The End Portal is in the stronghold, buried underground, and you reach it by following Eyes of Ender

The End Portal is a frame made of 12 blocks arranged in a square, with a purple gateway in the middle. It sits inside a stronghold — a structure that generates underground in every Minecraft world. You cannot craft an End Portal yourself; it only exists in strongholds. To find it, you throw Eyes of Ender (crafted from Ender Pearls and Blaze Powder), and they fly toward the nearest stronghold. You follow them on foot until they disappear into the ground, then dig down to find the stronghold entrance.

The entire process takes time. You need to gather materials, craft the Eyes, follow them across the landscape, dig down through stone, explore a maze-like structure, and then fill the frame. Most players spend at least an hour on this task, sometimes longer if the stronghold is far away or hard to navigate.

Key Takeaways

  • Eyes of Ender are crafted from one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder, and they fly toward the stronghold when thrown.
  • Each Eye of Ender you throw will fly in a straight line toward the stronghold, then disappear when it gets close; throw multiple Eyes to confirm the direction.
  • Strongholds spawn underground and can be at any depth, so you may need to dig down 20 to 60 blocks once the Eyes disappear.
  • The End Portal frame sits in a room inside the stronghold; you cannot see it from outside and must explore the structure to find it.
  • You need 12 Eyes of Ender to fill the portal frame and set up it, though you only need to find one stronghold.

Craft Eyes of Ender before you leave home

To craft an Eye of Ender, you need one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder. Ender Pearls drop from Endermen (tall black mobs that spawn at night or in dark places). Blaze Powder comes from Blazes, which live in the Nether — you need to find a Nether Fortress, kill Blazes there, and collect the Blaze Rods they drop. Craft Blaze Rods into Blaze Powder in your crafting menu (one rod makes two powder).

Make at least 12 Eyes of Ender before you start the hunt. You need 12 to fill the portal frame, and Eyes can be lost if they fall in water or lava. Craft them in your crafting table: place one Ender Pearl in the center square and one Blaze Powder in the square above it. Having extras means you can afford to lose a few without running short.

Throw Eyes of Ender and follow their path

Stand in an open area and throw an Eye of Ender by holding it in your hand and right-clicking (or the equivalent on your device). The Eye will fly upward and move in a straight line toward the nearest stronghold. Watch which direction it goes — it will fly over terrain, through trees, and across water. Follow it on foot or by flying if you are in Creative mode.

The Eye will travel for several seconds, then disappear. This means it has reached the stronghold and gone underground. Mark the spot where it vanished, or throw another Eye from a different location to triangulate. If you throw Eyes from two different spots, you can see where their paths cross — that is where the stronghold is. This method is more accurate than following a single Eye.

Dig down to find the stronghold entrance

Once you know where the stronghold is, dig straight down at the spot where the Eyes disappeared. You may need to dig 20 to 60 blocks deep, depending on how far underground the stronghold spawned. Dig carefully — watch for lava and water as you go down. If you hit lava, place water to cool it, or dig around it.

You will eventually hit stone bricks or other stronghold blocks. This is the entrance. Strongholds are large structures with many rooms, corridors, and dead ends. Some rooms have mobs like Silverfish or Endermen. Explore methodically — mark your path with torches or blocks so you do not get lost. Strongholds can be confusing, and it is straightforward to wander in circles.

Search the stronghold for the portal room

The End Portal sits in a specific room called the portal chamber. It is not visible from outside the stronghold, so you must explore inside. The portal chamber is usually a large room with the frame in the center. The frame is made of End Portal Frame blocks (they look like dark blocks with green eyes on top). The 12 blocks are arranged in a square with an empty space in the middle.

If you see Silverfish spawners or a library with bookshelves, you are in a stronghold but not yet in the portal room. Keep exploring other corridors and rooms. The portal chamber is often deeper inside the structure, not near the entrance. Some strongholds have multiple levels, so be prepared to explore up and down.

Fill the frame with Eyes of Ender to set up the portal

Once you find the portal frame, stand next to one of the 12 frame blocks and right-click (or the equivalent on your device) while holding an Eye of Ender. The Eye will place itself on that block. Repeat this for all 12 blocks around the frame. As you place the final Eye, the portal will set up — a purple gateway will appear in the center, and the frame will light up.

Jump into the purple gateway to enter the End dimension. This is the final boss area in Minecraft. You will spawn on a small island with the Ender Dragon flying above. Defeating the dragon is the main goal of the game, though you can explore the End without fighting it.

What to bring and what to avoid

Bring a pickaxe, a sword, food, and blocks for building. You will need the pickaxe to dig down to the stronghold and to mine through stone. A sword helps if you encounter mobs. Food keeps your health up. Blocks let you build stairs or bridges if you fall into pits.

Avoid digging straight down without looking — you can fall into lava or a deep pit. Do not throw Eyes of Ender near the edge of a cliff; they can fly off and be hard to follow. If you are playing on a server or in a shared world, other players may have already found the stronghold, so check if anyone has marked a path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find the stronghold without Eyes of Ender?

No. Eyes of Ender are the only way to locate a stronghold. You cannot find it by exploring randomly. However, if someone else has already found it, they may have marked the location with signs or torches.

What if my Eye of Ender falls in water or lava?

It will be destroyed and you will lose it. Throw Eyes in open areas away from water and lava. If an Eye falls in lava, you cannot recover it — make sure you have extra Eyes crafted before you start.

How many strongholds are in a world?

There are three strongholds in every Minecraft world (in Java Edition). They spawn at different distances from the center. If you find one, you have found one of the three — the others are elsewhere.

Do I have to fight the Ender Dragon to use the portal?

No. Once the portal is active, you can jump through it anytime. The dragon is optional. You can explore the End, gather resources, or leave whenever you want.

What if I cannot find Blazes for Blaze Powder?

You must go to the Nether and find a Nether Fortress. Blazes only spawn there. If you have not been to the Nether yet, build a Nether Portal in the Overworld first (using obsidian blocks). Once you have Blaze Powder, you can return and craft Eyes of Ender.