How to Get Ice in Minecraft
Ice is one of those blocks you can’t craft. Instead, you have to find it in the world and mine it properly to actually get the block. Without the right tool, it just shatters and disappears when you break it.
Finding Ice in the World
Ice spawns naturally in frozen biomes, especially in frozen ponds and lakes. You’ll most commonly find it in:
- Snow biomes
- Frozen rivers and ponds
- Icy mountain peaks
The ice block looks like a light blue, translucent cube. It’s pretty easy to spot once you know what you’re looking for.
Mining Ice in Survival Mode
Here’s the catch: if you just hit ice with a regular pickaxe, it breaks and you get nothing. The only way to actually collect the ice block is to use a tool enchanted with Silk Touch.
Get a Silk Touch Tool
You can use any tool for mining ice: pickaxe, shovel, or axe. Just make sure it has the Silk Touch enchantment. You can find Silk Touch on tools from fishing, enchanting tables, or sometimes in loot chests.
Mine the Ice
Once you have a Silk Touch tool:
- Locate a block of ice
- Hold your Silk Touch tool
- Mine the ice block (left click on Java, tap and hold on mobile)
- Pick up the ice before it disappears
The ice will drop as an item and you can carry it in your inventory.
Ice Item Information
Minecraft Java Edition
| Item | ID Name | ID Number | Stack Size | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice | minecraft:ice | 79 | 64 | 1.8 – 1.19.3 |
Give Command
To get ice in Creative Mode or with commands:
/give @p ice 1
This works in Minecraft 1.13 and newer. For older versions (1.8 – 1.12), use:
/give @p ice 1 0
What You Can Make with Ice
Ice is useful for a few things in Minecraft:
- Craft Packed Ice (9 ice blocks in a 3×3 crafting grid)
- Build frozen structures and ice skating rinks
- Create slippery surfaces for redstone contraptions
- Decorate snow biome builds
Other Blocks That Need Silk Touch
Ice isn’t the only block that disappears when mined normally. You’ll need Silk Touch to collect:
- Ore blocks (Coal, Iron, Gold, Diamond, etc.)
- Packed Ice and Blue Ice
- Coral blocks and fans
- Mycelium and Podzol
- Bee Nests
- Sculk blocks and related Sculk variants