Understanding the Identify Control in Bedrock Edition

Key Takeaways

Point	Details
The Identify control was	The Identify control was renamed from Describe in Bedrock Preview 26.10.25.
Bedrock Edition shows item	Bedrock Edition shows item names with a black background and includes enchantments and shulker box contents.
Java Edition item names	Java Edition item names appear in italics without additional information.
The Identify control is	The Identify control is part of the Bedrock HUD and can be bound to a key or button.
Players can use the	Players can use the Identify control to quickly check blocks, items, and their properties.

What Is the Identify Control in Bedrock Edition?

The Identify control is a dedicated input that reveals the name and details of the block or item you're looking at. If you've played Bedrock for a while, you probably knew it as the Describe control. In Bedrock Edition Preview 26.10.25, released on February 24, 2026, Mojang officially renamed it to Identify to better match its function.

Controls Updated the name for the Describe control to Identify.

Changes in Bedrock Preview 26.10.25

The rename is the headline change, but the control itself still works the same way. On touch devices you'll find a button on the HUD; on keyboard or controller you can bind it to any key or button. When activated, it shows the exact name of the targeted block or item, which is especially useful for distinguishing similar blocks like diorite vs. calcite or checking the enchantments on a friend's gear.

How Bedrock Displays Item Names

One major difference between Bedrock and Java Edition is how item names appear on the screen. In Bedrock, when you scroll through your hotbar (or use the Identify control), the item name appears with a solid black background and includes extra info such as enchantments and the contents of a shulker box. Java Edition, by contrast, shows the name in italics without any black box or additional data.

In Java Edition, this name appears in italics, while in Bedrock Edition, the text has a black background and also shows enchantments of the selected item, and contents of a shulker box.

This means the Identify control in Bedrock is more than a label—it gives you a quick peek at what's inside a container or how powerful a weapon really is.

Using the Identify Control on Custom Item Servers

If you play on servers with custom items, the Identify control becomes even more valuable. You can instantly see the bonus stats, set bonuses, or level requirements on any piece of gear. This pairs nicely with server mechanics where you need to check custom item leveling or reroll stats to optimize your loadout. Knowing what you're holding at a glance saves time and helps you make smarter upgrade decisions.

Comparing Bedrock and Java Edition HUD

The HUD itself is a system that overlays your health, hunger, hotbar, and other key information on the screen. Bedrock's mobile layout even moves the health and armor bars to the top left and hunger to the top right. But the Identify control is one small piece of that larger interface—one that Bedrock players get and Java players don't.

The HUD typically consists of the user's health, hunger, and experience bars, the hotbar, as well as a crosshair that designates the currently focused on block or entity if the player is not playing on a mobile device and has not enabled split controls.