Java Edition:Invalid Item in Armor Slot

In earlier versions of the game, there were multiple ways to get any item in armor slots. However, if the player dies, the items are unreplaceable. A player can only keep 4 of these, meaning to get multiple items in armor slots, many accounts are needed. In singleplayer, 4 is the maximum.

Normally Available Items

These are the only items that should be normally able to be on a player's armor slots, all at a max count of 1:

Helmet Slot

Helmets^{[note 1]}
Turtle Shell^{[note 2]}
Mob Head^{[note 3]}
Carved Pumpkin^{[note 4]}

Chestplate Slot

Chestplates^{[note 1]}
Elytra^{[note 5]}

Leggings Slot

Leggings^{[note 1]}

Boots Slot

- Boots^{[note 1]}

Obtaining

Indev Placement

The old player inventory with items placed into the slots

From Indev 0.31 20091231-1^{[note 6]} to Indev 20100214-2 the four newly added armor slots worked identically to any other slot. Due to this, any item including overstacked ones can be put in the slots.

1.4 Number Controls

From 12w42a (number controls added) until 1.4, numbers did not check for any conditions for whatever slot they were put into. So by hovering over the desired armor slot then pressing the number for a hotbar slot the item would be equipped. This worked on any item that existed in 1.4. A full list of available items:

