WhatBlock
by SezarBD
WhatBlock shows a small HUD pill near the top of the screen with the icon, localized name and registry ID of the block under the crosshair.
What it does
The HUD appears only while a block is aimed at and hides itself when the crosshair rests on open sky, air or a GUI screen. Names follow the current game locale, so the text reads in the language the player has chosen. Each entry combines the block icon, its proper name and its minecraft:id style registry identifier, which can also be used to search with commands.
WhatBlock is a client-side only mod for Forge 1.21.8. Only the player's client needs it, so servers run without it and players can join a server without installing anything. It is released under the MIT License, which permits use and modification, including inclusion in modpacks with attribution, but the project is not open source. Works with vanilla blocks and most Forge mod blocks, and it suits modpacks and content creators who want an identifier on screen.
Key features
Aimed-block HUD
A compact display shows the block the player is looking at and nothing else, keeping the screen uncluttered.
Icon, name and registry ID
Each entry lists the block icon, its localized name and its registry identifier together.
Auto-hide
The display disappears over sky, air and open GUI screens, so it does not stay on screen when no block is targeted.
Locale-aware names
Block names come from the current language setting, matching the rest of the interface.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Modpack building
Pack makers can check which registry identifier a block uses while assembling recipes or world content.
Content creation
Creators who record tutorials can show the exact block name and ID on screen as they build.
Who it’s for: Players and pack makers who want the name and registry identifier of a block without opening a menu. Servers are not required to run it, and the mod is not needed on a dedicated server.
How it compares
Entity Hover Information is a client-side only Forge and NeoForge mod for 1.20.1 – 1.21.11, released under All rights reserved and not open source; it shows information about entities rather than blocks. Texture Locale Redirector is client-side only, open source under the MIT License and available for Fabric, Forge and NeoForge across 1.20 – 26.3.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhatBlock | Forge | 1.21.8 | Client-side only | 2025-09-10 |
| Entity Hover Information | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2026-06-28 |
| Texture Locale Redirector | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-10-09 |
Questions
Does WhatBlock need to be installed on the server?
Which Minecraft version does WhatBlock support?
Can WhatBlock show the ID of modded blocks?
In the catalog
WhatBlock is one of 29,952 Game mechanics mods on ModsFinder, and one of 13,316 Game mechanics mods for Forge. 17,695 mods support Minecraft 1.21.8.
More from SezarBD
Similar mods
What the author says
Tap into instant block info without the clutter. WhatBlock is a tiny HUD that pops in only when you aim at a block—showing [icon] Localized Name | registry:id—then politely disappears. It’s the “just enough info” tool you’ll actually keep installed. Instant clarity. Icon + proper name + minecraft:id at a glance.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/whatblock
- Owner
- SezarBD
- Published
- 2025-09-10
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-09-10
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15