Expert Guide: Create an End Portal in Minecraft

So you want to know how to make an end portal in Minecraft? You’re ready to face the Ender Dragon, and honestly, that’s the moment this game stops being about survival and starts being about conquest. The End Portal is the gateway to the final boss fight, and unlike some Minecraft mechanics that feel random or obtuse, creating one is actually straightforward once you understand the pieces.

Here’s the real talk: you need 12 End Portal Frames and 12 Eyes of Ender. That’s it. But getting those materials? That’s where the actual work begins. This guide walks you through every step—from hunting Endermen to placing your portal frame, so you can stop wandering around wondering how to make an end portal and actually do it.

What You Need to Make an End Portal

Let’s break down the exact materials required to make an end portal. You cannot craft these items—they only appear naturally in the world or drop from specific mobs. Think of them like rare loot drops in an RPG; you hunt them, you collect them, you win.

The Core Materials:

12 End Portal Frame blocks – These are the purple-ish blocks with green eyes. You cannot craft them. They spawn naturally only in Strongholds.
12 Eyes of Ender – These glowing green eyes are what actually activate the portal. You craft these or find them.

That’s genuinely all you need. No redstone, no special tools, no enchantments. Just those two things and the knowledge of how to arrange them.

Pro Tip: You can find End Portal Frame blocks already placed in Strongholds, but you’ll need to mine them with a Pickaxe (Silk Touch enchantment makes this way easier). Some frames may already have Eyes of Ender in them—don’t destroy those; just take the whole frame.

The reason this matters is because how to make an end portal really means understanding where to get these materials and how to place them. The actual “making” part is just arrangement.

Finding a Stronghold (The Hard Part)

Here’s where most players get stuck. End Portal Frame blocks only exist in Strongholds. You cannot find them anywhere else in the Overworld. So your first real task is locating a Stronghold, and this is legitimately the trickiest part of how to make an end portal.

Method 1: Using Eyes of Ender (Most Reliable)

This is the intended game mechanic. Throw an Eye of Ender into the air, and it will fly toward the nearest Stronghold. Here’s the process:

Craft or find Eyes of Ender (see next section for crafting details).
Hold an Eye of Ender in your hand and right-click (or use the equivalent on your platform) to throw it.
Follow it. It will fly in the direction of the nearest Stronghold.
The Eye will travel about 40 blocks, then drop to the ground. Pick it up and throw again.
Repeat until the Eye goes underground—you’re at the Stronghold entrance.

Safety Warning: Eyes of Ender sometimes go toward Strongholds that are partially underwater or surrounded by lava. Bring water buckets and be ready for anything. Strongholds are dark, dangerous places with spawners and lots of hostile mobs.

Method 2: Exploring Naturally (Takes Longer)

You can stumble upon a Stronghold by caving deep underground, but this is inefficient. Strongholds generate roughly 1,408 to 2,880 blocks away from the world spawn point, and they’re rare. Unless you enjoy massive mining operations, use Eyes of Ender.

Method 3: Commands (Creative/Peaceful Mode)

If you’re in Creative mode or using commands, type /locate stronghold to get exact coordinates. This bypasses all the hunting.

Once you’re inside a Stronghold, look for the End Portal Frame blocks. They’re distinctive—purple with green eyes. The portal chamber is usually in a larger room with a silverfish spawner nearby. You’ll know you’re close when you see the frames arranged in a 3×3 pattern (with the center missing).

Getting Eyes of Ender

You need 12 Eyes of Ender to activate the portal. You can either craft them or find them in Strongholds (some frames already have them). Here’s how to craft them:

Crafting Eyes of Ender:

Find Endermen. Endermen spawn in the Overworld at night, in the Nether, and in the End. They’re tall, black, teleporting creatures. Avoid looking directly at them (stare at their torso, not their head) or they’ll attack.
Kill Endermen. They drop Ender Pearls. You need one Ender Pearl per Eye of Ender.
Find Blaze Rods. Blazes spawn in Nether Fortresses. Kill them and collect Blaze Rods. You need one Blaze Rod per Eye of Ender.
Craft Blaze Powder. Put a Blaze Rod in a Crafting Table to make two Blaze Powder.
Craft Eyes of Ender. Combine one Ender Pearl + one Blaze Powder in a Crafting Table. This makes one Eye of Ender.