Normal items able to be placed in armor slots

Anvil
Apple
Arrow
Awkward Potion
Baked Potato
Beacon
Birch Leaves
Birch Log
Birch Planks
Birch Sapling
Birch Slab
Birch Stairs
Black Wool
Blaze Powder
Blaze Rod
Blue Wool
Bone
Bone Meal
Book
Book and Quill
Bookshelf
Bottle o'Enchanting
Bow
Bowl
Bread
Brewing Stand
Brick
Brick Slab
Brick Stairs
Bricks
Brown Mushroom
Brown Mushroom Block
Brown Wool
Bucket
Cactus
Cake
Carrot
Carrot on a Stick
Cauldron
Chainmail Boots ^{[note 7]}
Chainmail Chestplate ^{[note 8]}
Chainmail Helmet^{[note 9]}
Chainmail Leggings^{[note 10]}
Charcoal
Chest
Chiseled Sandstone
Chiseled Stone Bricks
Clay
Clay Block
Clock
Coal
Coal Ore
Cobblestone
Cobblestone Slab
Cobblestone Stairs
Cobblestone Wall
Cobweb^{[note 11]}
Cocoa Beans
Compass
Cooked Chicken
Cooked Porkchop
Cookie
Cracked Stone Bricks
Crafting Table
Cyan Dye
Cyan Wool
Dandelion
Dead Bush
Detector Rail
Diamond
Diamond Axe
Diamond Block
Diamond Boots^{[note 7]}
Diamond Chestplate^{[note 8]}
Diamond Helmet^{[note 9]}
Diamond Hoe
Diamond Leggings^{[note 10]}
Diamond Ore
Diamond Pickaxe
Diamond Shovel
Diamond Sword
Dirt
Dispenser
Dragon Egg
Egg
Emerald
Emerald Block
Emerald Ore
Empty Map
Enchanted Golden Apple
Enchanting Table
End Stone
Ender Chest
Ender Pearl
Eye of Ender
Feather
Fermented Spider Eye
Fern
Fire Charge
Fishing Rod
Flint
Flint and Steel
Flower Pot
Furnace
Ghast Tear
Glass
Glass Bottle
Glass Pane
Glistering Melon
Glowstone
Glowstone Dust
Gold Block
Gold Ingot
Gold Nugget
Gold Ore
Golden Apple
Golden Axe
Golden Boots^{[note 7]}
Golden Carrot
Golden Chestplate^{[note 8]}
Golden Helmet^{[note 9]}
Golden Hoe
Golden Leggings^{[note 10]}
Golden Pickaxe
Golden Shovel
Golden Sword
Grass
Grass Block
Gravel
Gray Dye
Gray Wool
Green Dye
Green Wool
Gunpowder
Ice
Ink Sac
Iron Axe
Iron Bars
Iron Block
Iron Boots^{[note 7]}
Iron Chestplate^{[note 8]}
Iron Door
Iron Helmet^{[note 9]}
Iron Hoe
Iron Ingot
Iron Leggings^{[note 10]}
Iron Ore
Iron Pickaxe
Iron Shovel
Iron Sword
Item Frame
Jack o'Lantern
Jukebox
Jungle Leaves
Jungle Log
Jungle Planks
Jungle Sapling
Jungle Slab
Jungle Stairs
Ladder
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli Block
Lapis Lazuli Ore
Lava Bucket
Leather
Leather Boots^{[note 7]}
Leather Cap^{[note 9]}
Leather Pants^{[note 10]}
Leather Tunic^{[note 8]}
Lever
Light Blue Dye
Light Blue Wool
Light Gray Dye
Light Gray Wool
Lily Pad
Lime Dye
Lime Wool
Magenta Dye
Magenta Wool
Magma Cream
Map
Melon Block
Melon Seeds
Melon Slice
Milk
Minecart
Minecart with Chest
Minecart with Furnace
Mossy Cobblestone
Mossy Cobblestone Wall
Mossy Stone Bricks
Mundane Potion
Mushroom Stew
Music Disc - 11
Music Disc - 13
Music Disc - blocks
Music Disc - cat
Music Disc - chirp
Music Disc - far
Music Disc - mall
Music Disc - mellohi
Music Disc - stal
Music Disc - strad
Music Disc - ward
Mycelium
Nether Brick
Nether Brick Fence
Nether Brick Stairs
Nether Bricks
Nether Star
Nether Wart
Netherrack
Note Block
Oak Boat
Oak Button
Oak Door
Oak Fence
Oak Fence Gate
Oak Leaves
Oak Log
Oak Planks
Oak Pressure Plate
Oak Sapling
Oak Sign
Oak Slab
Oak Stairs
Oak Trapdoor
Obsidian
Orange Dye
Orange Wool
Painting
Paper
Pink Dye
Pink Wool
Piston
Poisonous Potato
Poppy
Potato
Potion of Fire Resistance
Potion of Fire Resistance (Extended)
Potion of Harming
Potion of Harming (Strong)
Potion of Healing
Potion of Healing (Strong)
Potion of Invisibility
Potion of Invisibility (Extended)
Potion of Night Vision
Potion of Night Vision (Extended)
Potion of Poison
Potion of Poison (Extended)
Potion of Poison (Strong)
Potion of Regeneration
Potion of Regeneration (Extended)
Potion of Regeneration (Strong)
Potion of Slowness
Potion of Slowness (Extended)
Potion of Strength
Potion of Strength (Extended)
Potion of Strength (Strong)
Potion of Swiftness
Potion of Swiftness (Extended)
Potion of Swiftness (Strong)
Potion of Weakness
Potion of Weakness (Extended)
Powered Rails
Pumpkin
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Seeds
Purple Dye
Purple Wool
Rails
Raw Beef
Raw Chicken
Raw Porkchop
Red Bed
Red Dye
Red Mushroom
Red Mushroom Block
Red Wool
Redstone Dust
Redstone Lamp
Redstone Ore
Redstone Repeater
Redstone Torch
Rotten Flesh
Saddle
Sand
Sandstone
Sandstone Slab
Sandstone Stairs
Seeds
Shears
Skeleton Skull^{[note 9]}^{[note 11]}
Slightly Damaged Anvil
Slimeball
Smooth Sandstone
Snow
Snow Block
Snowball
Soul Sand
Spider Eye
Splash Awkward Potion
Splash Mundane Potion
Splash Potion of Fire Resistance
Splash Potion of Fire Resistance (Extended)
Splash Potion of Harming
Splash Potion of Harming (Strong)
Splash Potion of Healing
Splash Potion of Healing (Strong)
Splash Potion of Invisibility
Splash Potion of Invisibility (Extended)
Splash Potion of Night Vision
Splash Potion of Night Vision (Extended)
Splash Potion of Poison
Splash Potion of Poison (Extended)
Splash Potion of Poison (Strong)
Splash Potion of Regeneration
Splash Potion of Regeneration (Extended)
Splash Potion of Regeneration (Strong)
Splash Potion of Slowness
Splash Potion of Slowness (Extended)
Splash Potion of Strength
Splash Potion of Strength (Extended)
Splash Potion of Strength (Strong)
Splash Potion of Swiftness
Splash Potion of Swiftness (Extended)
Splash Potion of Swiftness (Strong)
Splash Potion of Weakness
Splash Potion of Weakness (Extended)
Splash Thick Potion
Sponge^{[note 11]}
Spruce Leaves
Spruce Log
Spruce Planks
Spruce Sapling
Spruce Slab
Spruce Stairs
Steak
Stick
Sticky Piston
Stone
Stone Axe
Stone Bricks
Stone Brick Slab
Stone Brick Stairs
Stone Button
Stone Hoe
Stone Pickaxe
Stone Pressure Plate
Stone Shovel
Stone Slab
Stone Sword
String
Sugar
Sugar Cane
TNT
Thick Potion
Torch
Tripwire Hook
Very Damaged Anvil
Vines
Water Bottle
Water Bucket
Wheat
White Wool
Wither Skeleton Skull^{[note 9]}
Wooden Axe
Wooden Hoe
Wooden Pickaxe
Wooden Shovel
Wooden Sword
Written Book
Yellow Dye
Yellow Wool

Armor in Incorrect Slots

Iron armor in the incorrect slots

Warning: Game Crash

This feature can crash the game. Perform at your own risk.

