Hand Animations › Guides

How to make custom item animations with a resource pack

Updated 2026-10-21 · Minecraft Java 26.2

Install Hand Animations, then add a JSON file per item in assets/<namespace>/handanimations/items/ in any resource pack. The file matches items by Minecraft id, SkyBlock id or name and sets their grip, keyframed swing, use, draw and inspect animations, and the model drawn in the hand.

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Steps

1. Make a resource pack folder with a pack.mcmeta, or start from the example pack.
2. Hold the item in game and run /handanimations item. It prints the item's Minecraft id, SkyBlock id, name, kind and which pack file matches it now.
3. Create assets/<your_namespace>/handanimations/items/<anything>.json with a match block and the parts you want to change.
4. Press F3 + T to reload resource packs and try it. A file with a mistake is skipped and the log says why.

An example file

{
  "match": { "skyblock_id": "HYPERION" },
  "kind": "blade",
  "hold": { "pitch": -10, "wrist_roll": 15 },
  "item": { "translation": [0, 1, 0], "scale": 1.1 },
  "use": {
    "length": 10,
    "keys": [
      { "t": 0 },
      { "t": 0.35, "y": 0.2, "pitch": -50 },
      { "t": 0.6, "pitch": 25, "spin": 90 },
      { "t": 1 }
    ]
  }
}

What you can set

• match: items (Minecraft ids), skyblock_id, name_contains or kind. Each can be one value or a list; an item has to pass every check given.
• priority: when several files match, the higher one wins. On a tie the more specific match wins.
• kind: give the item another kind's built-in animations: generic, blade, tool, drill, bow, rod, wand, block, head.
• model: an item model (namespace:path) drawn in the hand instead of the normal one. Inventory icons stay the same.
• hold: change the arm's pose while holding the item: x, y, z, pitch, yaw, roll, wrist_roll, wrist_pitch.
• item: move the item inside the hand with translation, rotation and scale, like a model's display settings.
• swing, use, equip, inspect: keyframed animations. Each key has a time t from 0 to 1 and any hold channel plus spin. Start and end with an empty key so the animation starts and ends at rest.

The full reference is in PACKS.md on GitHub.

FAQ

Do players need Hand Animations to see my pack's animations?

Yes. The animations are read by the Hand Animations mod. Without it, the pack's other contents still work as a normal resource pack.

Can I match Hypixel SkyBlock items?

Yes. Use skyblock_id with the item's SkyBlock id, for example HYPERION or ASPECT_OF_THE_END. Run /handanimations item to see an item's id.

Does a custom model change the inventory icon?

No. The model only replaces what is drawn in your hand in first person.