So for 12 Eyes of Ender, you need 12 Ender Pearls and 12 Blaze Powder (which means 6 Blaze Rods).

Real Talk: Getting Blaze Rods is annoying. Nether Fortresses are dangerous, Blazes shoot fireballs, and you might die multiple times. Bring fire resistance potions, a shield, and patience. It’s worth it though—this is the final boss arc of the game.

Alternatively, you might find Eyes of Ender already placed in some End Portal Frame blocks in the Stronghold. When you mine those frames with Silk Touch, the eye stays in the block. This saves you crafting time.

Placing Your Portal Frame Blocks

Now for the actual “how to make an end portal” part—the physical placement. This is where precision matters, but it’s not complicated.

The Portal Layout:

End Portal Frames are arranged in a 3×3 square pattern, but the center block is always empty (that’s where you’ll stand). So you’re placing 12 frames in this configuration:

Frame | Frame | Frame
Frame | EMPTY | Frame
Frame | Frame | Frame

Each frame must face inward toward the center. This is crucial. If they face the wrong direction, the portal won’t activate.

Step-by-Step Placement:

Find your spot. In a Stronghold, there’s usually a dedicated portal chamber. If you’re building one elsewhere, clear a flat area.
Place the first frame. Hold a Portal Frame block and place it. It will automatically face inward (toward where the portal will form).
Place the remaining 11 frames. Continue placing them in a 3×3 pattern, leaving the center empty. Each frame should face inward.
Check alignment. Walk around the portal. All frames should have their green eyes pointing toward the center. If one is facing the wrong way, break it and replace it.

Pro Tip: In Java Edition, frames auto-orient toward the center when placed. In Bedrock Edition, you might need to rotate them manually. If a frame faces the wrong direction, break it and place it again, positioning yourself differently.

Activating the End Portal

This is the moment. You’ve gathered 12 Eyes of Ender. You’ve placed 12 Portal Frames. Now you activate the portal.

Stand in front of the portal frame arrangement. You can stand inside the empty center or outside—doesn’t matter.
Hold an Eye of Ender in your hand. Make sure it’s in your hotbar and selected.
Right-click on one of the Portal Frame blocks. This places the Eye into the frame.
Repeat for all 12 frames. Click each frame once with an Eye of Ender. As you place the 12th eye, the portal activates.

When the last Eye is placed, the center of the portal will fill with a dark, swirling void. That’s your gateway to the End. You can now jump through and face the Ender Dragon.

Safety Warning: Once you jump through, you cannot return to the Overworld until you defeat the Ender Dragon or die. Make sure you’re prepared. Bring armor, weapons, food, and blocks for building. The End is hostile.

That’s genuinely how to make an end portal. It’s not a complex recipe or a multi-step contraption. It’s just material gathering and placement. The challenge is in the preparation, not the execution.

Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting

The Portal Won’t Activate

If you’ve placed all 12 Eyes and nothing happened, check these:

Frame orientation: Are all frames facing inward? If even one faces outward, the portal won’t work. Break and replace it.
Missing frames: Count your frames. You need exactly 12. If you have fewer, the portal is incomplete.
Wrong block type: Make sure you’re using End Portal Frame blocks, not End Portal blocks (which are different). Portal Frames are found in Strongholds; Portal blocks are what appears when the portal activates.

I Can’t Find a Stronghold

This usually means your Eyes of Ender are leading you in circles or toward a very distant Stronghold. Try these solutions:

Craft more Eyes and try again from a different location.
Travel farther from your spawn point. Strongholds are far away.
Use the /locate stronghold command if you’re in Creative mode.

I Ran Out of Eyes of Ender

If you used all your Eyes finding the Stronghold and don’t have 12 left for activation, craft more. You need 12 Ender Pearls and 6 Blaze Rods total. Hunt more Endermen and Blazes.

The Portal Kicked Me Out

If you jumped through and were immediately teleported back, the portal might be incomplete or corrupted. Check that all 12 frames are still in place and facing inward. If one is missing, replace it with a new Eye of Ender.

