Strongholds spawn in specific locations underground, and the fastest way to find one is to follow Eyes of Ender

A stronghold is a large underground structure in Minecraft that contains the End portal — the gateway to the final dimension. Every world generates with three strongholds buried beneath the surface, always positioned between 640 and 832 blocks from the center of the map. You cannot dig randomly and expect to find one. Instead, you use Eyes of Ender, which are craftable items that fly toward the nearest stronghold and show you the direction to travel.

The process takes time but is straightforward: craft Eyes of Ender, throw them one at a time, follow where they fly, and dig down when they disappear into the ground. Each eye you throw gets you closer, and after following several, you will be standing above the stronghold entrance.

Key Takeaways

  • Eyes of Ender are crafted from Ender Pearls (dropped by Endermen) and Blaze Powder (found in Nether fortresses), and you need multiple eyes to reach a stronghold.
  • Throw an Eye of Ender by holding it and right-clicking; it will fly toward the nearest stronghold and disappear after traveling a distance, showing you which direction to go.
  • Follow the direction each eye travels, then throw another one from your new position to get closer; repeat until the eye goes underground.
  • Once an eye disappears into the ground, dig down carefully to find the stronghold structure, which contains the End portal frame blocks you need to reach the End dimension.
  • Strongholds are dangerous — they contain Silverfish and dark corridors — so bring armor, weapons, food, and torches before you dig down.

Gathering the materials for Eyes of Ender

To craft an Eye of Ender, you need one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder. Ender Pearls drop from Endermen, which spawn in the Overworld at night or in dark caves. Kill several Endermen and collect the pearls they leave behind — you will need at least five or six pearls to reach a stronghold, though more is safer in case you throw eyes in the wrong direction.

Blaze Powder comes from Blazes, which live only in the Nether. You must find a Nether fortress (a structure made of dark brick that spawns in the Nether dimension) and fight the Blazes inside. Each Blaze drops Blaze Rods when killed; craft each rod into two Blaze Powder at a crafting table. Gather enough rods to make at least five to six Blaze Powder to match your Ender Pearls.

Once you have both materials, open your crafting table and place one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder in any two slots. Each combination makes one Eye of Ender. Store them in your inventory until you are ready to search.

Throwing Eyes of Ender and following their path

Hold an Eye of Ender in your hand and right-click (or the equivalent on your device) to throw it. The eye will fly upward and forward in a glowing arc, moving toward the nearest stronghold. Watch which direction it travels — this is the direction you need to go. After flying for several seconds, the eye will slow down, stop, and disappear. It does not drop an item; it straightforward vanishes.

Walk or run in the direction the eye flew. Once you have traveled a good distance, throw another Eye of Ender from your new position. This second eye will fly toward the stronghold again, and because you are closer, it will travel a shorter distance before disappearing. Repeat this process — throw, follow, throw again — until an eye flies downward and disappears into the ground beneath you.

When an eye goes straight down, you are standing above the stronghold. Mark this spot with a torch or a block so you can find it again if you get lost while digging.

Digging down safely to reach the stronghold

Before you dig, prepare yourself. Strongholds are dark and contain hostile mobs, so wear armor, bring a sword or axe, and pack food to restore health. Bring a pickaxe (stone or better) to break through stone and stronghold blocks. Most importantly, bring torches — lots of them — to light your way and prevent mobs from spawning in the darkness.

Dig straight down from where the eye disappeared, but do so carefully. Dig one block at a time and place torches as you go. Strongholds are made of stone brick, dark oak wood, and other distinctive blocks, so you will recognize when you hit the structure. Once you see stronghold blocks, stop digging straight down and instead dig horizontally to explore the corridors and find the End portal frame.

The End portal is a 3×3 frame made of End Portal Frame blocks, usually in a dedicated room. The frame needs 12 Eyes of Ender placed in it to set up the portal — one eye per frame block. Place the eyes carefully, and the portal will light up and become active.

What to expect inside a stronghold

Silverfish are the main threat inside strongholds. These small hostile mobs spawn from Infested Stone blocks and swarm quickly if you break those blocks. Avoid breaking Infested Stone if possible — it looks slightly different from regular stone. If Silverfish do spawn, kill them quickly with your sword or back away and use a pickaxe to break regular stone instead.

Strongholds are maze-like, with many corridors, dead ends, and rooms. Some rooms contain loot chests with useful items like diamonds, iron, and enchanted books. Explore slowly and light every corridor with torches so you do not get lost. If you die, your items will drop in the stronghold, so mark your path back to the surface with torches or blocks so you can retrieve them.

Alternatives if you cannot find a stronghold

If you have thrown many Eyes of Ender and still have not found a stronghold, you may be in a world where the nearest stronghold is very far away. In this case, you can travel farther from the center of the map and try again. Strongholds are always between 640 and 832 blocks from the center, so if you are closer than that, travel outward first.

Another option is to use commands if you are playing in Creative mode or have cheats enabled. Type /locate stronghold in the chat, and the game will tell you the exact coordinates of the nearest stronghold. This skips the Eye of Ender process entirely and is useful if you want to save time or are stuck.

If you are playing on a multiplayer server or world, ask other players if they have already found a stronghold and know its location. They may be willing to share the coordinates or take you there directly.

Preparing for the End after you set up the portal

Once the End portal is active, you can jump through it to reach the End dimension. Before you do, make sure you are fully prepared. Bring your best armor, a strong sword or axe, a bow with arrows, blocks for building, and plenty of food. The End is a hostile dimension with Endermen everywhere and a final boss called the Ender Dragon.

Consider leaving a bed in your stronghold or nearby. If you die in the End, you will respawn at your world spawn point, not in the End, so having a bed set up lets you return quickly. Also, place torches or blocks to mark the portal location so you can find your way back after defeating the dragon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a stronghold without Eyes of Ender?

Not easily. You could dig randomly underground and eventually hit one, but it would take an enormous amount of time. Eyes of Ender are the intended method and are much faster. If you have cheats enabled, the /locate stronghold command is the quickest alternative.

What if an Eye of Ender flies into the ocean or lava?

The eye will still fly toward the stronghold and disappear as normal. If it goes over water or lava, you will need to swim or build a bridge to follow it. Bring blocks with you so you can cross dangerous terrain safely.

Do I need to place all 12 Eyes of Ender at once to set up the portal?

No. You can place eyes one at a time, and the portal will set up once all 12 frame blocks have an eye in them. If you run out of eyes, you can craft more and return to finish the job.

Can I use the same stronghold twice?

Yes. Once you set up the End portal, it stays active. You can return to the stronghold and use the portal again whenever you want, as long as you remember where it is.

What happens if I destroy the End portal?

You cannot destroy the End portal frame blocks with normal tools. They are indestructible in Survival mode, so you do not have to worry about accidentally breaking it. The portal itself (the purple swirl in the middle) will close if you leave the End, but the frame will remain intact for your next visit.