Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
TNT in Minecraft: Recipe, Fuse and How to Use It
TNT is crafted from 5 gunpowder and 4 sand (or red sand). Light it with flint and steel, fire, a flaming arrow or a redstone signal and it explodes 4 seconds later with power 4, destroying blocks and dropping every one as an item. TNT that explodes in water breaks no blocks, and an explosion lights nearby TNT with a much shorter fuse.
How do you set TNT off?
- Flint and steel or a fire charge on it, or fire next to it.
- A redstone signal: lever, button, pressure plate or a redstone circuit.
- A flaming arrow from a bow with Flame.
- Another explosion nearby, which gives it a short random fuse, causing chain reactions.
- A dispenser places TNT already lit.
Any redstone signal next to it works.
How strong is TNT?
Power 4 (a creeper is 3, a charged creeper 6). It cannot break obsidian, and in water it breaks nothing, which is the basis of TNT cannons that fire through water. Since Java 1.14 every block destroyed by TNT drops as an item. Full numbers: explosions and blast resistance.
What is TNT used for?
- Fast mining and clearing land (blast mining).
- TNT minecarts that explode when they hit an activator rail; see minecarts.
- Traps such as the desert temple's 9 TNT under the floor; see desert temples.
- Cannons and raiding on factions servers; see TNT cannons.
Can you stop TNT exploding?
On Java the tnt_explodes game rule turns TNT explosions off; mob_griefing controls creepers, not TNT. Gunpowder for TNT comes from creepers, ghasts and witches; see creeper farms.
How does TNT work on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
How long is the TNT fuse?
4 seconds (80 game ticks) when lit normally.
Does TNT break blocks underwater?
No. TNT exploding in water breaks no blocks.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.