How Do You Make a Nether Portal in Minecraft?

What you need to build a Nether portal

You need at least 10 obsidian blocks to build the smallest working Nether portal. Its opening must be two blocks wide and three blocks tall. The four corner blocks are optional, so a full frame needs 14 obsidian.

Bring flint and steel or a fire charge to light the frame. If you plan to mine obsidian, bring a diamond or netherite pickaxe. Other pickaxes break obsidian, but will not let you collect it.

Choose a flat spot with room to stand in front of the portal. Clear space makes building easier and helps you enter without getting stuck. Pack spare blocks for a path or quick shelter.

• At least 10 obsidian blocks
• Flint and steel or a fire charge
• A diamond or netherite pickaxe, if you will mine obsidian
• Spare blocks for a path or shelter

You can also build a larger frame. Its opening can be up to 21 blocks wide and 21 blocks tall. Larger portals work like smaller ones, but they use more obsidian.

Build a frame with the right shape

Start with two obsidian blocks on the ground, with an empty block between them. These blocks form the bottom corners of the opening. Build a column upward from each block, then connect the columns across the top.

The open space inside the frame must be at least two blocks wide and three blocks tall. Keep this space clear as you build. Any block inside the opening can stop the portal from forming.

The frame needs an obsidian border on every side. The four outer corners can stay empty. Leaving them out saves four blocks and does not affect the portal.

Check the frame before lighting it. The smallest frame has an opening two blocks wide and three blocks tall. Larger frames can have openings up to 21 blocks wide or tall.

• Build two side columns, each at least four blocks tall.
• Connect the columns with obsidian across the top and bottom.
• Keep the opening clear and within the allowed size.
• Leave the four outer corners empty or fill them with obsidian.

A simple frame is often best for a first trip. You can add a path or shelter once the portal works.

Light the frame and check the portal

Hold flint and steel, then use it on a clear block inside the frame. A fire charge works too. Aim at the space inside the border, not at the outside of an obsidian block.

A working portal fills with a purple field. If nothing happens, check the frame and remove any blocks inside the opening. Then try lighting it again.

The corners do not need obsidian, but the rest of the border must be complete. Check both sides, the top, and the bottom. One missing border block can keep the portal from forming.

Once the purple field appears, the portal is ready. Keep the ground in front of it clear. A small shelter can protect the entrance from nearby hazards.

Enter the portal and travel between worlds

Walk into the purple field and wait for the screen to fade. Travel takes a few seconds. Moving away before the trip begins can stop it.

Horizontal distance works differently between the Overworld and Nether. Eight blocks in the Overworld match one block in the Nether. This makes Nether paths useful for long trips, but the route can be risky.

The game links portals by their positions, not only by their shape. It searches near the matching spot in the other world. A closer portal may become your exit instead.

Before you enter, note where your portal stands and bring blocks for a safe path. Your exit may be near lava, a drop, or a tight space. Build a shelter around it if the area is exposed.

• Mark your portal's location in both worlds.
• Bring blocks to cross gaps or block hazards.
• Check the area around the exit before leaving its shelter.

Travel can be quick, but the exit may need care. Take time to secure the route before exploring.

Fix common Nether portal problems

If the frame will not light, check its size first. The opening must be at least two blocks wide and three blocks tall. Then check for gaps in the border or blocks inside the opening.

If you arrive at an unexpected portal, another entrance may be closer to the matching spot. Look for nearby portals in both worlds. Moving one entrance can help when two portals share a destination.

You can make obsidian without a diamond pickaxe, but you cannot mine and collect it that way. Pour water onto lava source blocks to turn them into obsidian. A mold can help keep each block in place.

Take care when building near lava. Keep spare blocks close, and plan where water will flow. If you are new to the Nether, secure the portal area before you explore.

• The frame will not light: Check its size, border, and clear opening.
• The opening is blocked: Remove blocks inside the frame, then try again.
• You arrive in the wrong place: Check for nearby portals in both worlds.
• You lack a diamond pickaxe: Use water on lava source blocks to form obsidian.

A careful frame and a safe exit solve most first-trip problems. If travel still links to the wrong place, adjust one portal's position and test again.

Before your next trip, check the frame, light source, and path on both sides. Those small checks can prevent a difficult return journey.