Old Apple to Arrow Recipe
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that stick. The Old Apple to Arrow Recipe is exactly that kind of idea: it turns a single apple into a single arrow, restoring a crafting conversion that many longtime players remember from the early days of the game. This page covers what the datapack does, which versions it supports, and how to install it in your world without touching a mod loader.
What Is the Old Apple to Arrow Recipe?
The Old Apple to Arrow Recipe is a lightweight datapack that adds one shapeless crafting recipe: one apple becomes one arrow. That is the entire feature set, and that is the point. There are no new items, no new blocks, and no configuration files to wrestle with. You drop the file into your world, and the recipe simply exists from that moment on.
Because the recipe is shapeless, you can place the apple in any slot of the crafting grid. Top left, bottom right, dead center, it does not matter. The output is always a single arrow. This makes bulk crafting fast and forgiving, especially when you are working from a full inventory and just want to clear out surplus apples.
Datapack Edition vs. the Original Mod
This release is the datapack edition of an existing mod. The creator, the_wither_storm_fan, originally shipped the recipe as a mod, then rebuilt it as a datapack for players who want the same behavior without the overhead. The datapack version is aimed at players who:
- Prefer datapacks over mods for small tweaks
- Do not want to install a mod loader such as Fabric or Forge
- Want the recipe in a completely vanilla world
- Want to drop a single file into an existing save
If you already run a modded setup and prefer keeping everything in one place, the original mod version still works fine. Both editions deliver the identical one-apple-to-one-arrow conversion.
Supported Minecraft Versions and Loaders
Datapack Version
The datapack edition supports Minecraft 1.13 through 26.3, with separate files for each version range. Because datapacks are loaded by the vanilla game itself, no loader is required at all. You do not need Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, or Quilt. If your world runs on Java Edition and your version falls inside that range, there is a file for you.
Mod Version
The mod edition exists for players who would rather manage everything through a loader. It covers the same recipe and the same general version spread, so you can pick whichever delivery method fits your setup.
One thing worth knowing: on Modrinth, the datapack and mod versions are combined into a single project, so you choose your preferred file from the same page. On CurseForge and Planet Minecraft, they are listed as separate projects, purely because those platforms do not allow combining mod and datapack releases. They are still the same project underneath.
How to Install the Datapack
Installation takes less than a minute. Follow these steps:
- Download Old Apple to Arrow Recipe for your exact Minecraft version.
- Open your world folder and locate the datapacks directory. If it does not exist, create it.
- Place the downloaded .zip file directly into that folder. Do not unzip it.
- Load your world, or run /reload if you are already in-game.
- Run /datapack list to confirm the pack is active.
That is the whole process. The recipe becomes available immediately, and any existing apples in your storage are now potential arrows. If you are setting up a fresh survival world, it is worth adding the pack before you start gathering resources so the recipe is available from day one. Players who would rather skip the manual file shuffling can grab Old Apple to Arrow Recipe through the foxygame.net launcher, which keeps add-ons organized in one catalog and handles version matching for you.
Why Keep It So Simple?
Not every add-on needs to overhaul the game. A single shapeless recipe is easy to understand, easy to remove, and impossible to break. It does not conflict with other datapacks unless they happen to define the exact same recipe, and it adds no performance cost worth mentioning. For players who enjoy small quality-of-life tweaks that respect the vanilla feel, this is about as clean as it gets.
Final Thoughts
The Old Apple to Arrow Recipe is a small, focused datapack that does one job well. It works across Minecraft 1.13 through 26.3, requires no mod loader, and installs by dropping a single file into your world. Whether you are clearing out an apple farm or just want a nostalgic crafting option back in your game, this pack delivers it without ceremony. Download the file for your version, reload your world, and start turning fruit into ammunition.