Cell⁴: Infinite ME Storage Cells for Applied Energistics 2
If you have ever watched a digital storage drive fill up in the middle of a massive automation build, you already understand the pain that Cell⁴ was designed to solve. This add-on for Applied Energistics 2 (AE2) introduces three types of Infinity Cells that let you pull endless amounts of specific resources straight from your ME network. Whether you are building a kitchen-sink modpack or a tightly curated expert pack, Cell⁴ for Minecraft gives pack developers precise control over what counts as truly infinite.
What Cell⁴ Actually Does
At its core, Cell⁴ is an AE2 addon built with modpack development in mind. Instead of storing items in a conventional cell, an Infinity Cell is bound to a defined set of items, tags, or entire mods. Once bound, that cell allows infinite extraction from the ME network. Any matching items you insert are silently discarded, so they consume no real storage space. The result is a clean, lag-friendly way to represent unlimited resources without bloating your save file.
The add-on supports three Minecraft versions across two loaders: 1.20.1 on Forge, plus 1.21.1 and 26.1.2 on NeoForge. That spread means you can slot it into both older and newer pack lineups without hunting for a backport.
The Three Infinity Cell Types
Infinity Item Cell
Binds specific items or fluids, such as minecraft:diamond or a single processed ingot. Perfect when you want one resource to be effectively unlimited.
Infinity Tag Cell
Binds everything matching one or more tags, and it can also pull from specified mods. This is the workhorse for packs that use tag conventions like c:ingots/iron.
Infinity ModID Cell
Binds every item from a chosen mod. Great for gating progression behind a single mod's output or for creative-style testing worlds.
Using the Cell Configurator
The Cell Configurator is an in-game tool for editing cell data visually, and it removes the need to memorize command syntax. Right-click while holding it to open the configuration GUI, then place a cell into the slot. The editable fields change depending on which cell type you inserted, and inactive fields appear grayed out so you cannot edit them by mistake.
- Separate multiple values with commas, for example minecraft:diamond,minecraft:oak_log.
- In the blacklist field, prefix tags with # (such as #minecraft:birch_logs) and mod IDs with @ (such as @mekanism).
- Press Tab to cycle between editable fields.
- Press Enter to save changes.
- Click Save to apply, Reset to revert, or Clear to erase every field.
The right side of the GUI shows a Preview panel displaying the cell's tooltip exactly as it will appear in your inventory. If you set a custom name, the preview updates in real time with the new name shown in italic style, which makes labeling a wall of cells far easier.
Data Keys and Version Differences
Each cell stores its configuration under a small set of keys: cell4item for specific items or fluids, cell4tag for tags, cell4modid for mod IDs, cell4blacklist for exclusions, and cell4name for an optional display name. The storage format depends on your version. Minecraft 1.20.1 keeps these keys as raw NBT, while 1.21.1 and 26.1.2 store them inside data components.
That difference matters when you write commands. On 1.21.1 and 26.1.2 you use the custom_data syntax, whereas 1.20.1 uses the older brace syntax. Tag namespaces also shift: c: is standard on 1.21.1 and 26.1.2, while forge: applies to 1.20.1. A typical single-value command on modern versions looks like a give command targeting cell4:infinity_item_cell with custom_data set to cell4item:"minecraft:diamond". Multiple values go inside square brackets, and the Infinity Tag Cell can even combine cell4tag and cell4modid at the same time.
Blacklist entries support three forms: a plain item identifier, a tag prefixed with #, or a mod ID prefixed with @. Blacklisted items show up in the cell tooltip with a marker so you can spot them at a glance. If you would rather skip manual file juggling, the foxygame.net launcher handles Cell⁴ installation in a single click and keeps the add-on updated automatically as new builds appear.
How to Install Cell⁴
Getting started is straightforward. First, confirm you are running a supported combination: Forge on 1.20.1, or NeoForge on 1.21.1 and 26.1.2. Next, make sure Applied Energistics 2 is present, since Cell⁴ depends on it. Then drop the add-on file into your mods folder alongside AE2 and launch the game. If you prefer a guided setup, a launcher with a built-in add-on catalog can handle the version matching for you.
Once in game, craft a Cell Configurator, bind a cell, and place it into your ME drive. From that moment, matching items flow out of the network without ever draining storage. For pack authors, this is the cleanest way to hand players infinite access to a curated resource list while keeping the rest of the progression intact.
Final Thoughts
Cell⁴ fills a very specific niche, and it fills it well. By tying infinity to items, tags, or mod IDs rather than to a blanket creative mode, it gives modpack developers a surgical tool for balancing automation. If you want to download Cell⁴ and start experimenting, check your loader version first, then let the configurator do the heavy lifting. A few well-placed Infinity Cells can transform how your entire ME network feels.