How to find the End Portal in Minecraft

Finding the End Portal is the start of a long journey that eventually takes players to fight the Ender Dragon and achieve the true “end” of Minecraft. Of course, take that “end” with a grain of salt, as there are limitless possibilities to the game. If this is your first time reaching the End Portal, or you just need a refresher on how to do so, this guide will help you find the End Portal in no time!

The End Portal is located within an underground stronghold. This stronghold is randomly generated in the Overworld. It is possible to accidentally stumble upon the stronghold while mining, but there are definitive ways to locate it yourself. To locate this stronghold and find the End Portal, players must prepare by gathering the proper items.

What You'll Need

Reaching the End Portal isn’t as simple as finding it on a map. But the true way to find the End Portal begins with gathering the proper materials. 

Here is everything you’ll need:

• Approximately 32 Eyes of Ender 
• • • You must have 12 Eyes of Ender to activate the portal. Each End Portal Frame has a 1/10 chance of being filled in. Additionally, you should have at least 20 more Eyes of Ender to guide your way toward the stronghold. Some disappear after being thrown. Others fall to the ground for retrieval.
• 1x Boat
• Plenty of Torches

Note: These are the essential items that will guide you toward the End Portal. You should still have food, weapons, and armor on hand.

Finding the Stronghold

With all materials prepared, equip your Eyes of Ender. Throw one Eye of Ender and notice that it travels in an upward direction. Follow that direction it travels. This is what you will be doing until reaching the End Portal Stronghold. If at any point the Eye of Ender travels behind you instead of in front of you, that means you have overshot the End Portal.

Depending on where the End Portal spawned in your world, you might be following this direction for 100 blocks, 1,000 blocks, or even more. Continue following this direction for as long as it takes.

Throw an Eye of Ender every so often to ensure you continue following the correct path. But do not spam the Eye of Ender. Some Eyes of Ender will fall to the ground and can be picked up. Others will disappear. Retrieve the ones that fall. Remember: you need at least 12 Eyes of Ender to activate the End Portal.

Eventually the direction of the Eye of Ender will change. This means you are closer to the stronghold. You will now have to throw Eyes of Ender more frequently to ensure you are following the correct path.

When you arrive at the stronghold’s location, the Eye of Ender will no longer travel upward when you throw it. Instead, the Eye of Ender will shoot toward the ground. You must find the specific block it shoots down toward. To do so, stand atop 5 or 6 dirt blocks. Throw the Eye of Ender and track where it lands. Where the Eye of Ender lands is the spot you must pay attention to.

Note: If the Stronghold is located under water, do as best as you can to block the water where you plan to dig down.

Using the 2-block method, dig down at this location. Do not dig directly down on one block, as you might drop into something deadly, like lava. You have now reached the stronghold.

Finding the End Portal

Have a weapon out and torches at the ready, as you no longer need the Eyes of Ender until you reach the End Portal room. There will be mobs in the stronghold here that you will potentially fight. Search the stronghold until you find the room with the End Portal.

Upon entering the End Portal room, you will first see a small set of stairs. The deactivated End Portal floats in the middle. Destroy any mob spawns that might be in here and close off the asea to prevent mobs from entering. You’ve made it!

To activate the End Portal, fill each portal frame with the remaining 12 Eyes of Ender. See picture above.

You are now ready to enter The End and take on the Ender Dragon. Beware: you cannot return from The End once you enter the portal. Make sure to be equipped with the necessary supplies to defeat the Ender Dragon before entering. If you are not prepared, you can always make an End Portal in creative Minecraft and practice fighting the Ender Dragon without facing the consequences.