Hardcore Heart in Minecraft: UI and Realms Display

Key Takeaways

Point	Details
The hardcore heart texture	The hardcore heart texture replaces all health bar hearts in Hardcore mode for both Java and Bedrock Edition.
In Bedrock Preview 1.21.30.23,	In Bedrock Preview 1.21.30.23, the hardcore heart icon on the Play screen animates when the world is hovered.
Bedrock Preview 26.30.29 added	Bedrock Preview 26.30.29 added a hardcore heart and border to Realms Hub slots for Hardcore worlds.
Status effects override the hardcore heart texture in this priority	poison > wither > absorption > freezing.
Frozen hearts in hardcore	Frozen hearts in hardcore mode were added to Java Edition in snapshot 20w49a.

Where the Hardcore Heart Appears

The hardcore heart is the distinct heart texture used on the health bar when playing in Hardcore mode. In Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, the in-game health bar uses a different texture for all hearts.

Hearts make up the health bar for the player in the Survival, Hardcore (different texture), and Adventure modes.

Also, all hearts have different textures in Hardcore mode.

Beyond the HUD, Bedrock Edition has added the hardcore heart icon to the world selection screen and Realms.

Bedrock Play Screen Animation

In Bedrock Edition Preview 1.21.30.23, the hardcore heart displayed on worlds in the new Play screen now animates when the world is hovered.

The hardcore heart displayed on worlds in the new Play screen now animates when world is hovered (Preview only).

Realms Display for Hardcore Worlds

For players using Realms, Bedrock Edition Preview 26.30.29 added a Hardcore heart and border in the Realms Hub slots section for Hardcore worlds.

Realms Added a Hardcore heart and border in the Realms Hub slots section for Hardcore worlds.

Texture Overrides from Status Effects

The appearance of the hardcore hearts can change based on status effects. There is a priority order: poison overrides wither, which overrides absorption, which overrides freezing. Only absorption hearts are distinct yellow hearts; other conditions change the entire health bar texture.

Hearts take the highest applicable texture in this list; poison overrides wither, which overrides absorption, which overrides freezing.

For example, in Java Edition 1.17 snapshot 20w49a, frozen hearts were added to appear in Hardcore mode.

Freezing Frozen hearts now appear in Hardcore mode.