The End Portal requires a specific frame and Eyes of Ender to open

The End Portal is a structure you build using 12 End Portal Frames arranged in a 3×3 square with the center four blocks empty. Each frame must have an Eye of Ender placed in it. When all 12 eyes are in place, the portal activates and you can jump through to reach The End dimension.

You cannot craft End Portal Frames — they only exist in the Creative mode inventory or in the End dimension itself. In Survival mode, you find them in Strongholds, which are underground structures buried deep beneath the world. This means building the portal is really about locating a Stronghold, finding the frame blocks already there, and filling in the missing eyes.

Key Takeaways

  • End Portal Frames are found only in Strongholds, not crafted, so you must locate a Stronghold first to access them.
  • You need 12 Eyes of Ender to complete the portal, which you craft from Blaze Powder and Ender Pearls.
  • Strongholds are found by throwing Eyes of Ender, which fly toward the nearest Stronghold and disappear when they reach it.
  • The portal frame is already partially built in the Stronghold — you fill in the missing eyes to activate it.

Finding a Stronghold using Eyes of Ender

To locate a Stronghold, you first need to craft Eyes of Ender. Combine one Blaze Powder with one Ender Pearl in a crafting table. Blaze Powder comes from Blazes in the Nether, and Ender Pearls drop from Endermen when you kill them. Make at least 12 eyes, but 15 to 20 is safer because some will be lost or wasted.

Once you have Eyes of Ender, hold one in your hand and right-click (or use your secondary action button). The eye will fly upward and move toward the nearest Stronghold. Follow it on foot or by flying. The eye will eventually disappear when it reaches the Stronghold — this is your signal to start digging down. Throw another eye and follow it again to narrow down the location. Repeat this process until you are directly above the Stronghold.

Strongholds are always underground, usually between Y-level 0 and Y-level 64 (though this varies by Minecraft version). Dig straight down carefully or tunnel sideways until you hit stone bricks and dark oak wood — these are the distinctive blocks of a Stronghold. Once inside, explore the corridors until you find the End Portal room, which contains the frame structure.

Locating the End Portal frame inside the Stronghold

The End Portal room is a large chamber with a 3×3 frame of End Portal Frames on the floor or suspended in the air. Some of the frames already have Eyes of Ender in them, but most will be empty. The frame is arranged so that the center 3×3 area is open space — this is where the portal will appear once all eyes are placed.

The End Portal room is usually guarded by a Silverfish spawner, which continuously spawns Silverfish mobs. Destroy the spawner with a pickaxe before it floods the room with enemies. You can also place torches or slabs on top of the spawner to stop it from spawning new mobs.

Placing Eyes of Ender to activate the portal

Count how many End Portal Frames already have eyes in them. You need to fill the remaining empty frames with Eyes of Ender. Hold an Eye of Ender in your hand and right-click on each empty frame block. The eye will sink into the frame.

As you place each eye, watch the frame blocks — they will begin to glow and emit particles when eyes are inserted. When you place the final eye, the center of the frame will fill with a dark purple swirling portal. This is the active End Portal. You can now jump into it to travel to The End dimension.

What happens if you destroy the portal

If you jump through the End Portal and defeat the Ender Dragon, the dragon will drop experience and an egg. When you return to the Overworld through the exit portal in The End, the original End Portal frame in the Stronghold remains intact with all its eyes still in place. You can use it again without rebuilding it.

If you remove an Eye of Ender from a frame by breaking the frame block, you will lose that eye. The frame block itself will drop as an item only in Creative mode. In Survival mode, breaking a frame block destroys it permanently, so avoid doing this unless you want to deactivate the portal.

Building an End Portal in Creative mode

In Creative mode, you can place End Portal Frames directly from your inventory without finding a Stronghold. Arrange 12 frames in a 3×3 square pattern with the center four blocks empty. Place an Eye of Ender in each frame by right-clicking on it. The portal will activate immediately.

You can also place End Portal blocks themselves (the purple swirling portal) directly in Creative mode without building the frame. This is useful for testing or building structures quickly, but the frame-and-eyes method is the authentic way the portal works in Survival mode.

Common mistakes when building the End Portal

The most common error is placing frames in the wrong pattern. The frame must be a 3×3 square with the center four blocks empty — not a 2×2, not a 4×4, and not a solid square. If your portal does not activate after placing all 12 eyes, check that you have exactly 12 frames in the correct arrangement.

Another mistake is running out of Eyes of Ender before reaching the Stronghold. If you throw too many eyes while searching, you may not have enough left to complete the portal. Always craft extra eyes before you start the search, and pick up any eyes that land on the ground near you.

Some players also forget that Eyes of Ender are consumed when you throw them — they do not come back. If you need to search for multiple Strongholds or want a backup route, plan ahead and craft more eyes than you think you will need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build an End Portal without finding a Stronghold?

No, not in Survival mode. End Portal Frames exist only in Strongholds and cannot be crafted or found anywhere else. In Creative mode, you can place frames directly from your inventory without searching for a Stronghold.

What if I throw an Eye of Ender and it goes the wrong direction?

Eyes of Ender always fly toward the nearest Stronghold in your world. If it goes in an unexpected direction, there is a Stronghold in that direction. Keep following the eyes — they will not lead you astray. You may need to throw multiple eyes to pinpoint the exact location.

Do I need to place the eyes in a specific order?

No. You can place Eyes of Ender in any order around the frame. The portal will activate as soon as the final eye is placed, regardless of which frame you fill last.

What if I break a frame block by accident?

In Survival mode, breaking a frame block destroys it permanently — it will not drop as an item. The portal will no longer work. You will need to find another Stronghold to access The End. In Creative mode, frame blocks drop as items when broken.

Can I move an Eye of Ender once it is placed?

No. Once an eye is in a frame, you cannot remove it without breaking the frame block. If you need to deactivate the portal, you must break all 12 frames, which destroys them in Survival mode.