How to Make a Nether Portal in Minecraft
Build a vertical 4x5 obsidian frame, light a fire inside it, and wait 4 seconds in the purple portal area to travel to the Nether. Corners are optional, and the frame must be complete before you light it.
Build a vertical 4×5 obsidian frame (10 obsidian minimum, 14 with corners), light a fire inside the frame with flint and steel, then step in and wait 4 seconds to arrive in the Nether. The corners are optional, but the frame must be vertical and complete before you light it. Before the trip, you can get a Mending book so your tools last longer.
What you need
- Obsidian: 10 minimum without corners, 14 standard with corners, or 88 for the largest 23×23 frame.
- Flint and steel, a fire charge, or another fire source such as a lightning strike or fire spread.
- A clear place to build with room for a vertical 4×5 or larger frame.
- Obsidian can be obtained by mining it, completing a ruined portal, or casting lava and water in place.
How to build a Nether portal step by step
Place the obsidian frame as a vertical rectangle. The minimum outside size is 4×5, leaving a 2×3 opening. The corners are optional, so you can skip them to save four obsidian.
Place fire inside the frame as the last block. Use flint and steel on the inside bottom of the frame or ignite a flammable block next to the portal. Fire on an incomplete frame does not activate the portal when the final obsidian is placed.
Stand in the purple portal area after it lights. In survival, wait 80 game ticks (4 seconds) to teleport. In creative, the wait is 1 game tick (1/20 second). Step out before the wait finishes to cancel the teleport. For the next gear tier, see how to upgrade diamond gear to netherite.
Portal sizes and obsidian cost
The frame is measured on the outside, and the opening is the purple portal area inside it.
| Frame size | Opening | Obsidian required |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum 4×5 without corners | 2×3 | 10 |
| Standard 4×5 with corners | 2×3 | 14 |
| Largest 23×23 | 21×21 | 88 |
Where it goes wrong
- Placing fire before the frame is complete. The fire must be the last block placed; lighting an incomplete frame then adding the final obsidian does not activate the portal.
- Building the frame horizontally. A Nether portal cannot be built horizontally, unlike an end portal.
- Trying to activate it in The End. Nether portals cannot be activated in The End.
- Stepping out too early. The teleport needs 4 seconds in survival; leaving the purple area aborts it.
FAQ
Can two portals share obsidian?
Yes. Adjacent portals can share obsidian blocks.
Why does my portal send me somewhere unexpected?
Horizontal distance maps between the Nether and Overworld at a 1:8 ratio, so one block in the Nether equals eight blocks in the Overworld. A portal can link to a different existing portal if one is nearby. If no portal exists within about 128 blocks in the other dimension, the game creates one there, always 4×5 and including corners.
Can lightning or a fire charge light a portal?
Yes. Fire inside the frame can come from flint and steel, a fire charge, a fireball or small fireball impact, a lightning strike, or natural fire spread to flammable material next to the portal.