In 13w04a (1.5 snapshot), using the newly added "right-click" feature on armor would place the armor piece in the incorrect slot. So holding boots and right-clicking would put them in the leggings slot, leggings in the chestplate slot, chestplate in helmet slot, and helmet would crash the game. Do not try right-clicking the helmet onto the player, although this is unlikely to cause permanent damage. Leather, chainmail, iron, gold, and diamond armor can be put onto the slots.^[1]

Overstacked Armor Slots

A stack of carved pumpkins on the player head

Overstacked armor in all slots

As mentioned earlier, the maximum count for armor slots should be 1 but there have been three ways to exceed this limit. This can be used to equip already overstacked armor/other equipment or be used to wear a stackable item. The stackable items that can be worn using these methods are the skull (skeleton, wither skeleton, creeper, zombie, dragon) or carved pumpkins.

Negative Items

From Indev 20100124 to 15w40b (1.9 snapshot), the TNT + chest method could be used to create a zero stack of any item. By throwing out 129 or more items from the stack, overstacked armor would be created. Until reloaded, this overstacked armor would still appear like a negative item, allowing the entire stack to be equipped.

Number Controls

From 12w42a (1.4 snapshot) to 15w45a (1.9 snapshot), number controls could be used to put a stack on the armor slot. While the bug that allowed any item was fixed in 1.4, its ability to equip a stack wasn't fixed until the 1.9 snapshot.

Shift

From 15w41a (1.9 snapshot) to 16w38a (1.11 snapshot) shifting a stack would equip the entire stack onto the armor slot.

Dispenser

This section is a work in progress.

Please help in the creation of this article/section by expanding or improving it.

^[2]

Wooden Armor

Wooden armor

Due to a glitch in the new recipe book and colored beds in 17w15a (1.12 snapshot) the player could trick planks into the armor slots.^[3] Upon death (assuming keepInventory is false) there is no way to return the planks to the slots in later versions.
First, the player must obtain the dye a bed crafting recipe. The player must get a white bed to unlock this. Then the player should obtain 3 planks and 3 wool. Then the player has to open the inventory with a 2x2 grid and click on the crafting recipe for the bed. This will place 1 plank on the player's head, clicking again will place another one and shift clicking will consume all the planks up to 1 stack for each slot.

Falling Block on Head Slot

Warning: April Fools'

This feature requires the usage of April Fools' versions, often requiring file renaming or file deletion to load. See the help page for information on loading these versions.

In the April Fools' snapshot 22w13oneBlockAtATime, any falling block that lands on top of the player will go into that player's head slot. This allows any block that existed to go into the head slot of a player.

Jack o'Lantern in Head Slot

From 23w06a to 1.20 Pre-release 4, any jack o'lantern can be placed in a player's head slot.^[4] This also allows for armor stands wearing jack o'lanterns and undead mobs wearing jack o'lanterns with NBT.

Combos

There are many combinations possible due to every item being available:

This section is a work in progress.

Please help in the creation of this article/section by expanding or improving it.

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Leather, Chainmail, Iron, Gold, Diamond, or Netherite (20w06a+ (1.16 snapshot))
↑ 18w07a+ (1.13 snapshot)
↑ Skeleton, Wither Skeleton, Zombie, Creeper, Dragon, or Player
↑ Alpha v1.2.0+
↑ 15w41a+ (1.9 snapshot)
↑ Tested in Indev 20100104 because Indev 0.31 20091231-1 is missing.
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players boots slot
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players chestplate slot
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 ^9.4 ^9.5 ^9.6 This item is only discontinued if not on the players helmet slot
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players leggings slot
↑ ^11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 This was discontinued at this time so it must be obtained via a specific method

References

↑ MC-8189. bugs.mojang.com.
↑ MC-8222. bugs.mojang.com.
↑ MC-115806. bugs.mojang.com.
↑ MC-261294. bugs.mojang.com.

[armortypes-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Leather, Chainmail, Iron, Gold, Diamond, or Netherite (20w06a+ (1.16 snapshot))

[2] 18w07a+ (1.13 snapshot)

[3] Skeleton, Wither Skeleton, Zombie, Creeper, Dragon, or Player

[4] Alpha v1.2.0+

[5] 15w41a+ (1.9 snapshot)

[6] Tested in Indev 20100104 because Indev 0.31 20091231-1 is missing.

[notFeetOnly-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players boots slot

[notChestOnly-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players chestplate slot

[notHeadOnly-9] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 ^9.4 ^9.5 ^9.6 This item is only discontinued if not on the players helmet slot

[notPantsOnly-10] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 This item is only discontinued if not on the players leggings slot

[discontinued-11] 11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 This was discontinued at this time so it must be obtained via a specific method

[12] MC-8189. bugs.mojang.com.

[13] MC-8222. bugs.mojang.com.

[14] MC-115806. bugs.mojang.com.

[15] MC-261294. bugs.mojang.com.

[note 1]

[note 2]

[note 3]

[note 4]

[note 5]

[note 6]

[note 7]

[note 8]

[note 9]

[note 10]

[note 11]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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Java Edition:Invalid Item in Armor Slot

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Normally Available Items