The End Portal is the gateway to the End dimension, where you fight the Ender Dragon. Finding and activating the portal is a major milestone in any Minecraft world. This guide walks through every step, from finding the stronghold to defeating the dragon.
How the End Portal Works
The End Portal is found inside a stronghold, a dungeon that generates underground. To find and activate the portal:
- Get Eyes of Ender (ender pearls + blaze powder).
- Throw an Eye of Ender to locate the stronghold.
- Find the portal room inside the stronghold.
- Activate the portal by filling all 12 frame slots.
- Enter the portal to reach the End.
How to Get Eyes of Ender
Each Eye of Ender requires:
- 1 Ender Pearl (dropped by Endermen).
- 1 Blaze Powder (dropped by Blazes).
To craft Eyes of Ender:
- Kill Endermen for pearls.
- Find a Nether Fortress and kill Blazes for rods.
- Craft Blaze Powder from Blaze Rods.
- Combine Ender Pearls with Blaze Powder to make Eyes of Ender.
You need at least 12 Eyes of Ender to activate the portal, plus 1-2 extras in case some Eyes fly off course.
Finding the Stronghold
To find the stronghold:
- Craft at least 1 Eye of Ender.
- Throw the Eye of Ender into the air.
- It will fly in the direction of the nearest stronghold.
- Walk in that direction and throw another Eye when it lands.
- Repeat until the Eye flies downward (indicating you are directly above the stronghold).
The Eye of Ender has a 20% chance of breaking on use, so bring at least 2 Eyes for locating.
Entering the Stronghold
Once you are above the stronghold, dig downward. The stronghold is found at various depths:
- In the Overworld: usually between Y=-30 and Y=10.
- The portal room is in the deepest part of the stronghold.
Dig carefully to avoid breaking into lava or hostile mob spawners.
Finding the Portal Room
The portal room is a square room with:
- 12 End Portal Frame blocks arranged in a 5x5 pattern (with corners missing).
- A small lava fall in the center.
- A silverfish spawner on top of the stairs leading up to the room.
The portal room is connected to the rest of the stronghold by a corridor with an iron door.
Activating the Portal
To activate the portal:
- Place an Eye of Ender in each of the 12 frame slots.
- The frame blocks require the Eye to be right-clicked while looking at the top of the frame.
- The frame blocks facing the center should already have a black top side (the inner side of the frame).
- Once all 12 Eyes are placed, the portal activates with a purple light.
The Eyes must be placed in the correct orientation. The Eyes must face inward (toward the center of the portal).
Common Mistakes
- Don't place the Eyes on the outer side of the frame. The Eyes must face inward.
- Don't break any of the frame blocks. They are required for the portal.
- Don't light the portal area with torches. The portal is already lit by lava.
- Don't dig straight down into the stronghold. You might land in a mob spawner.
Entering the End
Once activated, jump into the portal. You will be teleported to the End dimension, where you fight the Ender Dragon.
Before entering, prepare:
- A good sword (Diamond or Netherite).
- A bow with Power V and Infinity.
- A stack of arrows.
- A stack of building blocks.
- A water bucket (the dragon cannot destroy water).
- A bed (do NOT sleep in the End unless you want to die).
Fighting the Ender Dragon
The Ender Dragon has 200 HP and attacks in three phases:
Phase 1
The dragon flies around the obsidian pillars. Use your bow to shoot the dragon while dodging its breath attacks.
Phase 2
At half HP, the dragon perches on the fountain. Run up and melee attack with your sword.
Phase 3
The dragon flies around again, but with more aggressive attacks. Continue using your bow.
When the dragon dies, it drops 12,000 XP and an Egg of Ender Dragon.
After the Dragon
After killing the dragon:
- Return to the Overworld through the exit portal.
- The portal that returns you to the Overworld generates automatically.
- You will respawn at your original spawn point (or your bed).
You can also re-enter the End to fight the dragon again, or to explore the outer End islands.
Outer End Islands
The outer End islands contain:
- Chorus Plants (for crafting Purpur Blocks).
- End Cities (for finding Shulkers and Elytra).
- End Ships (for finding the Elytra and Dragon Head).
The End Cities are challenging but offer valuable loot. The Elytra is one of the most useful items in the game.
Final Tips
- Bring multiple Eyes of Ender in case some break.
- Use a bucket of water to deal with the dragon's breath attack.
- Aim for the dragon's head with your bow for maximum damage.
- Don't enter the End without a bow. The dragon is too fast to melee-only fight.
With this guide, you will find the End Portal, activate it, and defeat the Ender Dragon with confidence.
