Create Your First Minecraft Bedrock Addon (2026)

What Is an Addon?

An addon in Minecraft Bedrock Edition is a set of files that modify or add content to the game. Addons are built from two types of packs that work together:

• Behavior Packs (BP) — Define how things work: custom items, entities, loot tables, recipes, and game logic. They use JSON files.
• Resource Packs (RP) — Define how things look: textures, sounds, models, and animations. They reference assets like PNG images.

Tools You Need

Before you start, gather these tools:

• Text editor — VS Code is recommended for JSON editing with syntax highlighting and validation. Notepad++ or any plain-text editor also works.
• Blockbench — Free 3D modeling tool for creating custom entity and item models. Optional for simple items; required for custom 3D models.
• UUID generator — You need unique IDs for your pack. Use an online UUID generator or run uuidgen in a terminal.

File Structure

Each pack (BP and RP) has a similar structure:

my_addon_BP/
  manifest.json
  pack_icon.png
  items/
  entities/
  ...

my_addon_RP/
  manifest.json
  pack_icon.png
  textures/
  items/
  item_texture.json
  ...

manifest.json tells Minecraft about your pack. pack_icon.png is a 256x256 or 128x128 image shown in the pack list.

Step 1: Create Folders

Step 2: Write manifest.json

Each pack needs a manifest.json file in its root. Use unique UUIDs for uuid and pack_uid (generate new ones for your addon).

{
  "format_version": 2,
  "header": {
    "name": "My Addon",
    "description": "My first custom addon",
    "uuid": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
    "version": [1, 0, 0],
    "min_engine_version": [1, 20, 0]
  },
  "modules": [
    {
      "type": "data",
      "uuid": "b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f12345678901",
      "version": [1, 0, 0]
    }
  ],
  "dependencies": []
}

{
  "format_version": 2,
  "header": {
    "name": "My Addon",
    "description": "My first custom addon",
    "uuid": "c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-123456789012",
    "version": [1, 0, 0],
    "min_engine_version": [1, 20, 0]
  },
  "modules": [
    {
      "type": "resources",
      "uuid": "d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-def0-234567890123",
      "version": [1, 0, 0]
    }
  ],
  "dependencies": [
    {
      "uuid": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
      "version": [1, 0, 0]
    }
  ]
}

Step 3: Create a Simple Custom Item

Create a file at my_addon_BP/items/example_item.json:

{
  "format_version": "1.20.0",
  "minecraft:item": {
    "description": {
      "identifier": "my_addon:example_item",
      "is_experimental": false
    },
    "components": {
      "minecraft:icon": {
        "textures": {
          "default": "my_addon:example_item"
        }
      },
      "minecraft:max_stack_size": 64
    }
  }
}

The identifier must match what you define in the Resource Pack. The texture name my_addon:example_item maps to a texture file.

Step 4: Add Textures

Create item_texture.json in the Resource Pack root and add your texture file.

{
  "resource_pack_name": "my_addon",
  "texture_name": "atlas.items",
  "texture_data": {
    "example_item": {
      "textures": "textures/items/example_item"
    }
  }
}

Place a 16x16 PNG image at my_addon_RP/textures/items/example_item.png. You can use any simple PNG; Minecraft will use it as the item icon.

Step 5: Test In-Game

To test your addon, copy both pack folders into Minecraft's development folders:

%AppData%\Minecraft Bedrock\Users\Shared\games\com.mojang

Step 6: Package as .mcaddon for Distribution

To share your addon, package both packs into a single .mcaddon file:

Troubleshooting

• Pack not showing — Ensure manifest.json is valid JSON (no trailing commas, correct quotes). Add pack_icon.png (256x256 or 128x128) to the pack root.
• Item is invisible or missing — Check that the identifier in the BP item JSON matches the texture name in item_texture.json. Ensure both packs are activated.
• Texture not loading — Verify the path in item_texture.json points to textures/items/example_item and the PNG file exists.
• Dependency errors — The RP dependencies must reference the BP header UUID exactly. Regenerate UUIDs if you copied from another addon.

Build the next addon feature

With the pack foundation working, continue with one focused system instead of expanding everything at once:

• Create a custom item with a working icon and behavior
• Create a placeable custom block
• Create a custom mob with Blockbench
• Add shaped, shapeless, and furnace recipes