How to Make Armor Stand in Minecraft Java and Bedrock

Whether you're eager to display your prized Netherite gear or erect statues around your base, armor stands offer an ideal solution. Acting as interactive entities, they give you a wide range of ways to transform your game. You can even pose them as mobs in custom maps and key structures. But all of these possibilities only come after you get your hands on this amazing entity. So, join us as we uncover how to make armor stand in Minecraft and also unlock its full potential.

Make Armor Stand in Minecraft 1.20 (2023)

From crafting to uses, you can learn everything you need to know about armor stands in Minecraft using our guide. But, if you are already familiar with this entity, you can directly skip to the creation process too.

What is an Armor Stand in Minecraft?

An armor stand is a customizable statue-like entity in Minecraft that can wear armor and hold items. Visually, an armor stand takes the form of a frame made of sticks positioned on a stone slab. But, you can manipulate the stand to make it take various poses and different orientations.

Unlike other building blocks, you can only place the armor stand on top of solid blocks. Moreover, similar to blocks like gravel and sand, it isn't immune from gravity. So, if you place it on the side of another block, the stand falls before landing on a solid block. This also makes it vulnerable to flowing water.

What Can I Put on an Armor Stand

An armor stand can hold the following items in Minecraft:

Armor (helmet, leggings, chestplate, and boots)
Elytra
Mob Heads
Carved Pumpkins

You can use commands to get the armor stand to hold a variety of items beyond this list. Moreover, if you give enchanted items to the stand, the Minecraft enchantments remain effective. For example, pushing an armor stand, that's wearing frost walker boots, creates ice on top of water.

Uses of Armor Stand in Minecraft

You can use an armor stand in Minecraft for the following purposes:

Decoration: Most players only use armor stands to decorate their bases and put their armor on display. With the addition of armor trims in Minecraft, you now have limitless ways to adorn your stands.
Storage: Putting your armor or items on the stand gives you easy and fast access to them. Moreover, it also saves vital storage space in your chest and barrels.
Commands: Many designers use armor stands to add unique functionality to the Minecraft adventure maps.
Security: With the right set of enchantments, armor stands also act as a great security system for your base.
Furniture: Since armor stands are an entity, you can place and hide them in unique ways. This mechanic, combined with custom mob heads, allows you to

Best Armor Trim Combinations to Cover Armor Stand

If you are playing Minecraft 1.20 or later, just learning how to make armor stand in Minecraft isn't enough. You also need to decorate it with some amazing combinations of armor trims to make it stand out. Here's one of the best and easiest options that you can go for:

Helmet: Rib Armor Trim with iron ingot on Netherite
Chestplate: Silence Armor Trim with diamond on Netherite
Leggings: Rib Armor Trim with diamond on Netherite
Boots: Snout Armor Trim with iron ingot on Netherite

But if having a neon set isn't enough, you can explore our list of best Minecraft armor trim combinations. From warrior's attire to mob-like designs, it contains a variety of reliable sets you can opt for.

Where to Find Armor Stands in Minecraft

You can find two armor stands in the taiga villages of Minecraft as long as the villager has an armorer in it. The stands spawn within the outdoor armory, right next to smoker blocks. One of these stands is equipped with an iron helmet, while the other showcases an iron chestplate. You can use our reliable guide to find villages in Minecraft within no time.

Items Required to Make an Armor Stand

You need to collect the following items to make an armor stand in Minecraft:

6 Sticks
1 Stone Slab
Crafting Table

Sticks are one of the most accessible items in Minecraft. You just need to place two wooden planks vertically next to each other in the crafting grid to turn them into sticks. This recipe works with all types of wood in the game including bamboo wood. Alternatively, you can also break dead bushes, which are common in the desert biome, to collect sticks.

How to Make Smooth Stone Slab

Follow these simple steps to make smooth stone slabs in Minecraft:

1. First make a pickaxe in Minecraft using sticks and wooden planks. You can also find other materials using the ore distribution of Minecraft 1.20 to make stronger pickaxes.

