What you need to build an End Portal
An End Portal is a structure in Minecraft that opens a gateway to the End dimension, where the Ender Dragon lives. You cannot craft a portal — you have to build it by placing blocks in a specific pattern and then activating it with Eyes of Ender. The portal requires exactly 12 End Portal Frame blocks arranged in a 3×3 square with the center empty, plus 12 Eyes of Ender to fill those frames and trigger the opening.
The End Portal Frame blocks themselves only exist in Creative mode or when you find them in the End dimension itself. In Survival mode, you build the frame by placing regular blocks and then using Eyes of Ender to set up them. The Eyes of Ender are what you actually need to gather or craft, because they are the consumable resource that completes the portal.
Key Takeaways
- End Portal Frames are placed in a 3×3 square pattern with the center empty, and you need exactly 12 of them.
- Eyes of Ender are crafted from Ender Pearls (dropped by Endermen) and Blaze Powder (dropped by Blazes in the Nether), or found in Strongholds.
- You must place one Eye of Ender in each frame block to set up the portal, and the portal opens only when all 12 are filled.
- The End Portal always generates inside a Stronghold, so you do not build it from scratch — you find it and set up it.
- In Creative mode, you can place End Portal Frame blocks directly and build a portal anywhere.
Finding the Stronghold where the End Portal sits
In Survival mode, the End Portal is not something you construct — it already exists inside a Stronghold, an underground structure that generates naturally in every Minecraft world. Your task is to find the Stronghold, locate the portal room, and then set up the portal by filling its frames with Eyes of Ender.
To find a Stronghold, you throw Eyes of Ender and follow them. Each Eye of Ender flies toward the nearest Stronghold, travels about 20 blocks, and then disappears. You throw another one and follow it again, repeating this process until the Eyes start flying downward — that means you are directly above the Stronghold entrance. The Eyes of Ender are consumed when you throw them, so bring several (usually 8 to 12 is safe).
Once you reach the Stronghold, you navigate the corridors and rooms until you find the portal chamber. The End Portal Frame blocks are already placed in the correct pattern — you just need to fill them with Eyes of Ender.
Crafting Eyes of Ender in Survival mode
An Eye of Ender is crafted from two ingredients: one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder. Ender Pearls drop from Endermen (tall black mobs that spawn in the Overworld at night or in the End dimension), and Blaze Powder comes from Blazes, which spawn in Nether Fortresses.
To get Blaze Powder, you must travel to the Nether, find a Nether Fortress, and defeat Blazes. Each Blaze drops one or two Blaze Rods when killed. You smelt or craft Blaze Rods into Blaze Powder (one rod makes one powder). To get Ender Pearls, you hunt Endermen in the Overworld at night or in the End dimension itself. Each Enderman drops one Ender Pearl when defeated.
Once you have both materials, open your crafting table and place one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder anywhere in the grid — the recipe does not require a specific pattern. This produces one Eye of Ender. You need 12 Eyes total to fill all the frames in the portal, so plan to craft at least that many.
Placing Eyes of Ender in the portal frames
When you reach the portal chamber in the Stronghold, you see 12 End Portal Frame blocks arranged in a 3×3 square with the center empty. Each frame block has a small indentation on top. To set up the portal, you must place one Eye of Ender in each frame by right-clicking (or using your secondary action button) on each frame while holding an Eye of Ender in your hand.
As you place each Eye, it sinks into the frame and the frame begins to glow. When you place the 12th and final Eye, the portal activates when ready — a purple vortex appears in the center square, and the frame blocks emit a loud sound. You can now jump into the portal to enter the End dimension.
If you place an Eye and then change your mind, you cannot remove it — the Eye is consumed. Plan your approach before you start placing them, and make sure you have all 12 Eyes in your inventory before you begin.
Building a portal in Creative mode
In Creative mode, you have access to End Portal Frame blocks directly from the creative inventory. You can place them anywhere and build a portal without needing to find a Stronghold or gather Eyes of Ender. The process is the same: arrange 12 frames in a 3×3 square with the center empty, then place Eyes of Ender in each frame to set up it.
Creative mode is useful for testing portal designs, building custom End dimension entrances, or practicing the layout before attempting it in Survival. You can also use commands to summon End Portal Frame blocks if you prefer not to search the inventory.
What happens when the portal opens
When all 12 Eyes of Ender are placed, the portal creates a purple vortex in the center. Jumping into it transports you to the End dimension, a dark realm filled with End Stone, Endermen, and the Ender Dragon. The Ender Dragon is the final boss of Minecraft — defeating it is considered the main objective of the game.
When you enter the End, the Ender Dragon is already there, flying around the dimension. You can also see End Crystals on top of tall Obsidian pillars — these crystals heal the dragon when it flies near them, so most players destroy them first. Once the dragon is defeated, it drops experience and an egg, and a portal back to the Overworld appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an End Portal in the Overworld without finding a Stronghold?
In Survival mode, no — End Portal Frame blocks do not exist in your inventory and cannot be crafted. You must find the Stronghold and use the portal that is already there. In Creative mode, you can place frames anywhere and build a portal from scratch.
What if I run out of Eyes of Ender before I fill all 12 frames?
You must craft or find more. Return to the Overworld, hunt more Endermen for Ender Pearls, travel to the Nether for Blaze Powder, and craft additional Eyes. Then return to the Stronghold and continue filling the frames. The partially filled portal will not set up until all 12 frames are full.
Do I need to build the End Portal frame blocks myself?
No. In Survival mode, the frames are already placed inside the Stronghold. You only place the Eyes of Ender to set up it. The frames themselves are part of the Stronghold structure that generates when the world is created.
Can I use the same End Portal multiple times?
Yes. Once activated, the portal remains open and you can jump through it as many times as you want. The Eyes of Ender are only consumed when you place them the first time. You do not need to gather more Eyes to use the portal again.
What if I accidentally placed an Eye of Ender in the wrong frame?
You cannot remove it — the Eye is consumed and becomes part of the frame. If you placed all 12 Eyes and the portal opened, you can jump through and return later. If you placed Eyes in the wrong frames before completing all 12, you will need to gather more Eyes and place them in the remaining empty frames to finish activating the portal.