How to build a Nether Portal in Minecraft

Minecraft features two different types of portals which grant access to these alternate dimensions: Nether Portals and End Portals. Nether portals will teleport you to the dangerous Nether dimension, full of aggressive mobs and fantastic loot. Building a portal to the Nether is a relatively simple process with just a few steps to follow. Surviving in the Nether — well, that’s another story. When you think you’re ready to take on the Nether’s dangerous mobs and environment, you’ll benefit from this guide to crafting a Nether Portal in Minecraft.

How to build a Nether Portal in Minecraft

Gather the necessary materials

To build a Nether portal, first, you’ll need obsidian, which can be created by pouring water into lava. You can find naturally occurring obsidian where lava meets water, or you can create your own by using a bucket to collect lava, then pouring it onto water blocks. You will need a Diamond Pickaxe to mine obsidian.

You’ll also need to craft flint and steel to ignite the portal. Each Nether Portal frame requires 10 obsidian blocks, so you’ll want to collect at least 20 blocks so you can build portals both to and from the Nether. Be sure to bring these extra materials with you to craft your exit portal on the other side. These nether portals can be linked with use of coordinates.

Build a frame for your Nether portal

The frame of the Nether portal should be made of obsidian and should be four blocks wide and five blocks tall. You can get pretty fancy with your Nether portal build if you have the materials, but for your first trip, we recommend making a simple rectangular frame. It’s important to note that you don’t need to use the obsidian blocks for the corners of the frame, so you can use dirt or another easy-to-obtain block to fill these spaces.

Ignite the portal and travel to the Nether

Once the frame is in place, use the flint and steel to ignite the inside of the frame by right-clicking on any of the obsidian blocks. While it is possible to light the portal using fire, the combination of flint and steel is the most reliable method. Once the portal is lit, you can enter it to travel to the Nether.

Be prepared, as the Nether is a dangerous and hostile environment with many hazards, including lava lakes, fire, and hostile mobs including Ghasts, Piglin, Skeleton, and others. You’ll want to make sure you’re well-equipped enough to survive in the Nether before entering.

Escape the Nether and return to the Overworld

When you’re ready to return to the Overworld, you’ll need to build another portal in the Nether, so make sure to bring enough supplies and resources to build this second Nether portal. Simply construct another Nether portal with the same method detailed above and, once ignited, you’ll be able to use it to travel back to the overworld.

And that’s it — building a Nether portal in Minecraft is an easy process that will allow you to explore the depths of the Nether and all its secrets. Making it out alive? That’s the hard part. Thankfully we’ve got a helpful guide to ensure you’ll be able to survive in the Nether for more than a few minutes. Hopefully.