/give

Gives one or more items to one or more players. The item can include NBT data via component syntax.

Overview

Gives one or more items to one or more players. The item can include NBT data via component syntax. In vanilla Minecraft Java Edition it is one of the player commands, first added in Alpha v1.0.15.

It is invoked as /give <targets> <item> [<count>] and accepts 2 required arguments (<targets> and <item>) and one optional argument ([count]).

In 1.20.5+ the NBT tag syntax was replaced with component syntax using square brackets. Items exceeding the max stack size are distributed across multiple inventory slots.

The ceiling is 100 stacks' worth per command: 6400 of an item that stacks to 64, 1600 ender pearls or 100 swords. Requesting more fails outright rather than capping.

Components such as enchantments, custom_name, lore and damage are written in square brackets directly after the item id, e.g. diamond_pickaxe[damage=100].

Syntax & Arguments

/give <targets> <item> [<count>]

The full syntax is /give <targets> <item> [<count>]. Angle brackets < > mark required arguments and square brackets [ ] mark optional ones; a vertical bar | between words means you pick exactly one of those literals. You must always supply <targets> and <item>. The argument [count] may be omitted, in which case the documented default applies.

targets: Required, of type an entity. The player(s) to give the item to. Must resolve to players.
item: Required, of type an item_stack. The item to give. Supports item IDs and component syntax (e.g. diamond_sword[damage=10]).
count: Optional, of type an integer. The number of items to give. Defaults to 1. One command gives at most 100 stacks' worth, so 6400 of an item that stacks to 64 but only 100 swords. Amounts over a single stack are split across multiple stacks.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
targets	entity	Required	The player(s) to give the item to. Must resolve to players.
item	item_stack	Required	The item to give. Supports item IDs and component syntax (e.g. diamond_sword[damage=10]).
count	integer	Optional	The number of items to give. Defaults to 1. One command gives at most 100 stacks' worth, so 6400 of an item that stacks to 64 but only 100 swords. Amounts over a single stack are split across multiple stacks.

Examples

The 3 examples below are ready to copy and adapt. For instance, /give @p diamond 64 gives the nearest player a full stack of 64 diamonds. Each example varies the arguments to show a different real use of /give; read the note under every snippet to see exactly what changes.

/give @p diamond 64

Gives the nearest player a full stack of 64 diamonds.

/give @a minecraft:written_book[written_book_content={title:"Rules",author:"Server",pages:["Welcome to Astroworld!"]}] 1

Gives every player a written book with custom content.

/give @s netherite_sword[enchantments={sharpness:5}] 1

Gives yourself a netherite sword enchanted with Sharpness V using component syntax.

Permission Level & Requirements

/give sits at permission Level 2 - Game Master / Cheats, which means it needs permission level 2, the level cheats grant to single-player worlds and that operators hold by default.

In a single-player world you must have "Allow Cheats" turned on (or open the world to LAN with cheats) before it will run; on a multiplayer server the player needs to be an operator at the matching level.

Java vs Bedrock: Bedrock Edition has /give but does not support the bracketed item-component syntax; Bedrock uses separate data-value and optional components arguments instead.

Common Mistakes

Asking for more than 100 stacks' worth in one command. That is 6400 for items that stack to 64, 1600 for ender pearls and 100 for swords, and a bigger count gives nothing.
Targeting entities that are not players, /give can only target player entities.

Notes

In 1.20.5+ the NBT tag syntax was replaced with component syntax using square brackets. Items exceeding the max stack size are distributed across multiple inventory slots.

Related Commands

If /give is part of your toolkit, the commands below are the ones you will most often reach for alongside it: /clear, /item, and /loot. They cover closely related tasks, so the links above jump straight to each one.

/clear/item/loot

Frequently Asked Questions about /give

What does the /give command do in Minecraft?

Gives one or more items to one or more players. The item can include NBT data via component syntax. It belongs to the player command group and was first added in Java Edition Alpha v1.0.15.

What is the correct syntax for /give?

/give <targets> <item> [<count>]. The required arguments are targets and item, and the optional one is count.

What permission level does /give need?

It requires permission Level 2 - Game Master / Cheats. On a server the player must be an operator at that level, or have cheats enabled in single-player.

What is a common mistake when using /give?

Asking for more than 100 stacks' worth in one command. That is 6400 for items that stack to 64, 1600 for ender pearls and 100 for swords, and a bigger count gives nothing.

Can you give an example of /give in use?

Yes. /give @a minecraft:written_book[written_book_content={title:"Rules",author:"Server",pages:["Welcome to Astroworld!"]}] 1: gives every player a written book with custom content.

What is the maximum count /give can hand out at once?

100 stacks' worth in a single command, which is 6400 for anything that stacks to 64, 1600 for ender pearls and 100 for unstackable items like swords. The items are split into as many stacks as needed and any that do not fit in the inventory drop at the player's feet.

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