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.
Tripwire Hook in Minecraft: How It Works and Uses
Two tripwire hooks facing each other with string between them make a tripwire: when anything walks through the string, both hooks send a redstone signal. It is the classic hidden trap trigger, and jungle temples use it for their arrow traps. Shears cut the string without setting it off.
How do you craft a tripwire hook?
An iron ingot, a stick and planks (makes 2). The line can be up to 40 blocks long. Breaking the string normally triggers it; shears disarm it quietly.
What is it used for?
- Arrow and TNT traps
- Doors that open when you walk in
- Mob detection in farms
- Jungle temple traps
More: jungle temples.
More about the tripwire hook
A tripwire only works when the string connects two hooks facing each other at the same height. Mobs, players, items and arrows can all set it off. String placed on the ground without hooks is just decoration.
Where does it fit in redstone?
Redstone parts fall into power sources (levers, buttons, plates, torches, observers), wiring (dust, repeaters, comparators) and mechanisms (pistons, dispensers, droppers, hoppers, lamps and doors). Most circuits combine one of each: something to detect, something to carry the signal, and something to act. Signals move along dust at once, while each torch, repeater or comparator adds a small delay measured in redstone ticks of 0.1 seconds. Start with redstone basics.
Tips
Hide the string in dark or cluttered spots, and put the hooks inside walls. Signal strength: signal strength.
Frequently asked questions
How do you disarm a tripwire?
Cut the string with shears.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.