How to Make a Chest in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft a chest from planks. A chest has 27 slots, and two adjacent chests join into a large chest with 54. Chests always drop themselves when mined, and an axe is fastest. A conductive block above a chest, or a sitting cat, stops it from opening.

What you need

8 planks (any type)

Step by step

Craft the chest: 8 planks of any type in a ring, leaving the center empty.
Place it and use it to open it: it has 27 slots. Drag or shift-click items in and out.
Place a second chest next to it to form a large chest with 54 slots. To keep them separate, sneak while placing the second one (Java), face the second chest a different direction, or use a trapped chest, which does not combine with normal chests.
A chest cannot be opened if a conductive block is above it (in Bedrock, bottom slabs also block it). Slabs, stairs, glass and ice do not block it in Java. A cat sitting on it also stops it opening.
Chests always drop themselves when mined, and their items drop too.
In Java, you can lock a chest with a lock tag through the data command, so it opens only with a matching item.
Find them: monster rooms, bastion remnants and the bonus chest option at world creation all have chests. Donkeys and mules carry 15 slots, and llamas 3 to 15.

Java vs Bedrock

In Bedrock, pistons can move chests and bottom slabs stop a chest opening. In Java, sneaking while placing keeps chests from joining.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note above for differences.

Frequently asked questions

How many slots does a chest have?

27, and 54 for a large chest.

How do I stop two chests merging?

In Java, sneak while placing the second. In both editions, face it a different direction, or use a trapped chest.

Why can't I open my chest?

A conductive block above it, or a cat sitting on it, blocks it. In Bedrock, a bottom slab also blocks it.

Does a chest drop itself?

Yes, always, with its items. An axe is fastest.