Collecting trophies in Minecraft usually means filling a chest with Netherite scrap or hanging an Ender Dragon egg on a pedestal. But for a certain type of player—the map maker, the server admin, or just the guy who wants to build a creepy throne room—there is a different prize. I'm talking about heads. Specifically, player heads. It's one of those items that feels like it should be easy to find, yet if you spend ten hours killing your friends in Survival mode, you’ll end up with exactly zero skulls.
Minecraft is weird like that.
The game’s logic doesn't follow real-world physics. If you want a zombie head, you need a very specific set of circumstances involving lightning and a sacrificial explosion. If you want Minecraft how to get player heads, though? Well, the game doesn't actually give them to you in vanilla Survival. You can’t just sharpen a sword and go hunting. You have to understand the distinction between what the game engine allows and what the Survival mechanics provide.
The Great Vanilla Letdown
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. You cannot get a player head in a standard, unmodded, "cheats-off" Survival world.
It doesn't matter if you use a Looting III sword. It doesn't matter if you use a Charged Creeper (though that works for skeletons, zombies, and creepers). In the base code of Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, players do not drop their own heads upon death. Honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer. Mojang has kept this as a "technical" item for years. To get your hands on one, you’re going to need to dip your toes into commands, creative mode, or server-side plugins.
If you’re playing on a massive multiplayer server like Hermitcraft and you see player heads everywhere, you’re seeing the work of a data pack. Most of the "pros" use a specific script from Vanilla Tweaks. Without that, you're stuck using the /give command.
Using Commands for Custom Skulls
This is the most direct way. If you have operator permissions or cheats enabled, you can summon any player's head into your inventory instantly. The command looks a bit intimidating if you aren't used to NBT tags, but it’s basically just telling the game: "Give @p (the nearest player) a player_head item with the owner's name attached."
For Java Edition (the version most people are looking for), the command is:/give @p minecraft:player_head{SkullOwner:"Username"}
Replace "Username" with whoever you want to decapitate (digitally, of course). If you want your own head, type your name. If you want Notch’s head, type Notch. It’s instantaneous. The game reaches out to the Minecraft skin servers, grabs the texture file associated with that name, and slaps it onto the cube model.
Why Bedrock is Different
Bedrock Edition (the one on consoles, phones, and the Windows Store) is a different beast entirely. It’s frustrating. Currently, the {SkullOwner} NBT tag doesn't work the same way it does in Java. You can use /give @p skull 1 3, but that usually just gives you a generic "Steve" head. If you’re on Bedrock, you are largely at the mercy of the marketplace or specific world templates. You can’t just pull a friend's skin onto a block as easily as Java players can. This is a known parity issue that has annoyed the community for years.
Data Packs: The "Survival" Way
If you want to earn these heads in a Survival setting without it feeling like "cheating," you need a data pack.
Most Java servers run the Player Head Drops data pack. It's a simple JSON file that tells the game: "When Player A kills Player B, check for a 100% chance to drop an item called player_head." This makes PvP much more rewarding. It turns a boring base raid into a quest for a trophy.
You can also find data packs that add player heads to the loot tables of Bastions or End Cities. Think about the lore implications. Finding a "lost explorer's head" in a chest deep in the Nether adds a layer of storytelling that Mojang hasn't officially implemented yet. To install these, you just drop the zip file into your world's datapacks folder. No mods required.
The Secret World of Decorative Heads
Did you know people have created thousands of "fake" players just to provide decorative blocks?
Since the game fetches the head texture based on a username, the community has created "MHF" (Minecraft History Friend) accounts. These are accounts with permanent skins that look like mini-blocks.
🔗 Read more: Why Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Still Feels Better Than Modern Shooters
- MHF_Cactus gives you a tiny cactus.
- MHF_Chest gives you a little chest.
- MHF_Apple gives you, well, an apple.
There are entire databases like Minecraft-Heads.com that list these. They provide long, complex "Give" codes that include the Base64 texture string. This is how builders create detail. They aren't using mods; they are using player heads that have been "tricked" into looking like bread, cameras, or globes.
The Charged Creeper Method (What doesn't work)
There is a common misconception that if a Charged Creeper blows up a player, the head drops. This is false.
In vanilla, a Charged Creeper explosion only forces a drop from:
- Zombies
- Skeletons
- Wither Skeletons
- Creepers
- Stray (Java only)
- Piglin (Recent updates)
If you stand next to a Charged Creeper and let it go off, you just die. You leave behind your XP and your items, but your head stays firmly on your shoulders. If you want that mechanic, you absolutely must use a plugin like EssentialsX or a custom Bukkit/Spigot script.
Technical Nuances: UUIDs vs Names
Here is something that trip people up. If you use a name-based command and that player changes their skin, the head in your hand will change too. It’s dynamic.
🔗 Read more: Michigan Lotto 47 winning numbers today evening: What Most People Get Wrong
If you want a head to always look a certain way, you have to use the UUID (Universally Unique Identifier). This is a long string of numbers and letters. When you use a UUID in a command, you’re locking that texture in. This is vital for map makers who don't want their "Golden Grail" item suddenly turning into a "SpongeBob" head because the player changed their skin on a whim.
Why Do You Even Want These?
Beyond the obvious "trophy" aspect, player heads are actually transparent blocks.
They have unique properties. You can place them on top of each other. You can put them on armor stands. You can even wear them. Wearing a player's head doesn't give you their powers (this isn't Kirby), but it is the ultimate disguise in a crowded server. If you’re playing a game of Hide and Seek, wearing a head that matches the wall texture is a pro-level move.
Actually, using custom heads is the primary way modern Minecraft "aesthetic" builds work. Look at any high-end creative build on Instagram. Those little jars of jam on the kitchen counter? Player heads. The basketball on the court? Player head. The tiny pile of gold coins? You guessed it.
Your Next Steps
If you're ready to start collecting, don't just start swinging a sword. It won't work.
First, decide if you're okay with commands. If you are, go to a site like Minecraft-Heads and browse the "Fresh" category. Copy the /give code and paste it into a Command Block (you'll need one because the codes are often too long for the standard chat box).
If you're running a server and want this to happen naturally, head over to the Vanilla Tweaks website. Download the "Player Head Drops" data pack. It takes thirty seconds to install, and it changes the entire vibe of your world. Suddenly, every death has a permanent record. You can build a graveyard that actually means something.
Just remember: if you're on Bedrock, your options are thin. You’re mostly stuck with the default mob heads (Zombie, Creeper, Skeleton, Dragon, Piglin) unless you use external editors or specific marketplace maps. It’s one of the few areas where Java Edition still holds a massive lead in creative flexibility.
Start with your own name. It’s a bit narcissistic, sure, but seeing your own face sitting on a fence post is a rite of passage for every Minecraft player.