How to Get Dirt in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Dig dirt with any tool (a shovel is fastest) under the grass layer in most Overworld biomes, or in underground patches. It drops itself. Grass blocks, mycelium and podzol also drop dirt without Silk Touch, and farmland and dirt paths drop it even with Silk Touch. It is renewable via moss blocks and wandering traders.

What you need

Shovel (optional)

Step by step

Dig under the grass in almost any Overworld biome: dirt makes up most of the upper terrain, about 1,850 blocks per chunk in plains, forest, snowy plains, jungle and windswept hills.
Break it with any tool; a shovel is quickest. It drops itself.
Break a grass block, mycelium or podzol without Silk Touch to get dirt from it.
Look for underground patches: dirt generates 7 times per chunk in blobs of size 0-160 at Y=0-160.
For a renewable supply, grow an azalea tree on moss (it turns the moss below into rooted dirt) or buy podzol (18 per trader) or rooted dirt (10 per trader) from wandering traders.
Use a hoe on coarse dirt to turn it back into dirt.

Java vs Bedrock

In Bedrock Edition most saplings convert the moss block below into dirt when grown into a tree; in Java large spruce trees turn up to about 100 moss blocks into podzol.

Versions: Ore-like dirt blobs replace stone-type blocks; tuff and deepslate are included in Java only.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a shovel to get dirt?

No, any tool works, but a shovel is fastest.

Is dirt renewable?

Yes, through moss blocks with azalea trees (rooted dirt) and by buying podzol or rooted dirt from wandering traders, in limited amounts.

How does dirt turn into grass?

A dirt block next to grass and exposed to light level 4 or more eventually becomes grass.