Can Minecraft mobs open door?

Minecraft is a sandbox game that offers a diverse open world to explore and thrive in. It features multiple game modes, although most players prefer the survival mode. Dealing with hostile mobs poses a significant challenge for players attempting to survive, particularly during the night. Common hostile mobs spawn in most places and will chase any player within their vicinity.

To survive encounters with these mobs, it is crucial to understand basic movement mechanics. Many players are unaware that certain mobs in Minecraft possess the ability to open or break doors. However, this can only occur under specific circumstances.

This article provides details regarding mobs opening and breaking doors and how to prevent this from happening.

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Which Minecraft mobs can open doors?

Certain Minecraft mobs gaining access to houses and other parts of the player’s base can be catastrophic. For instance, a creeper entering a player’s complex farm and unexpectedly exploding close to them can cause major damage that will take time to restore.

However, not all mobs can open or break doors. Only villagers, wandering traders, and piglins have the ability to open doors, and occasionally, zombies and raid-spawned vindicators can break wooden doors.

Note that vindicators can break doors in Normal and Hard difficulty world settings, whereas zombies can only do so in Hard difficulty. Additionally, the probability of these two mobs breaking into houses with wooden doors is extremely low.

Another factor affecting this game mechanic is regional difficulty. Zombies that can break doors have a higher chance of spawning in areas where the player has spent a significant amount of time.

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How to prevent Minecraft mobs from breaking doors

Replace wooden doors with iron doors to prevent unwanted mobs (Image via Mojang Studios)

To prevent Minecraft mobs from breaking doors, although the probability is extremely low, players should at least mob-proof certain structures, such as villager breeders.

The first step to prevent mobs from accessing certain parts is ensuring that they cannot spawn nearby in the first place. This can be achieved by placing light-emitting blocks to increase the overall light level of the surrounding area. Just a few torches are sufficient to prevent mobs from spawning.

However, if mobs manage to reach the door after spawning elsewhere, players can employ iron doors as a solution. These doors are impervious to damage and necessitate the use of a button, lever, pressure plate, or similar items to operate.

Opting for a pressure plate mechanism would be ill-advised, as mobs can trigger them by stepping on them, inadvertently granting access through the doors. Buttons of any tier are the best choice for iron doors, as they open and close quickly. This is helpful in case the player is being chased by mobs.