What you need to build a Nether portal

A Nether portal requires exactly 14 obsidian blocks arranged in a rectangular frame. The frame is 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall on the inside, which means you need obsidian for the corners and edges but not the middle — the middle stays empty and turns purple when the portal activates. You do not need to fill in the entire rectangle.

To get obsidian, you need a diamond or netherite pickaxe. A wooden, stone, or iron pickaxe will not work — the block will break but you will not collect it. Obsidian forms naturally where water meets lava, usually near the bottom of the world. The fastest way to make obsidian is to find lava, pour water on top of it with a bucket, and mine the resulting obsidian blocks.

Once you have 14 obsidian blocks and a diamond pickaxe, you also need a flint and steel to light the portal. Flint and steel is crafted from one flint (found by mining gravel) and one iron ingot (smelted from iron ore in a furnace).

Key Takeaways

  • A Nether portal frame needs exactly 14 obsidian blocks arranged as a 4-wide, 5-tall rectangle with the middle empty.
  • You must use a diamond or netherite pickaxe to mine obsidian, or the blocks will not drop.
  • The fastest way to get obsidian is to find lava, pour water on it with a bucket, and mine the resulting blocks.
  • You light the portal with flint and steel, which you craft from flint (mined from gravel) and an iron ingot (smelted from iron ore).
  • The portal activates when ready once lit and creates a two-way passage between the Overworld and the Nether.

Finding and mining obsidian

Obsidian spawns naturally in the Overworld wherever water and lava meet. The most common place is near the bottom of the world, around Y-level -64 to 0, where lava pools are frequent. You can also find obsidian in the End dimension and in various structures, but mining it yourself is usually faster.

To mine obsidian, equip your diamond or netherite pickaxe and hold down the mine button. Obsidian takes about 9 seconds to break. Once it breaks, the block drops as an item you can pick up. If you are using a lower-tier pickaxe, the block will break but disappear — you will waste the obsidian.

If you want to create obsidian rather than find it, locate a lava source block (not flowing lava) and pour water on top of it using a water bucket. The lava turns into obsidian when ready. You can repeat this by placing more lava and water. This method is faster than searching for natural obsidian if you have access to both lava and water buckets.

Arranging the frame in the correct shape

The portal frame must be exactly 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall, measured on the inside of the frame. This means the obsidian blocks form the border, and the middle 3-by-4 space stays empty. You can place the frame on the ground, against a wall, or floating in the air — the location does not matter as long as the shape is correct.

The easiest way to build it is to place four obsidian blocks in a line on the ground. Then place three more blocks on top of each of those four, creating four vertical columns. Finally, place two more blocks on top of the leftmost and rightmost columns. You now have a frame that is 4 wide and 5 tall. The middle space is empty and ready for the portal to set up.

You do not need to build the frame in any particular direction. A portal facing north works exactly the same as one facing south. You can also build multiple portals in different locations — each one creates a separate passage to the Nether.

Crafting and using flint and steel

Flint and steel is the tool that lights your portal. To craft it, open your crafting table and place one flint and one iron ingot in any two spaces. The recipe does not require a specific pattern — flint and steel will craft as long as both materials are in the table. Flint comes from mining gravel (gravel blocks sometimes drop flint instead of gravel when mined). Iron ingots come from smelting iron ore in a furnace.

Once you have flint and steel, hold it in your hand and right-click on any block inside the empty frame. A purple flame spreads across the frame, and the portal activates. The entire middle section fills with a purple swirling texture. You can now walk through the portal to enter the Nether.

Flint and steel has durability and will eventually break after many uses, but lighting a portal only uses one durability point. A single flint and steel can light many portals before it breaks.

What happens when you step through

Walking through an active portal takes you to the Nether, a dangerous dimension filled with lava, hostile mobs, and valuable resources. You appear in the Nether near the coordinates where your portal is in the Overworld, but the scale is different — 1 block in the Overworld equals 8 blocks in the Nether. This means if your Overworld portal is at coordinates 100, 100, a portal built at those same coordinates in the Nether will link back to your original portal.

The Nether is much hotter and darker than the Overworld. Bring armor, weapons, and food before entering. You can build a return portal in the Nether using the same method, or straightforward walk back through your original portal to return home. Portals remain active indefinitely unless you destroy them by breaking the obsidian blocks.

Troubleshooting portals that do not work

If you light your frame and nothing happens, the most common cause is an incorrect shape. Count the blocks carefully: the frame must be exactly 4 wide and 5 tall on the inside. A frame that is 5 wide or 4 tall will not set up. Check that the middle space is completely empty — no blocks, no water, no lava.

Another cause is using the wrong tool to mine obsidian. If you mined your obsidian with a pickaxe lower than diamond tier, the blocks may have disappeared instead of dropping. You would have placed air blocks instead of obsidian. Replace any suspicious blocks with obsidian mined using a diamond or netherite pickaxe.

If your portal is the correct shape but still will not light, try right-clicking on a different block inside the frame. Sometimes the click does not register on the first try. Make sure you are holding flint and steel in your hand, not in your inventory.

Building portals in different locations

You can build as many portals as you want in both the Overworld and the Nether. Each portal is independent and works the same way. Some players build a portal near their base for straightforward access to the Nether, and another portal deep in the Nether to reach distant areas quickly.

Because of the coordinate scaling (1 to 8 ratio), you can use portals strategically. A portal built far away in the Overworld will take you to a completely different part of the Nether. This is useful for exploring new areas or reaching specific biomes. Experiment with building portals at different coordinates to see where they lead.

Mark your portals clearly so you do not lose them. You can place torches, signs, or distinctive blocks nearby to make them straightforward to find when you return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different material instead of obsidian?

No. Obsidian is the only block that works for Nether portals. Other blocks like blackstone or deepslate will not create a portal frame, even if arranged in the correct shape.

What if I break my portal by accident?

You can rebuild it. As long as you have obsidian and flint and steel, you can create a new portal frame and light it again. The portal will work the same way as before.

Do I need to build a portal frame in the Nether to get home?

No. You can walk back through your original portal in the Overworld. However, building a return portal in the Nether is useful if you want to explore far from your first portal or if you get lost.

How long does a portal stay active?

A portal stays active indefinitely once lit. It will not turn off on its own. You can only deactivate it by breaking the obsidian blocks that form the frame.

Can mobs use my portal?

Yes. Hostile mobs from the Nether can walk through your portal into the Overworld, and Overworld mobs can enter the Nether. Keep your portal in a safe location or build a protective structure around it to prevent unwanted mobs from crossing.