Shields were added to Minecraft in the 1.9 “Combat Update” for Java Edition, released in February 2016. Bedrock Edition received shields later with its own 1.10 update.

Key dates

  • Java Edition : Shields arrived with the Combat Update (version 1.9) in February 2016, about seven years after Minecraft’s initial 2009 release.
  • Bedrock Edition : Shields were introduced with version 1.10, when many Java combat features were gradually brought over to Bedrock.

Extra context

  • The Combat Update not only added shields but also lingering potions and elytra, reshaping how combat worked.
  • Originally, the shield crafting recipe involved wool, but it was later changed to use wooden planks and a single iron ingot instead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.