2. Then, search for stone blocks in your world. They spawn close to rivers and in the caves of the overworld. Use your pickaxe to mine stone blocks to get cobblestone.

3. Then, make a furnace in Minecraft and use it to smelt cobblestone into stone blocks. You can use a variety of items as the fuel including planks, coal, and charcoal.

4. Then, smelt your stone blocks again in the furnace to turn them into smooth stones in Minecraft.

5. Finally, fill one row of the crafting grid by placing three smooth stone blocks. With that, your smooth stone slabs are ready.

Armor Stand Crafting Recipe

Once you have collected all the ingredients, it's quite easy to make armor stand in Minecraft. First, fill the first row of the grid by placing three sticks in it. Then, put one stick in the center of the grid, in the second row. Finally, place a smooth stone slab in the middle of the lowermost row and surround it with sticks. With that, your armor stand is ready for action!

After creating the armor stand, you can place it just like any other building block in the game. But you cannot place it on the side or underneath other blocks. The armor stands are affected by gravity and they fall if there is no block supporting them.

How is Armor Stand Different on Java and Bedrock

We see improvement in the parity of Minecraft Java and Bedrock with each new update. But, unfortunately, armor stands are still quite distinct. Here are all the differences between the two editions:

Arms: By default, armor stands only have arms in the Bedrock edition. In the Java edition, you have to rely upon commands to unlock them (keep reading to find out how).
Items: The armor stands in the Bedrock edition have the ability to hold items like swords in their arms. But, due to a lack of arms, there is no such mechanic on the Java edition.
Poses: You can make the armor stands in Bedrock edition pose in a variety of ways. But, in Java edition, even when your stand has arms it cannot pose in any way.

Poses of Armor Stand

There are a total of 12 unique poses for armor stands in Minecraft Bedrock. The list includes:

Default
No Pose
Solemn
Athena
Brandish
Honor
Entertain
Salute
Riposte
Zombie
Cancan A
Cancan B

As you might expect, the poses don't serve any practical purpose in Minecraft. They are only useful for decorations or to prank other players on Minecraft SMP servers.

How to Change the Pose of Armor Stands

Changing the pose of armor stands in Minecraft is quite easy. You just need to walk up to the stand and interact with it (by right-clicking) while sneaking to change its pose. Furthermore, in the MCPE mobile edition, there is even a dedicated "Pose" button. The game also allows you to change the pose by sending a Redstone signal to the armor stand.

But, keep in mind that the posing mechanic only works in the Bedrock edition of Minecraft. You can use commands to get armor stand with arms in Minecraft Java but it cannot pose in any way. But, the upcoming Minecraft 1.21 update might change the same.

How to Get Armor Stand with Arms in Minecraft Java

If you make an armor stand in Minecraft Java it won't have any arms. But, you can use the following command to spawn an armor stand with arms:

/summon minecraft:armor_stand ~ ~ ~ {ShowArms:1}

Before spawning the armor stand, keep in mind that you cannot move it. If you break the custom armor stand, its hands will disappear. So, it is important to make sure to pick the right location for spawning the armor stand.

FAQ: Make Armor Stand in Minecraft

Can an armor stand hold a sword and a shield?

In the Bedrock edition, you can make your armor stand hold a variety of items including swords, shields, and tools.

Can armor stands wear Elytra?

You can make the armor stand hold and wear your Elytra. But it cannot equip any type of capes in Minecraft.

Can armor stands move?

You can push the armor stands in Minecraft using pistons or flowing water. The game also allows you to manipulate the limbs of the stand by sending Redstone signals.

Make and Use Armor Stands in Minecraft

Now that you know how to make armor stand in Minecraft, it's the best time to decorate your entire base. The first step would be to surround your armor stands with carpets in Minecraft. But, you can also use stripped wood to get a similar effect. Yet, the vital question remains: how do you intend to use these armor stands within your world? Feel free to drop your creative ideas in our Discord server, where you can also uncover innovative plans of fellow players.