Carrying

Carrying

Applies to all versions, except where a build is named.

Picking up

Every pickup requires:

• both hands empty, and not already carrying something;
• crouching;
• Survival or Creative mode (not Adventure or Spectator);
• the target within maxDistance blocks (2.5 by default).

Blocks

A block can be picked up when:

Rule	Default
It has a block entity (chest, furnace, barrel, spawner…)	Plain blocks only with pickupAllBlocks = true
It is allowed by the block lists	See Tags
It is not a two-block-tall block (doors, tall flowers, tall grass…)	Always
It is breakable	Unbreakable blocks only in Creative or with pickupUnbreakableBlocks = true
Its container is not locked (Lock tag)	Always
A matching script, if any, accepts it	—

The block is removed from the world with its contents (inventory, spawner data, custom names…) and restored exactly when placed.

Entities

An entity can be picked up when:

Rule	Default
It is not a player	Always
If it is tamed, you are its owner	Always
It is allowed by the entity lists	See Tags. Babies can bypass the lists with allowBabies = true.
It is not hostile (Enemy or monster category)	Hostile mobs in Creative, with pickupHostileMobs = true, or if listed in hostile_pickup_whitelist (not on NeoForge 26.1.2 and Fabric 26.2)
Its size is within maxEntityHeight (2.5) × maxEntityWidth (1.5)	—
It is not in its hurt cooldown	Always
A matching script, if any, accepts it	—

Picking up an entity removes its riders, dismounts it and drops its leash.

While carrying

• You get Slowness (see below) and cannot jump.
• Your selected hotbar slot is locked.
• You cannot break blocks or attack unless hitWhileCarrying = true.
• The carried object is drawn in front of you; in first person your hand is replaced by it.

Slowness

The Slowness level depends on what you carry, multiplied by blockSlownessMultiplier or entitySlownessMultiplier (1.0 by default):

• Blocks: 1 to 4, larger for blocks with more stored data (full chests weigh more). With heavyTiles = false it is always 1.
• Entities: 1 to 4, from the entity's height × width. With heavyEntities = false it is always 1.

Slowness also applies in Creative unless slownessInCreative = false. It is removed when you put the object down.

Placing

• Blocks: right-click a block face. If the clicked block cannot be replaced, the carried block goes on the adjacent side. The block is oriented like a normal placement and keeps its waterlogged state. Placement fails (with a "pop" sound) if the block cannot survive there, the space is blocked, or you cannot build there.
• Entities: right-click a block; the entity is released on top of it.

Stacking entities

While carrying an entity, right-click another entity to put yours on top of its stack (it rides the topmost entity). Stacking requires:

• stackableEntities = true (default);
• fewer than maxEntityStackLimit (10) entities in the stack;
• the top entity allowed by the stacking lists (Tags);
• with entitySizeMattersStacking = true (default), your entity must not be bigger than the top one.

Stacking on a horse tames it.