Slime chunks are specific underground areas where slimes spawn naturally in Minecraft

A slime chunk is a 16-by-16 block area underground where slimes appear on their own, without needing dark rooms or special conditions. They only generate below Y-level 40 (the coordinate system measures height from bottom to top). Finding them matters because slimes drop slimeballs, which you need to craft sticky pistons, leads, and bounce pads — items that are hard to get any other way.

The location of slime chunks is determined by your world's seed, a number that generates the entire map. The same seed always produces slime chunks in the same places, but different seeds have different slime chunk locations. You cannot change where they are once the world is created.

Three methods exist to find them: using an online seed mapper, digging down and testing by hand, or using a mod or tool that shows them in-game. Each takes different amounts of time and works better depending on whether you want precision or just want to start digging.

Key Takeaways

  • Slime chunks are determined by your world seed and always appear in the same locations for that seed.
  • You can find your seed by typing /seed in the chat if you have cheats on, or by checking your world settings in the launcher.
  • Chunkbase.com is the fastest way to locate slime chunks — enter your seed and it shows you exactly where they are on a map.
  • If you do not want to use a mapper, dig down to Y-level 10 to 40 in a likely area and watch for slimes spawning in dark spaces.
  • Once you find a slime chunk, build a dark room there and slimes will spawn automatically so you can collect slimeballs.

Finding your world seed

Before you can use a seed mapper, you need to know your world's seed. The method depends on whether you created the world yourself or joined someone else's.

If you created the world and have cheats on, open the chat (press T on keyboard, or the right bumper on controller) and type /seed. The game will display a long number — that is your seed. Write it down or take a screenshot.

If you created the world but cheats are off, you can turn them on without losing progress. Pause the game, select "Open to LAN", toggle "Allow Cheats" on, and close the menu. Then use the /seed command. If you are playing on a server or someone else's world, ask the owner for the seed — they can find it the same way.

Using Chunkbase to map slime chunks

Chunkbase.com is a free online tool that shows slime chunks for any seed. Go to the site, find the "Slime Finder" tool, and paste your seed into the search box. The map will highlight all slime chunks in green.

The map shows a top-down view of your world. Zoom in to find chunks near your base or in an area you want to explore. Each green square is one slime chunk. Click on a chunk to see its exact coordinates — write these down so you can navigate to them in-game using the coordinates display (press F3 on keyboard to see your current position).

This method is fastest if you want to know exactly where to dig. It takes two minutes and saves hours of random searching. The downside is that you are looking at a website instead of playing, so some players prefer to discover chunks by hand.

Digging and testing by hand

If you want to find slime chunks without a mapper, dig down to Y-level 10 to 40 in an area away from your base. Dig a 3-by-3 hole down to that depth, then carve out a larger dark chamber — slimes only spawn in complete darkness. Make sure no light from torches or the surface reaches inside.

Wait in or near the chamber for a few minutes. If slimes start spawning, you have found a slime chunk. If nothing appears after five minutes, fill the hole and move to a different location 100 or more blocks away. Repeat until you find one.

This method takes longer but works without any tools or websites. It is also how players found slime chunks before mappers existed. The randomness means you might get lucky quickly or dig for hours, so it works best if you enjoy the exploration itself rather than wanting a specific result.

Using mods and in-game tools

If you play with mods, several options show slime chunks directly in-game. Litematica, a popular building mod, has a slime chunk display. Xaero's Minimap and Journeymap both have slime chunk modes that highlight them on your minimap as you explore.

These tools work only if you have already installed the mod loader (Fabric or Forge) and the specific mod. If you have never used mods before, setting them up takes 10 to 20 minutes and involves downloading files and placing them in your Minecraft folder. Many players find it worth the time if they play regularly, but it is more work than using a website.

Vanilla Minecraft (the game without mods) has no built-in way to see slime chunks. You must use a website or dig by hand.

Building a slime farm once you find a chunk

Once you locate a slime chunk, you can build a farm to collect slimeballs automatically. Dig out a large dark chamber at Y-level 10 to 40 within the chunk. Make it at least 3 blocks tall so slimes can spawn and move around. Slimes need complete darkness, so cover the top and seal any light leaks.

Add a water channel at the bottom to push slimes toward a collection point, or build a drop that damages them so you can collect the slimeballs they leave behind. The exact design depends on how much you want to automate it — a straightforward dark room works fine if you just want occasional slimeballs, but a full farm with water channels and collection systems is faster if you need many.

Slimes spawn more often in slime chunks than anywhere else in the world, making them the only practical way to farm slimeballs in survival mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find slime chunks in the Nether or End?

No. Slime chunks only exist in the Overworld, the main dimension. Slimes do spawn in the Nether, but not in chunks — they appear in specific biomes like swamps and mangrove areas instead.

Do slime chunks change if I update Minecraft?

No. The chunks stay in the same places for your seed across updates. However, if you change your seed or create a new world, the slime chunk locations will be different.

What if Chunkbase shows no slime chunks near my base?

Some seeds have slime chunks far away from the starting area. If the nearest one is too far, you can either travel to it, dig by hand in a new location, or use a different seed for a new world. You can also check if there are any slime chunks within a reasonable distance before committing to a seed.

Do I need to be in a slime chunk for slimes to spawn there?

No. Slimes spawn in slime chunks whether you are there or not, as long as the chunk is loaded. If you are far away, they still appear but you will not see them. Building an AFK farm (one you can leave running while you do other things) works because of this.

Can I use a seed mapper on a multiplayer server?

Yes, if the server owner gives you the seed. Ask them for it and use the same process. If they do not want to share the seed, you will have to find chunks by digging or using mods that show them in-game.