Player head commands by version
The command changed twice. Use the row for the Java version you play; swap Notch for any Java username.
| Java version | Command |
|---|---|
| 1.20.5 to 1.21+ | /give @p minecraft:player_head[minecraft:profile={name:"Notch"}] |
| 1.13 to 1.20.4 | /give @p minecraft:player_head{SkullOwner:"Notch"} |
| 1.8 to 1.12 | /give @p minecraft:skull 1 3 {SkullOwner:"Notch"} |
Java 1.20.5 moved item data from NBT tags into item components, so SkullOwner became the minecraft:profile component. Before 1.13, heads were one skull item with a damage value, and 3 meant a player head.
By name or fixed skin?
- By name stores only the username. The game fetches the skin when the head loads, so it follows the player’s skin changes. The command is short enough for chat.
- Fixed skin stores the skin texture itself (plus the UUID). It keeps today’s look even if the player changes skin or name, which is what you want for decorations, trophies and statues. The command is long, so run it from a command block.
How to give yourself a player head
Turn on cheats or get operator
In single player, open the world to LAN with cheats on, or create the world with cheats allowed. On a server you need operator permission.
Copy the command
Pick your Java version above, then copy. By-name commands can be pasted straight into chat.
Run it, or use a command block
For long fixed-skin commands, run
/give @p minecraft:command_block, place it, paste the command in, and power it with a button.
Player heads on Bedrock
Bedrock Edition has player heads as a block, but no command can put a chosen player’s skin on one. Custom heads there come from add-ons or resource packs. Everything on this page is for Java Edition.
Download a head picture
After a lookup, the head can be saved as a flat face or as a 3D block, from 64 to 512 pixels, with the second layer (hats, hair, glasses) included. The pixels stay sharp at every size, which makes them good for Discord avatars and thumbnails. A 64px head is exactly the size a server icon needs; the server icon maker previews it in the server list. For the whole skin rather than the head, use the skin grabber.
Other player tools
The fixed-skin command embeds the player’s UUID in the NBT int array format; the UUID lookup shows every format if you are writing commands by hand.
Player head questions
How do you get a player head in Minecraft?
Player heads can’t be crafted or found in Survival. In Java Edition you get them from the Creative inventory, with pick block, or with the /give command. Only /give lets you choose whose face is on the head.
What is the player head command in 1.21?
Since Java 1.20.5 the command is /give @p minecraft:player_head[minecraft:profile={name:"Notch"}]. Swap Notch for any Java username. The head updates if that player changes their skin.
Why doesn’t my old head command work any more?
Java 1.20.5 replaced the SkullOwner NBT tag with the profile item component. Commands such as /give @p player_head{SkullOwner:"Notch"} only work in 1.13 to 1.20.4. Pick your version in the generator to get the right syntax.
Can you get player heads on Bedrock Edition?
Not of a specific player. Bedrock has the player head block, but no command lets you choose whose skin it shows. Custom heads on Bedrock need an add-on or resource pack.
What is the difference between a name head and a fixed-skin head?
A name head stores only the username and looks up the skin, so it follows skin changes. A fixed-skin head stores the skin texture itself, so it keeps today’s look forever, even if the player renames or changes skin.
Why is the head command too long to paste in chat?
Chat accepts at most 256 characters. Fixed-skin commands include the whole texture code and are usually longer, so paste them into a command block instead, or use the shorter name version.