Original pixel art Iron Shovel icon with a silvery blade and wooden handle

Minecraft Java Item ID

Iron Shovel ID

Iron Shovel is a digging tool for dirt, sand, and gravel. It is crafted from 1 iron ingot and 2 sticks and significantly speeds up excavation.

✓ Verified for Java Edition 26.2

Namespaced item ID minecraft:iron_shovel

Iron Shovel Item Facts

CategoryTools

Maximum stack1

Available inSurvival and Creative

Historical numerical ID256

Historical numerical ID: Reviewed for Java Edition 1.12.2 and earlier.

Give Command for Iron Shovel

Copy the current Java Edition command, or open the generator to change the player and quantity.

/give @p minecraft:iron_shovel 1

Customize this command → Open in Enchantment Builder → View crafting recipe →

Historical command for Java 1.12.2 and earlier

Modern namespaced IDs are recommended. This numerical form is only for old Java releases.

/give @p 256 1

Give command syntax by version

Java 1.13+

/give @p minecraft:iron_shovel 1

Namespaced ID (current format)

Java 1.8–1.12.2

/give @p 256 1 0

Numerical ID + data value

Bedrock Edition

/give @p minecraft:iron_shovel 1

Same namespaced ID (namespace optional)

Rows appear only when the underlying value is verified: the Java 1.8–1.12.2 row requires a reviewed historical numerical ID, and the Bedrock row appears only when this exact namespaced ID exists in the Bedrock registry.

How to Get Iron Shovel

Crafting Recipe

Iron Ingot

Stick

Crafting table recipe — makes 1 × Iron Shovel.

More Ways to Get It

The Iron Shovel is crafted from one iron ingot and two sticks. With 250 durability and iron-tier digging speed, it clears dirt, sand, gravel, snow, and clay far faster than stone or wood shovels. Used as a melee weapon in Java Edition it hits for 4.5 damage at 1.0 attack speed, though that spends durability quickly.

Smelt one iron ingot from raw iron in a furnace or blast furnace.
Place the ingot in the top-middle slot of a Crafting Table with sticks in the two slots below it.
Dig out beaches, gravel patches, and dirt foundations—use it on grass blocks to flatten dirt paths in villages or gardens.

Prefer commands? Jump back to the give command matrix above to get Iron Shovel instantly.

Iron Shovel Command Examples

Give 1 to nearest player: /give @p minecraft:iron_shovel 1
Give 1 to yourself: /give @s minecraft:iron_shovel 1
Give to a specific player: /give PlayerName minecraft:iron_shovel 1
Clear from inventory: /clear @p minecraft:iron_shovel

Compatible Enchantments for Iron Shovel

Iron Shovel can receive these enchantments from an enchanting table or anvil. Some of them are mutually exclusive; each enchantment page lists its incompatible partners.

What Is Iron Shovel Used For?

Iron Ingot

A single ingot forms the shovel head; iron ingots also repair it on an anvil.

Stick

Two sticks form the handle, as with every shovel tier.

Gravel

Shovels tear through gravel—and breaking gravel is the only way to get flint for arrows and flint and steel.

Sand

Digging desert or beach sand for glass smelting goes several times faster with an iron shovel.

Dirt paths

Right-click grass blocks, dirt, or podzol with a shovel to flatten them into decorative dirt paths.

Iron Shovel FAQ

What is the item ID for Iron Shovel?

The item ID for Iron Shovel is minecraft:iron_shovel. Java Edition commands such as /give, /clear, and /setblock use this namespaced ID.

What is the numerical ID for Iron Shovel?

Iron Shovel has the historical numerical ID 256, used in Java Edition 1.12.2 and earlier. Current versions use minecraft:iron_shovel instead.

How do I give myself Iron Shovel in Minecraft?

Open the chat window and run /give @p minecraft:iron_shovel 1 to give the nearest player one Iron Shovel. Replace @p with a player name to target someone else.

How many Iron Shovel can stack in one slot?

Iron Shovel stacks up to 1 per inventory slot.

How do you craft Iron Shovel?

Iron Shovel is crafted on a crafting table with 1 iron ingot and 2 sticks, which yields 1 Iron Shovel.