenting items at night, you may need to add additional light sources to properly highlight the frame. Fortunately, there is an alternative available in the form of glow item frames.

As the name suggests, this variation of the item frame has a built-in luminous feature that highlights the framed item even in low light or no light . However, the usability and appearance are not much different from normal item frames. That being said, here’s how to create a glowing item frame.

1. First, find and kill the Glow Squid to get the Glow Ink Sac .

2. Next, combine the existing item frame with the Glow Ink Sac on the worktable . There is no set placement for crafting recipes for glow item slots, so both items can be placed anywhere.

How to use item frames in Minecraft

Once you’ve created an item frame in Minecraft, the process of using it is simple. Now let’s figure out how to use item frames in Minecraft.

1. First, equip your hand with an item frame or glowing item frame.

2. Next, stand next to the solid block and right-click on the block’s surface or use the secondary action key. You can also place the frame on any side of the block, including the top and bottom.

3. Next, equip the item you want to display, aim at the item frame and use right-click or secondary action key. The item will become smaller and fit within the item frame.

4. Then, if necessary, right-click again or use the secondary action keys on the frame to rotate the item .

5. Finally, if you want the item back, just break the item on the frame . Similarly, if you destroy an item frame, it will be dropped along with the item.

This way, your best loot is ready to be displayed in Minecraft, whether it’s a Minecraft map of your entire base or just mob heads of various creatures in the game. But this isn’t the only decorative display in the game. You can also show off your armor collection by creating an armor stand in Minecraft. Now that you can customize your armor in Minecraft, displaying the best looking armor is a must for any good base. That being said, which items are you planning to introduce in the item frame? Let us know in the comments section below.