How to Make a Shovel in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft a shovel with 1 of your material (planks, cobblestone, iron, gold or diamond) in the top-center slot and 2 sticks below it in the center column. It is the cheapest tool to craft and the fastest way to dig dirt, sand and gravel.

What you need

1 of one material (planks, cobblestone, copper, iron, gold or a diamond)
2 sticks

Step by step

Craft 2 sticks from planks.
Get 1 of your material: planks, cobblestone, copper, iron, gold or a diamond.
Open a crafting table.
Place the material in the top-center slot.
Place 2 sticks below it in the center column.
Take the shovel. Use it on grass blocks to make dirt paths, and on snow to collect snowballs.

Java vs Bedrock

The shovel recipe is the same in Java and Bedrock for all tiers, and a netherite shovel comes from upgrading a diamond shovel at a smithing table. Right-clicking a grass block, dirt or podzol with a shovel flattens it into a dirt path, the classic village road texture. Shovels dig dirt, sand, gravel, snow, clay and mud at top speed, and mining snow layers drops snowballs for snow golems. Dig gravel with a Fortune III shovel and every block drops flint guaranteed, or use Silk Touch to collect the gravel itself.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a dirt path in Minecraft?

Craft any shovel and right-click a grass block, dirt, coarse dirt, podzol or mycelium. The block flattens into a dirt path with its own texture; it stays until you break it or place a block on it.

What is the fastest way to get flint?

Dig gravel with a Fortune III shovel: every gravel block drops flint guaranteed. Without Fortune, flint is a 10% chance per gravel, and re-placing and re-digging gravel works because each new dig rolls again.

Can a shovel collect snow?

Yes. Mining snow layers or snow blocks with a shovel drops snowballs (4 per full snow block). Any other tool, or your hand, destroys the snow without drops.