Custom Item Particle Effects Minecraft Tutorial Step By Step (Java)

Hey everybody, it’s UnderMyCap, and welcome back to another video. Today I’m going to show you how to add some really cool particle effects to your Minecraft items. This is a simple setup that you’ll be able to learn by the end of this post, and it mainly uses the /execute command, the /particle command, and a repeating command block.

Here’s what you’ll end up with: an item (like a diamond) that leaves a particle trail behind it when you drop or throw it. In my example, I’m using a dripping water-style effect because it looks bluish, which fits a diamond nicely.

Getting a Command Block

First, you’ll need a command block. Run:

/give @s command_block

Place the command block on the ground. We’re using a command block because we want this command to repeat constantly. If you run the command in chat, it only happens once. With a repeating command block, the particles will continuously spawn as the item moves.

Building the Command

The command works by targeting the dropped item entity and then running a particle command at its position.

Start with /execute, and then target an entity:

/execute at @e[name=Diamond]

Note: Items are entities, so we use @e. If you wanted a particle effect on a player instead, you would target a player selector (like @a or a specific player).

Running the Particle Command

Next, you’ll run the particle command. Add run followed by particle and the particle you want to use:

run particle <particle_name>

You can choose any particle effect you like. In this example, I’m demonstrating with a glowstone item and a dripping lava particle, but the same method applies to diamonds and any other item.

Position Offsets (Making Particles Appear Above or Below the Item)

After the particle name, you’ll set the coordinates. Using ~ ~ ~ spawns the particle exactly at the entity’s location.

If you want the particles to appear above the item, add to the Y value (the middle coordinate), for example:

~ ~1 ~

If you want them below the item, use a negative number, for example:

~ ~-1 ~

You can also adjust X and Z the same way by using positive or negative values.

Spread, Speed, Count, and Display Mode

After the position, you’ll set the spread values (X, Y, Z). If you want no spread, use zeros. If you want a small spread, you can use something like 0.1.

Then set:

• Speed (often 0 is fine)
• Count (for a trail effect, 1 works well)
• Mode (force is commonly used so it’s visible)

Also, make sure you include the final target selector at the end (this is required in newer versions):

@a

Example Command (Glowstone + Dripping Lava)

Here’s an example that creates a dripping lava effect on a dropped glowstone item:

/execute at @e[name=Glowstone] run particle dripping_lava ~ ~1 ~ 0.1 0 0.1 0 1 force @a

Important: Make sure everything is spelled correctly and matches Minecraft’s capitalization rules where required. For example, if the item name is capitalized (like Glowstone), you must match that capitalization exactly.

If you remove the 1 in ~ ~1 ~ (or change it to a negative value), the dripping effect will appear underneath the item instead.

How It Looks In-Game

Once it’s set up, you can throw the item and it will leave a really nice particle trail as it moves. One thing to note: the effect won’t appear while the item is in your inventory. It only works once the item is dropped into the world.

That’s it! Thanks for watching, and if you enjoyed it, consider leaving a like and subscribing. If you have suggestions for future videos, leave them in the comments—I love reading through them and using your ideas.

See you in the next one!