What's the difference between white dye and bone meal?

Bone meal was the original white dye item, but was replaced by white dye starting in Minecraft 1.14. Bone meal now has its own crafting recipe and works slightly differently in some recipes.

Can I get white dye from mobs or trading?

No. White dye only comes from crafting it with lily of the valley or bone meal. You can't find it as a drop or buy it from villagers.

Why does my white dye look yellowish?

Make sure you have the right item. If you're holding bone meal instead, it'll look slightly different. Check your inventory to confirm you're using actual white dye.

Is there a faster way to get white dye?

Lily of the valley is the quickest single-item recipe. Just pick them from birch and flower forests and throw one in a crafting table. No gathering multiple ingredients needed.

Do I need white dye for the new colors in newer versions?

For Minecraft 1.20+, yes. White dye is the base for mixing and dyeing. It's also required if you want to dye leather armor, signs, and other items white.

White Dye Crafting Guide for Minecraft 1.14-1.20

White Dye Crafting Guide

White dye replaced bone meal as the item you need to dye things white in Minecraft. It’s been around since the Village & Pillage update and is pretty easy to get. You’ve got two different recipes to choose from depending on what you have on hand.

Finding White Dye in Creative Mode

Java Edition (PC/Mac)

Where you’ll find it depends on your Minecraft version:

Minecraft 1.14 – 1.19: Creative inventory under Miscellaneous
Minecraft 1.19.3 – 1.20: Creative inventory under Ingredients

What You Need to Craft White Dye

Pick one of these recipes:

1 Lily of the Valley
1 Bone Meal

Either one works. Lily of the Valley is easier to find in spring biomes and birch forests. Bone meal comes from bonemeal if you have access to bones from skeletons.

How to Craft White Dye

Step 1: Open Your Crafting Table

Right-click a crafting table to open the 3×3 crafting grid.

Step 2: Add Your Materials

You can use either recipe:

Recipe 1: Put 1 lily of the valley in any slot of the crafting grid
Recipe 2: Put 1 bone meal in any slot of the crafting grid

Placement doesn’t matter since you’re only using one item. The white dye will show up in the output slot.

Step 3: Move to Your Inventory

Click the white dye and drag it to your inventory. Done.

Technical Details

Item ID: minecraft:white_dye
Stack Size: 64
Available in: Java Edition 1.14 through 1.20

Give command: /give @p white_dye 1

What to Make With White Dye

You can use white dye for tons of stuff in Minecraft:

Dye wool, leather armor, and signs white
Craft white stained glass and glass panes
Make white terracotta and concrete powder
Create white candles and shulker boxes
Mix with other dyes to make new colors
Design banners and firework stars
Use the loom to add white patterns to banners

Quick Tips

Lily of the Valley is faster if you’re in a birch or flower forest. Bone meal is your friend if you’re just cleaning up skeletons from a grinder anyway. You’ll need stacks of white dye if you’re building with white concrete or stained glass, so plan ahead.