How to dual wield in Minecraft

Q: How do you switch dual wield in Minecraft?

Can you dual wield in Minecraft? You cant wield two of the same weapon in each hand- you will default to the weapon in your dominant hand. However… Stick a bow, crossbow, shield, potion, fishing rod, or food in your off-hand, and you can right click to use it at any time, even while your main hand holds a sword.

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Bedrock Edition[]
References[]
How do you equip offhand in Minecraft?
How do you switch dual wield in Minecraft?

Dual wielding is a gameplay mechanic that allows players to hold two items or blocks‌[Java Edition only] simultaneously.

Usage[]

The off-hand slot highlighted in the inventory

This section is missing information about how to use things in off hand.

Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.

Players can equip an item to the off-hand slot from the inventory, similarly to armor. Players can also select an item and press F to automatically equip it. The off-hand slot then appears beside the HUD opposite from the main hand. If the player is in first person view, then the off-hand appears in the screen along with the held item. Whichever hand should be the main hand is configurable in the Skin Customization menu.

The off-hand can use the item it holds when there are no usable items on the main hand (e.g. swords), or the item held on the main hand cannot be used directly (e.g. shovel or hoe with no grass nearby). Otherwise, the main hand takes priority over the off-hand. Players also cannot break blocks or attack with the off-hand, even if nothing is held in the main hand.

Combat[]

A player holding a shield and an iron sword.

Arrows held in the off-hand are prioritized over other arrows in the hotbar and the inventory. Players can equip a specific arrow in their off-hand slot to fire it with a bow. If the bow is on the off-hand, then the arrow selected on the hotbar (with the main hand) is prioritized. Shields can be held in the off-hand as defense.

A player can also equip a bow, crossbow or trident in their off-hand. So far, these are the only weapons that can be used in this slot or in conjunction with another weapon. This allows for higher damage output as players no longer have to switch between a melee and distance weapon; however, it disables the use of a shield. Players can left-click to attack with the equipped melee weapon, and right click to attack with the ranged weapon.

Tool use[]

When a tool with a right-click function is held in the off-hand with another tool or weapon selected in the hotbar, right-clicking on a block that is relevant to the off-hand tool uses that off-hand tool unless the selected tool in the hotbar can also be used on the same block, in which case the hotbar tool has priority.

When an firework is in the off-hand slot and is being used with a crossbow, right-click and hold to charge and when ready, right click again to fire a firework. Fireworks can be fired from crossbows only when in the off-hand slot.

Bedrock Edition[]

In Bedrock Edition, only a select few items can be placed in the off-hand slot and be dual-wielded. Some are related to combat, like shields, arrows, tipped arrows, firework rockets or the totem of undying, while others are for exploring, like filled maps or explorer maps, and for aesthetic such as sparklers and nautilus shells.

History[]

Java Edition Beta
10 July 2011	Jeb states that "Notch is working on dual-wielding of items" during an interview.
1.6	Test Build 3	Added maps, which require both hands to hold.
Java Edition
1.9	May 28, 2015	Nathan Adams tweets a picture of dual-wielding fish.
June 4, 2015	Nathan Adams tweets a short guide explaining how the dual-wielding system works.
15w31a	Added dual wielding.
1.16	pre3	Swap item in hand now works while hovering over an item in inventory.[1]
Pocket Edition
1.1.0	alpha 1.1.0.0	Added the off-hand slot, which can be used by totems of undying and arrows only.
Bedrock Edition
1.2.0	beta 1.2.0.2	The player can now use maps in the off-hand slot.
1.4.0	beta 1.2.20.1	The player can now hold sparklers in the off-hand slot.
1.5.0	beta 1.5.0.0	The player can now hold the nautilus shell in the off-hand slot.
1.8.0	beta 1.8.0.10	The player can now hold firework rockets in the off-hand.
1.10.0	beta 1.10.0.3	The player can now hold shields in the off-hand slot.
Upcoming Bedrock Edition
1.19.60	beta 1.19.60.24	Using `/replaceitem` command can now put any item into the off-hand slot, but the item can not be used as when it is in the main hand.
Legacy Console Edition
TU53	CU43	1.49	Patch 23	1.0.3	Added the off-hand slot, which can be used by maps and arrows only. It currently does not use an inventory sprite.
TU54	CU44	1.52	Patch 24	1.0.4	The player can now hold the totem of undying and use firework rockets in the off-hand slot.
TU69		1.76	Patch 38		The player can now hold the nautilus shell in the off-hand slot.
	1.90		The off-hand slot now uses the sprite in the inventory.
The player can now hold shields in the off-hand slot.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Dual wield" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Gallery[]

Dinnerbone's original guide on dual wielding. (Note: the information on this image is outdated.)
Dinnerbone's original guide on dual wielding (cont.).
Dinnerbone's original guide on dual wielding (cont.).

References[]

↑ MC-84610 – "Off-hand hotkey doesn't work in inventories" – resolved as "Fixed"

How do you equip offhand in Minecraft?

How do you switch dual wield in Minecraft?

Can you dual wield in Minecraft? You can't wield two of the same weapon in each hand- you will default to the weapon in your dominant hand. However… Stick a bow, crossbow, shield, potion, fishing rod, or food in your off-hand, and you can right click to use it at any time, even while your main hand holds a sword.