REDSTONE TORCH
A torch that emits a constant redstone signal of 15. Can be inverted (turned off) by powering the block it is attached to. Fundamental building block for NOT gates and memory circuits.
Crafting Recipe
1 Redstone Dust + 1 Stick → 1 Redstone Torch
Signal Behavior
Input
InputPowered block it sits on turns it OFF
Output
Emits signal strength 15 when ON
Max Signal Strength
Max Signal Strength15
Delay
Delay1 redstone tick (0.1s) to toggle
Modes
- Always on (default)
- Inverted when block is powered
Overview: what the Redstone Torch is and does
A torch that emits a constant redstone signal of 15. Can be inverted (turned off) by powering the block it is attached to. Fundamental building block for NOT gates and memory circuits.
As a power source it sits at the start of a circuit, generating the signal that everything downstream reacts to. It is the oldest active power source in the game and the building block every NOT gate, RS latch, and torch-tower repeater is made from.
The Redstone Torch was added to Minecraft in Alpha 1.0.1 and everything described here reflects its behaviour in Java Edition 1.21.
How it works: the redstone mechanics
On the input side, powered block it sits on turns it OFF. On the output side, emits signal strength 15 when ON.
A lit torch weakly powers the block it sits against and strongly powers the block directly above it, while feeding signal 15 into any dust touching it. Powering the block it is attached to forces the torch off after a 1-redstone-tick (0.1s) delay, which is exactly the inversion that makes it a NOT gate.
Powering note: Strongly powers the block above it; weakly powers dust beside and below it.
Timing-wise, factor in 1 redstone tick (0.1s) to toggle when you wire it into a sequenced circuit.
It can output a maximum signal strength of 15, which travels 15 blocks through bare redstone dust before fading to nothing.
It operates in the following modes: always on (default) and inverted when block is powered.
How to set it up
- 1Craft the Redstone Torch: 1 Redstone Dust + 1 Stick → 1 Redstone Torch.
- 2Decide where the signal needs to start or land, then place the Redstone Torch against a solid surface so it can feed the rest of your circuit.
- 3Run redstone dust away from it toward the component you want to control, remembering the signal will fall by 1 per block.
- 4Test in a creative-mode plot first: trigger the input and confirm the Redstone Torch behaves exactly as the timing above predicts before committing it to a survival build.
Uses & applications
- ▸NOT gates
- ▸Torch towers (vertical signal)
- ▸RS NOR latches
- ▸Constant power source
- ▸Clock circuits
Tips & common mistakes
- !Placing on a powered block (torch stays off)
- !Burnout from rapid toggling (1-tick clocks)
- !Forgetting the 1-tick delay it introduces
- !A torch that flips state more than about 8 times in a short window will burn out and go dark until it receives a fresh block update, so never drive a 1-tick clock straight off a single torch.
Redstone Torch FAQ
What is the Redstone Torch used for in Minecraft redstone?
The Redstone Torch is most often used for NOT gates, torch towers (vertical signal), RS NOR latches, and constant power source. As a power source it sits at the start of a circuit, generating the signal that everything downstream reacts to.
What signal strength does the Redstone Torch output?
Emits signal strength 15 when ON. Its maximum signal strength is 15.
How do you craft the Redstone Torch?
1 Redstone Dust + 1 Stick → 1 Redstone Torch. It was introduced in Alpha 1.0.1.
Does the Redstone Torch add any delay to a circuit?
Yes — 1 redstone tick (0.1s) to toggle. Account for that timing when chaining it with other components, especially in clocks and fast doors.
Why does my redstone torch turn off?
A redstone torch turns off whenever the block it is attached to becomes powered. That is intentional inversion behaviour. If it goes dark and stays dark even with no power, it has burned out from toggling too fast and needs a block update nearby to reset.