Survival Tips Before You Jump Through

Making an end portal is one thing. Surviving what comes next is another. Here’s what you need to know before you jump:

What to Bring:

Diamond or Netherite armor: Iron armor is too weak. The Ender Dragon deals serious damage.
Bow and arrows: Lots of them. You’ll need to shoot the Dragon from range.
Sword: A diamond or Netherite sword for close combat.
Blocks: Bring stacks of dirt or cobblestone. You’ll need to build and block off attacks.
Food: Bring cooked meat or other healing food. You’ll take damage.
Water bucket: For emergency healing and mobility.
Bed: This is controversial, but beds explode near the Dragon and deal massive damage to it. Some players use this strategy.

The End Dimension Itself:

The End is a dark, barren place made of obsidian pillars and floating islands. Endermen spawn everywhere. If you look at them, they’ll attack. Avoid staring directly at their heads. The Ender Dragon flies around and breathes purple damage clouds.

For more detailed combat strategies, check out gaming strategy resources or community wikis dedicated to Minecraft boss fights.

Strategy Overview:

Destroy the healing crystals on top of the obsidian pillars (they heal the Dragon).
Shoot the Dragon with a bow when it flies past you.
When it lands, attack with your sword.
Avoid its breath attacks by moving away or using blocks for cover.
Repeat until the Dragon is defeated.

The whole fight can take 10-30 minutes depending on your skill and preparation. It’s intense, but it’s the climax of Minecraft’s survival story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an End Portal in Creative mode?

– Yes. You can place End Portal Frame blocks directly from your inventory and activate them with Eyes of Ender, just like Survival mode. Or you can use the /setblock command to create a fully activated portal instantly.

What happens if I destroy the End Portal after activating it?

– If you destroy the frames after jumping through, the portal on the other side (in the End) will disappear, and you’ll be trapped. Always make sure the portal is complete before jumping. However, if you’re already in the End and the portal is destroyed, you can only return by defeating the Dragon or dying.

Do I need to use the End Portal in a Stronghold, or can I build one anywhere?

– You can build an End Portal anywhere in the Overworld, as long as you have the 12 End Portal Frame blocks. However, these blocks only spawn naturally in Strongholds, so you’d need to mine them from a Stronghold and transport them. Most players just activate the portal in the Stronghold itself.

How many Strongholds exist in a Minecraft world?

– In Java Edition, there are typically 128 Strongholds per world. In Bedrock Edition, there are fewer. Each one has an End Portal, but you only need to find one to beat the game.

Can Endermen steal the End Portal Frame blocks?

– No. Endermen only steal specific blocks like dirt, sand, and gravel. They cannot pick up End Portal Frames or any blocks you’ve placed as part of the portal. Your portal is safe.

What’s the fastest way to get 12 Eyes of Ender?

– Farm Endermen in the Overworld at night or in an End farm. Kill as many as possible and collect Ender Pearls. Then hunt Blazes in the Nether for Blaze Rods. Craft the Eyes. This usually takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on your gear and farming setup.

Do I need to find a Stronghold to make an End Portal, or can I craft one?

– You cannot craft End Portal Frame blocks. They only exist in Strongholds. You must find a Stronghold to get them. However, you can craft Eyes of Ender. So the answer is: yes, you need a Stronghold, but you can craft most of the activation materials.

Is there a way to respawn the Ender Dragon after defeating it?

– Yes. Place four End Crystals on the four sides of the Exit Portal (the one that appears after you defeat the Dragon). This will respawn the Dragon. You can fight it multiple times if you want.

Can you make an End Portal in the Nether or the End dimension?

– Technically, yes, but it’s pointless. End Portals only work in the Overworld. If you place one in the Nether or End, it won’t function. The portal mechanic is designed for Overworld-to-End travel only.

What if I accidentally placed an Eye of Ender in the wrong frame?

– You cannot remove an Eye of Ender from a frame once it’s placed. You have to break the entire frame (with Silk Touch) and replace it with a new frame and eye. This is why it’s important to place eyes carefully and count your frames before starting.

Now you know exactly how to make an end portal in Minecraft. Gather your materials, find your Stronghold, place your frames, and activate your gateway. The Ender Dragon is waiting. Good luck out there, and remember: preparation and patience are half the battle. The other half is not panicking when the Dragon starts shooting at you.

For additional Minecraft survival tips and advanced strategies, consider checking out community forums or the official Minecraft wiki for detailed mechanics and updates.