How to build a Nether Portal in Minecraft

One of the endgame-style activities in Minecraft has to do with taking a little trip to the Nether, where players can take on the Piglins and other unique mobs. To do this, though, players must first create a Nether Portal in Minecraft, which requires some materials gathering and basic architect skills.

Easiest way to build a Nether Portal, explained

To make a Nether Portal in Minecraft, you have to create a structure resembling a portal. There is an exact blueprint for the portal players must follow or else the portal will not work properly and activate. Before you get started, you’ll need a few materials. Here is everything you need to make a Nether Portal:

• Fire source (such as flint & steel)
• 14 obsidian blocks

Once you have all of these materials, you are ready to make the Nether Portal. You want to make it exactly like the screenshot above. You want to build a four-block-wide obsidian base on the ground. From there, build up to five blocks tall in height on both sides of the base. Then complete the rectangle so that the top of the portal is four blocks across as well.

Once you are done with this, you want to pull out your fire source, such as flint & steel, and use it on the bottom of the portal to light it on fire. If done right, the portal will suddenly glow purple in the middle. You can then step through the portal to teleport to the Nether.

Where to get obsidian in Minecraft

While flint & steel is quite easy to get in Minecraft (just need to craft flint and iron ingots together at a crafting table), obsidian is a bit harder to come by. This is especially true since we need a total of 14 blocks of this almost impenetrable material to make a Nether Portal. What you can do is go searching deep within the depths of your world for naturally-occurring obsidian blocks, but this is quite rare and dangerous.

After all, obsidian is usually found near lava, which can sneak up and damage an unsuspecting player. Thankfully, there is a way to guarantee obsidian blocks. You either need to locate a pool of lava underground or make one yourself using a bucket of lava. When you find the pool of lava, grab a bucket of water and then pour the water directly onto the lava.

This will convert many of the lava spots into obsidian blocks. You’ll then need a diamond pickaxe to mine the obsidian and gather it for your portal.