How to Find the End Portal in Minecraft

Minecraft is, without a doubt, one of the most creatively driven games out there, giving players complete freedom over their worlds and what they build. Whether you’re diving into Bedrock Edition or experimenting with mods in Java, there’s nearly endless fun to be had no matter how you choose to play.

For those starting up a Survival World, though, one main objective usually comes to mind: reaching the End to face off against the infamous Ender Dragon. While finding the End Portal may seem straightforward at first, it can quickly become a head-scratcher if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here’s a guide on how to track down the End Portal quickly in Minecraft.

Step #1: Craft the Eye of Ender

Before players go out looking for the End Portal, they must first craft several Eyes of Ender. Not only will this item be used to activate the End Portal itself, but it will also be used to find the Stronghold where the End Portal is located. A single Eye of Ender can be crafted using the following materials:

Players will need a minimum of 12 Eyes of Ender to open the End Portal. However, we recommend crafting a little more than that, as some of them may be lost when hunting for the Stronghold.

Step #2: Use the Eyes of Ender to Find the Stronghold

Now that you have crafted a bunch of Eyes of Ender, you can use them to locate the Stronghold. To do this, press the Use Button (Right Click/LT/L2). Upon doing so, the Eye of Ender will fly a short distance toward the nearest Stronghold. However, keep in mind that once the Eye of Ender has been thrown, it has a 20% chance of shattering and an 80% chance of simply dropping back to the ground. This is why crafting extras is important, along with using your throws sparingly to avoid burning through all your eyes.

Repeat the process of throwing the Eyes of Ender and following them until they reach a point where they no longer move forward. At this point, you may even find yourself backtracking if you’ve already gone past the portal. From here, build up some height and throw another Eye of Ender to get a more precise location of where in the ground the Stronghold lies. Take note of where it points, as this will serve as your entry point to the Stronghold.

Step #3: Enter the Stronghold & Locate the End Portal

Now that you are directly above the Stronghold, you’ll need to dig your way down to reach it. It’s generally advised not to dig straight down, as you run the risk of falling into lava or taking fall damage if you hit a cave. Instead, before digging down, stand in the middle of two blocks and break both as you descend. This way, if you encounter lava or a cave, you won’t immediately fall in.

After some digging, you should eventually come across a structure made of Stone Bricks: that’s the Stronghold. The next step is locating the End Portal Room, which can be a tricky process depending on where you enter inside the Stronghold. To make your search easier, check each route thoroughly and mark areas you’ve already visited with torches so you don’t end up running in circles.

Another tip is to turn your volume up and listen out for Silverfish. Since the Portal Room has a Silverfish Spawner, you can sometimes use its sounds as a guide to pinpoint its location. Once you finally discover the End Portal, place your Eyes of Ender into the empty slots to activate it and open the gateway to the End.