What You Need Before You Start Building

A portal to the End requires 12 Eyes of Ender — these are the only item that will activate the frame. You craft each Eye by combining Blaze Powder (dropped by Blazes in the Nether) with Ender Pearls (dropped by Endermen). You need at least 12 successful crafts, though most players make 15 to 20 because Eyes of Ender are consumed when you throw them to locate the stronghold.

You also need 12 End Portal Frames. These do not drop from any mob or chest — you can only find them already placed inside a stronghold. This is the catch: you must first locate a stronghold, enter it, find the portal frame room, and harvest the frames that are already there. You cannot build a portal from scratch in an empty world without finding an existing one first.

The frames themselves are indestructible in Survival mode and cannot be crafted. Once you have harvested all 12 from a stronghold, you can transport them to any location and reassemble them into a working portal.

Key Takeaways

  • You must craft 12 to 20 Eyes of Ender by combining Blaze Powder with Ender Pearls before you can locate a stronghold.
  • End Portal Frames exist only inside strongholds and must be harvested with a pickaxe — you cannot craft them yourself.
  • Throw Eyes of Ender to watch them fly toward the nearest stronghold, then follow them on foot until they lead you to the fortress.
  • Once you have all 12 frames and place them in a 3×3 square with the center empty, insert the Eyes of Ender to activate the portal.
  • The portal opens only once, so make sure you have armor, weapons, food, and a bed before you step through.

Finding a Stronghold Using Eyes of Ender

Throw an Eye of Ender into the air and it will fly in a straight line toward the nearest stronghold. Follow it on foot — do not try to chase it by flying, because it moves faster than you can run and will disappear from sight. The Eye travels about 12 blocks per second, so keep your distance and watch where it goes.

The Eye will eventually sink into the ground. Dig down at that spot and you will find either a staircase leading to the stronghold or a dead end. If it is a dead end, throw another Eye and follow it to a new location. Strongholds are large structures with multiple rooms, so the first Eye may lead you to an outer wall rather than the entrance.

Each Eye of Ender is consumed when you throw it, so bring extras. Most players throw 5 to 10 Eyes before they reach the stronghold entrance. Once you are inside, you can stop using them and navigate by exploring the corridors and rooms.

Harvesting the Portal Frames from the Stronghold

The End Portal Frame room is always present in every stronghold, but it is not always easy to find. Strongholds are maze-like, with many dead-end corridors and multiple levels. Explore systematically — check every doorway and staircase. The portal room is usually in the center or lower levels of the structure.

When you find the room, you will see 12 End Portal Frames arranged in a 3×3 square with the center block empty. Some frames may already have Eyes of Ender in them (placed by the game), but you can remove these by breaking the frames. Use any pickaxe to harvest them — they drop as items that you can carry.

Collect all 12 frames and transport them to your chosen location. You can carry them in your inventory or use a chest on a minecart if you are far from home. The frames are heavy in terms of inventory slots, so plan your route before you start harvesting.

Placing the Frames and Inserting the Eyes

Find a flat, open area where you want to build your portal. Arrange the 12 End Portal Frames in a 3×3 square — the center block must remain empty. The frames must face inward, meaning the decorative top surface of each frame should point toward the center. If you place a frame backward, the portal will not activate.

Once all 12 frames are in place, stand back and throw an Eye of Ender at the center empty block. The Eye will fly into the frame and disappear. Repeat this 12 times, once for each frame. As you insert the final Eye, the portal will activate — a purple vortex will appear in the center and you will hear a loud sound.

Do not jump into the portal immediately. Make sure you have equipped armor, brought a sword or bow, packed food, and placed a bed in your inventory. The End is a hostile dimension with no natural healing, so you need these items to survive.

What Happens When You Enter the Portal

Stepping into the activated portal will transport you instantly to the End. You will spawn on a small island surrounded by the void — falling into the void kills you instantly. The End is dark, filled with Endermen, and contains the Ender Dragon, which is the final boss of the game.

The portal you built will remain active behind you, but you can only return through it by defeating the Ender Dragon or by finding the exit portal (which appears after you defeat the dragon). If you die in the End, you will respawn in the Overworld at your spawn point, and your items will be lost unless you retrieve them quickly.

The bed you brought is useful for setting a spawn point in the End, though beds explode when you try to sleep there. This explosion can damage the Ender Dragon if you place the bed near it, making beds a valid strategy for the fight.

Common Mistakes When Building the Portal

The most frequent error is placing frames backward. Each frame has a top surface with a decorative pattern — this surface must face inward toward the center empty block. If you place a frame with its top facing outward, the portal will not activate no matter how many Eyes you insert. Check the orientation of each frame before you insert any Eyes.

Another mistake is not bringing enough Eyes of Ender. You need exactly 12 to activate the portal, but if you miscounted or lost some during the journey, you will be stuck. Always craft at least 15 Eyes before you leave for the stronghold, so you have extras for locating it and for activating the portal.

Players also sometimes forget to prepare before entering. The End is dangerous and you cannot respawn there unless you have placed a bed. Bring full armor, a weapon, food, and a bed every time. Entering unprepared will result in a quick death and lost items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build a portal in the Nether instead of the Overworld?

Yes. End Portal Frames work the same way in any dimension. However, the Nether is more dangerous than the Overworld, so most players build their portal in a safe location in the Overworld first. You can always build a second portal in the Nether later if you want.

What if I break the portal after I activate it?

Breaking the frames after activation will close the portal. You can rebuild it by placing the frames again and inserting new Eyes of Ender. The frames themselves are not consumed — only the Eyes are used up.

Do I need to find a different stronghold for each portal?

No. Every world has multiple strongholds, but you only need to harvest frames from one of them. Once you have 12 frames, you can build as many portals as you want in different locations using those same frames.

Can I use the portal to travel between the Overworld and the End multiple times?

Yes. The portal remains active and can be used repeatedly. However, you will always spawn at the same location in the End (the main island), so you cannot use it to travel to different parts of the End dimension.

What if I lose my Eyes of Ender before reaching the stronghold?

You will need to craft more. Return to the Overworld, hunt Endermen for Pearls and Blazes for Powder, then craft additional Eyes. You can throw as many Eyes as needed — there is no limit to how many you can make.