Minecraft:Written Book

Template:Distinguish Template:Infobox item A written book is a Minecraft:book and quill that has been signed, which prevents its text from being edited and allows copies of it to be Minecraft:crafted. It can also be displayed on a Minecraft:lectern.

Obtaining

Signing a book and quill

Written books can be obtained by signing a Minecraft:book and quill. After it has been signed, it cannot be edited again. The label does not say "Written Book", but whatever the Minecraft:player titles it. The title appears on the top line of the label, and "by <player>" (the player's username) on the bottom. Template:IN, this is customizable without Minecraft:commands.

Copying

A signed written book can be copied using a Minecraft:crafting table. Books have four generations: "Original", "Copy of Original", "Copy of Copy", and "Tattered". Only books of the generations "Original" and "Copy of Original" may be copied, creating the "Copy of Original" and "Copy of Copy" generations respectively. Books of the generation "Copy of Copy" may not be copied. The "Tattered" generation is unused in normal gameplay.

Source Generation	Copiable?	Outcome Generation
Original	Template:Tc	Copy of Original
Copy of Original	Template:Tc	Copy of Copy
Copy of Copy	Template:Tc	Template:Tc
Tattered	Template:Tc	Template:Tc

Usage

File:Written book GUI.png

Written book GUI

Written books can be opened by pressing the Template:Control control (or holding down on the touchscreen Template:In), and display a GUI allowing the player to read it or turn the page.

The contents of a book are an extra set of data attached to the item. This means that when a book is destroyed, its contents are lost with it.

Lecterns

Written books can be placed on an empty Minecraft:lectern.

The lectern then emits a redstone signal depending on the displayed page in the book. On the last page, the lectern emits a signal strength of 15.

Chiseled bookshelf

Template:Control the Minecraft:chiseled bookshelf while having a written book in the main hand puts the book inside the chiseled bookshelf.

Sounds

Template:Edition: Template:SoundTable

Data values

ID

Template:JE: Template:ID table

Template:BE: Template:ID table

Item data

Template:JE: Template:See also

• Template:Nbt: the item's components tag.

Data component format/written book content

Template:BE: Template:See also

History

Trivia

• When written books are obtained with Minecraft:commands (without the correct data tag), the label shows "Written Book" and has the text "*Invalid book tag*" when opened. The book is signed and cannot be edited without commands.
• Commands that were added to a written book using serialized JSON objects are executed through the chat system. This means that any command added to a written book can't be longer than 256 characters, which is the maximum chat line limit.
• Within the April Fools' snapshot Minecraft:Java Edition 20w14∞, throwing a written book into a lit nether portal creates a portal to one of the 2,147,483,645 new dimensions.

Gallery

Textures

• Java Edition book background texture.
  Java Edition book background texture.
• Bedrock Edition book background texture.
  Bedrock Edition book background texture.
• Java Edition left arrow texture.
  Java Edition left arrow texture.
• Java Edition right arrow texture.
  Java Edition right arrow texture.
• Bedrock Edition left arrow texture.
  Bedrock Edition left arrow texture.
• Bedrock Edition Right arrow texture.
  Bedrock Edition Right arrow texture.

Screenshots

• A signed book.
  A signed book.
• Copying a signed book.
  Copying a signed book.
• First image of a book using JSON text.
  First image of a book using JSON text.
• A no NBT written book using commands.
  A no NBT written book using commands.

See also

• Minecraft:Book
• Minecraft:Bookshelf
• Minecraft:Book and Quill
• Formatting Codes