Most Useful Minecraft Inventory Shortcuts

Minecraft is a game about crafting, gathering, and building, but inventory management is also essential. Whether you’re building your latest megastructure or just trying to stay alive in a Hardcore Survival challenge, then some quick inventory shortcuts save you time and possibly your life.

What’s more, if you’re looking into Minecraft speedrunning, knowing these tips and tricks is essential. So read on and explore the most useful Minecraft Inventory Shortcuts:

Inventory Shortcuts While Holding An Item

• Left Click - Places an item stack in the inventory slot hovered over. If an item occupies that slot, swap with the whole stack that occupied the slot. 
• Right Click - Places a single item from the item stack in the inventory slot that is hovered over. If an item occupies that slot, swap with the item that occupied the slot. 
• Left Click outside of the inventory - Drop the whole item stack onto the ground.
• Right Click outside of the inventory - Drop a single item from the item stack onto the ground.
• Shift + Double Left Click on a stack - Move all the item stacks of that type into the first slots in the inventory. When in a chest, all stacks are moved to the chest. 
• Hold Right Click and drag - Place one item from the picked-up item stack into any empty inventory slots along the dragged path.
• Hold Left Click or Hold Middle Mouse Button and Drag - Splits the stack equally across empty inventory slots.

Related: Minecraft Food Tier List

Inventory While Hovering Over An Item In Your Inventory

• Left Click - Pick up the stack under your cursor.
• Double Left Click - Pick up as much of that type of item as possible.
• Right Click - Pick up half a stack.
• Shift + Left or Right Click - Move the stack to the first available slot in the hotbar. Also works the other way round.
• Shift + Left or Right Click on armor - Equips the armor piece. If the armor is already worn, it moves it back into the inventory.
• Numbers 1-9 - Move the item stack to that hotbar slot.
• Esc or E button - Exit your Inventory.
• Q button - Drop a single item from the stack onto the ground.
• Ctrl + Q button - Drop the whole stack onto the ground.

With your newfound inventory mastery, it's the perfect time to go Diamond gathering with our guide, Minecraft: Where-to Find Diamonds Guide – Best Ways to Locate Diamond Ore!