How to Make a Nether Portal in Minecraft (and Survive the Nether)
To make a Nether portal in Minecraft, build an obsidian frame at least 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall (10 obsidian without the corners) and light the inside with flint and steel or a fire charge.
The Nether is where you find blaze rods, nether wart, quartz and the ancient debris used for netherite. It is also one of the most dangerous places in the game. This guide shows the three ways to build a portal, even without a diamond pickaxe, and how to stay alive once you step through.
Key facts
- Minimum frame: 4 wide × 5 tall, 10 obsidian (14 with corners)
- Lighting: flint and steel or a fire charge
- Mining obsidian: diamond or netherite pickaxe only
- Distance rule: 1 block in the Nether = 8 in the Overworld
- Biggest dangers: lava, ghasts, piglins and exploding beds
In this guide
3 ways to build a Nether portal
1. Mine obsidian with a diamond pickaxe
Obsidian forms where water meets a lava source block. Mine 10 blocks with a diamond pickaxe, place them as a 4×5 frame (corners optional) and light the inside. It is the classic method and the most reliable.
2. The bucket method (no diamonds needed)
Build a temporary mold out of cobblestone, then pour lava into each frame position and turn it into obsidian with water, block by block. It takes practice, but it lets you reach the Nether with only iron gear and two buckets.
3. Repair a ruined portal
Ruined portals appear all over the Overworld. They are usually missing a few obsidian blocks, and their chest often contains obsidian, flint and steel or gold items. Fill in the gaps, and crying obsidian does not count: replace it with normal obsidian.
📌 Related: How to Find Diamonds in Minecraft: Best Y Level and Mining Strategies
How the Nether works
Every block you travel in the Nether equals eight blocks in the Overworld, which makes it a fast-travel network once you link portals. Water evaporates instantly, beds explode when you try to sleep, and compasses spin. Piglins attack unless you wear at least one piece of gold armor, and ghasts shoot fireballs that can destroy your portal frame. Fortresses hold blazes and nether wart, while bastions are packed with gold and the netherite upgrade template.
Pros and cons of each method
✅ Pros
- Diamond pickaxe method is quick and repeatable
- Bucket method needs no diamonds
- Ruined portals often include free loot
⚠️ Cons
- You need diamonds to mine obsidian
- Bucket method is slow and risky near lava
- Ruined portals may be far away or missing many blocks
Portal methods compared
| Method | Needs diamonds | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mine obsidian | ✅ Yes | Easy | Best once you have a diamond pickaxe |
| Bucket method | ❌ No | Medium | Bring two buckets and a lava pool |
| Ruined portal | ❌ No | Easy | Depends on what you find nearby |
Step by step: how to survive your first Nether trip
- Wear at least one piece of gold armor so piglins stay neutral.
- Bring food, a stack of cobblestone, a pickaxe, a bow and spare flint and steel.
- As soon as you arrive, write down the portal coordinates.
- Surround the portal with cobblestone: ghast fireballs cannot destroy it.
- Walk carefully and bridge over lava instead of jumping gaps.
- If your portal goes out, relight it with your spare flint and steel.
- Look for a fortress for blaze rods, then head home before your gear wears out.
➜ Visit the official Minecraft site
Frequently asked questions
Why won’t my Nether portal light?
The frame is probably incomplete, smaller than 4×5, or uses crying obsidian. Check every block of the frame.
Can a portal be bigger than 4×5?
Yes. Frames can be up to 23×23 blocks, as long as the inside is a rectangle.
Where is ancient debris?
Ancient debris is most common around Y 13–15 in the Nether. You need a diamond pickaxe to mine it, and four scrap plus four gold ingots make one netherite ingot.
How do I set a respawn point in the Nether?
Use a respawn anchor charged with glowstone. Beds explode in the Nether.
Final thoughts
Build the frame, light it and prepare before you step through: gold armor, cobblestone, food and saved coordinates. With those, your first trip to the Nether turns from a death trap into a quick loot run.
By the Annedehaas Games Team
