To make an End Portal in Minecraft, you must locate a broken portal frame inside a Stronghold and activate it by placing an Eye of Ender into each of the 12 frame blocks. In Survival mode, this requires crafting Eyes of Ender, finding the Stronghold, and navigating its corridors; in Creative mode, you can build the entire portal from scratch using End Portal blocks and Eyes of Ender from your inventory.
What is an end portal and how does it work?
An End Portal is a structure that grants access to the End dimension, home of endermen, endermites, and the Ender Dragon. In Survival mode, you cannot craft an End Portal from scratch; you must find a broken portal frame inside a Stronghold and insert 12 Eyes of Ender to restore it. In Creative mode, you can build a functioning End Portal by placing 12 End Portal blocks in a ring and adding Eyes of Ender. Once activated, stepping into the portal transports you to the End, where you must defeat the dragon to return.
How to make an end portal in survival mode
Making an End Portal in Survival mode involves several stages: gathering materials, locating the Stronghold, and activating the broken frame. The process begins with obtaining the two ingredients for Eyes of Ender: Ender Pearls and Blaze Powder.
Step 1: Obtain ender pearls
Ender Pearls are required to craft Eyes of Ender. You can obtain them by:
- Killing Endermen, which have only a 25% chance of dropping an Ender Pearl when killed.
- Trading with expert-level cleric villagers: in Bedrock Edition, they have a 100% chance to trade an Ender Pearl for emeralds; in Java Edition, only a 66% chance.
- Bartering with Piglins in the Nether by giving them a gold ingot, which has a 1.83% chance of yielding Ender Pearls.
Step 2: Get blaze powder from the Nether
To make Blaze Powder, you must first enter the Nether. Build and activate a Nether Portal using obsidian and flint and steel or a fire charge. To craft Flint and Steel, place one iron ingot and one flint in a crafting grid. To craft a Fire Charge for lighting the Nether Portal, place one blaze powder, one coal/charcoal, and one gunpowder in a crafting grid (yields three Fire Charges). Once in the Nether, locate a Nether Fortress and kill Blazes, which have a 50% chance of dropping a Blaze Rod when killed. Place one Blaze Rod in a crafting grid to produce two Blaze Powder.
Step 3: Craft eyes of ender
Combine one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder in a crafting grid to create an Eye of Ender. Craft 20 to 30 Eyes of Ender to ensure you have enough for both locating the Stronghold and filling the portal frame, as some may shatter during use.
Step 4: Use eyes of ender to find a stronghold
You can find your world spawn point using a compass. Stand at your world spawn point and throw an Eye of Ender: in Java Edition, right-click; in Minecraft Pocket Edition (Bedrock), tap anywhere on the screen. The eye will float in the air for a few seconds, then drift toward the nearest Stronghold. Follow it for several hundred blocks, then throw another eye. Each throw has a chance of shattering, so retrieve any intact eyes. When the eye begins traveling downward instead of rising, you are directly above the Stronghold. Throw one final eye and note the exact block it lands on, dig directly beneath that block to enter the Stronghold.
Step 5: Dig down and navigate the stronghold
Dig down through two blocks instead of one to avoid falling onto lava or hostile mobs. Once inside, navigate the labyrinthine corridors. The portal room is usually within ten rooms of your entry point. Leave markers such as torches on one side of walls to avoid backtracking. Be prepared to fight hostile mobs and silverfish. You will recognize the portal room by its rectangular shape, three pools of lava, a doorway, a short set of stairs, and a monster spawner at the top.
Step 6: Activate the broken end portal
Destroy the silverfish spawner and fill in all lava pools to prevent accidents. Approach the broken End Portal frame at the top of the stairs. There is only a 10% chance that a portal frame block generates with an Eye of Ender already in it; the chance of finding a frame already completely pre-filled with Eyes of Ender is one in a trillion. Place one Eye of Ender into each of the 12 frame blocks. When the last eye is inserted, you will hear a booming sound and the center of the frame will turn dark. The portal is now active, and you can step through to enter the End.
How to build an end portal in creative mode
In Creative mode, building an End Portal is straightforward. Open your inventory and take 12 End Portal blocks and 12 Eyes of Ender. Stand in the center of your chosen location. Place three End Portal blocks in a row, ensuring the marks on each block face inward and outward. Turn to the next side of your 3x3 grid and place three more blocks in a straight line. Repeat this process two more times to complete the frame, the four corners of the grid remain empty. Step out of the center and place one Eye of Ender on each of the 12 End Portal blocks. The portal activates with a booming sound and a dark center, ready for travel to the End.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make an end portal without going to the Nether?
No. You must obtain Blaze Powder from Blaze Rods, which only drop from Blazes found in Nether Fortresses. Without entering the Nether, you cannot craft Eyes of Ender.
What happens if an Eye of Ender shatters while I'm looking for the Stronghold?
If an Eye of Ender shatters, you lose it permanently. This is why it is recommended to craft 20 to 30 eyes before starting your search, so you have enough to complete the journey even with losses.
Do all Strongholds have an End Portal?
In Java Edition, every Stronghold contains an End Portal room. In Bedrock Edition, however, not all Strongholds guarantee a portal room, so you may need to search multiple Strongholds if the first one lacks a portal.
Can I use the Procreate Digital Art App to plan my End Portal build?
While Procreate Digital Art App is excellent for sketching designs, you do not need it for Minecraft, the portal layout is fixed: a 3x3 ring of 12 blocks with empty corners, which is simple to build from memory.
Is it possible to break an End Portal frame block?
End Portal frame blocks are indestructible in Survival mode. You cannot mine or break them, so you must use the existing frame in the Stronghold rather than moving it.
Related reading: How to Change Minecraft Username (Ultimate Guide) and How to Make a Mob Farm in Minecraft to Ramp Up Your XP.
