Guide on Crafting and Utilizing Shelves in Minecraft

Mojang has introduced an innovative storage solution in Minecraft—shelves—offering players a new approach to organize and showcase their items. This feature allows players to store multiple items simultaneously, potentially overshadowing traditional item frames. Additionally, these new shelves can interact with Redstone signals, enabling players to automate their storage systems effectively. Here’s a comprehensive guide on crafting and utilizing shelves in Minecraft.

Necessary Materials for Crafting a Shelf

The shelf feature is currently in its experimental phase and is accessible in Minecraft Preview build 1.21.110.20 and later. To craft a shelf, you will need:

Six matching Stripped Logs (from any wood type)

To create stripped logs, equip an axe, approach any tree, and right-click on the trunk. This action will convert logs into stripped logs. Repeat the process for each block, and to collect your stripped log blocks, press the left mouse button. Make sure to gather the stripped logs of the wood type you desire. Additionally, you will need a crafting table to proceed with making the shelf.

Crafting a Shelf in Minecraft

Crafting a shelf is simple and can be accomplished by following these steps:

Place your crafting table on the ground and right-click to access the user interface.
Fill the first and third rows with three stripped logs of the same type.
Once completed, you’ll see six shelves appear on the right side of the UI, which you can then drag into your inventory.

Minecraft Shelf Crafting Recipe — Image Credit: Minecraft/Mojang

Utilizing Shelves in Minecraft

With the launch of the Minecraft Preview 1.21.110.20, players can utilize shelves in two distinct ways: through manual item swapping or automated processes powered by Redstone. Let’s explore both options.

1. Manual Item Swapping

To use shelves manually, simply mount them on the walls of your base. If an item is held in your hand, right-clicking on the shelf will swap it with the item in the designated cell where you clicked. If you click on an empty cell, the item you’re holding will be stored in that space. Repeat this action to fill all available cells in the shelf. You can also swap a full stack of items from your hand into the cell you target.

Minecraft Shelf Not Powered with Redstone — Image Credit: Minecraft/Mojang

2. Activating Shelves with Redstone

The second method involves using a Redstone signal to activate the shelves. You can achieve this by placing a lever on adjacent blocks or combining Redstone powder and a Redstone torch. Once powered, the shelves will no longer display individual cells.

For maximum efficiency, placing two powered shelves next to each other allows them to operate in conjunction, and up to three shelves can be activated together using levers.

Minecraft Shelf Powered with Redstone Swapping

With the system in place, right-click on any activated shelf to exchange the rightmost items in your hotbar with those stored in the shelf. The number of items swapped is as follows: