Tutorials/Navigation

It is easy to get lost in Minecraft while exploring or searching for resources, but a little forethought helps you stay oriented. This tutorial focuses on some of the easier ways of navigating Minecraft's landscapes.

Spawn Points
Every world has a set spawn point where players are placed when they first enter the game, and each time they die (see below about beds). The world has one spawn point, and all players spawn within a few blocks of that point. (Formerly, single-player games had a specific spawn point, but now they use the same system as multi-player.) In multi-player, the area around the spawn point is "protected", so that only server operators can build or destroy blocks there. Making a base too close to a multiplayer spawn area can also expose it to griefing, so in multi-player it's usually better to move some distance before settling in.

Each player can change their individual spawn point by sleeping in a bed. If the bed is removed, destroyed, or blocked, the spawn point is lost, and the player respawns near their world's original spawn point. A world's original spawn point can be found easily using a compass. Additionally, as of 1.16, compasses can be set to point toward a lodestone.

X, Y, and Z coordinates
In Java Edition, opens the debug screen, which includes the player's current coordinates in the world. All three coordinates are measured in "blocks", which are considered equivalent to meters of distance. These coordinates are interpreted as follows: X gives your distance east of the origin, and Z gives the distance south. Both of these can be negative, for positions west or north of the origin. The Y coordinate displays the altitude in meters, which cannot be negative (the world is floored with bedrock at level 0). Sea level is 63. The spawn point will be within a few hundred blocks of the map origin (X and Z of 0). As of version 1.3.1, the debug screen now displays two Y positions: The Y position of your feet is the height of the top of the block you are standing on, while the other (formerly the only one reported) is 1.62 meters higher and gives the height of your eyes—that is, your screen shows the world from this height. Among the other information in the debug screen, the item "f" gives your facing, meaning which compass direction you are (most nearly) facing. A value of 0 means south, 1 west, 2 north, and 3 east.

In Bedrock Edition, there is a world option that always shows the coordinates. They are measured in the same fashion as in Java Edition.

The simplest way to avoid getting totally lost is to write down the X and Z coordinates of your main base and other locations of interest. Then simply compare your current coordinates to the recorded coordinates and travel in the appropriate directions until the coordinates match. This method of navigation is particularly important for exploring the Nether, as a compasses and maps do not work.

Directional Guides
Minecraft has an accurate system of cardinal directions.


 * The sun and the moon rise in the east and set in the west. Their paths are always the same, and they are fixed against the stars.
 * The stars turn counterclockwise around the north pole and clockwise around the south pole.
 * Clouds always float west, and are visible above-ground during day and night.

Trail Markers
You may want to build your main base away from the world spawn point, and in that case, it's a good idea to construct a series of landmarks to follow, especially if the path is long. The use of trail markers is far more resourceful and time-efficient than building long roads. Place all trail markers in such a way so you can always see two markers from the one you are standing at: the marker you came from, and the marker you are heading to. This prevents you from losing the trail. It is also advised to have the markers placed or designed in such a way that you always know which direction leads to the origin of the trail. Here are some methods of marking the trail:


 * Torches and other light-emitting blocks offer an easy method of making quick visible markers to follow, and they stop monsters from spawning nearby. They are most useful at night. Jack o'Lanterns have a face which points in a single direction. The player can place them so that the face always points in the same direction.


 * Signs: While they don't glow, torches illuminate them, and the player can write useful information or ASCII arrows on the sign.


 * Short pillars of dyed wool: A single color or combination can be used to identify the destination (different towns, buildings, or whole biomes). Multiple colors can even show direction.
 * Arrows: simple arrows of off-colored blocks, such as a stone wall with a dirt arrow, can point the way.


 * Sand towers: Sand is easily mined, often plentiful, and very visible in most terrain. Placing another block on the ground near the tower is an easy method of orienting the player in the right direction.


 * Taller pillars: Visible at a greater distance, can be made of snow, sand, stone, dirt, or other brightly-colored or reflective blocks, then lined with torches or capped with lava or burning netherrack. A quick way to make a tall pillar is to clean the leaves off one or more trees in the area of the landmark or perhaps along a route. No tools are required, and clearing the foliage can help to uncover the landmarks and create paths.


 * Gate markers: Two blocks or towers placed next to each other with a one-block space between and an optional arch over the trail. The space between the blocks orients the player to the next gate. A torch or other marker can be placed on the side of one of the blocks to indicate the origin of the trail. It is usually best to build the markers out of something that stands out, like cobblestone or sandstone.
 * Grass paths: An ideal navigation block for marking a trail behind the player when exploring, requiring only a shovel.


 * Putting the base near a village with towers, a desert temple, or some other marker makes it hard to miss at a distance.
 * Campfires produce smoke which can be seen from a distance; placing hay bales underneath the campfire will increase the height of the smoke.

Roads and Rails
To connect two locations, dig a two- or three-block wide trench between the two places. This trench can later be filled in to make a nice-looking path or road. Light the pathway to make night travel safer, and fences can be placed along the sides of the road to keep mobs away. To connect the road to more locations, create forks in the road with signs listing the directions to different places. A minecart rails could also be added to speed up travel.

Maps
Main article: Tutorials/Mapping

Maps can be used to keep track of different locations in the world. Maps are not exactly centered on where they are activated, because they snap to a grid. They also start off with a very small scale, and need to be zoomed out to a reasonable scale after activation. Each zoom level takes 1 paper in a cartography table, and doubles the map scale and clears any current contents. The new map will remain centered roughly where the previous map was activated. It takes 3 zooms to match the scale of the pre-1.4 maps; the fourth zoom reaches the maximum scale of one chunk per pixel.

Colored banners can be used to mark locations on maps (Java Edition only). In Bedrock Edition, locations can be marked using large structures of colored wool or some other standout material. (You could also simply keep track of the coordinates of different locations.)

Additionally, making a map room of the surrounding area gives the player insight of the area around their base and shows points of interest, not to mention looking nice.

Underground Navigation
Natural caverns are fairly easy to get lost in without a little forethought. Depending on a player's mining style, artificial mines might be fairly disorienting as well. Here are some tips for getting around. Remember that digging the way to the surface is usually possible, but may be hazardous in its own right, as water and lava are a major hazard.

Trail Markers
There are a variety of markers the player can leave behind to make trails, with a somewhat different selection being useful underground.
 * Mushrooms: Relatively easy to acquire if the player are near a swamp biome, quick to harvest and will attach to nearly any block. Space them close enough together so the last one is still visible behind the player when they go to place the next. With red and brown mushrooms, the player can have two separate trails that are easy to retrace. When the player are done with them, the player might try some mushroom stew.
 * Torches: The player can place all the torches on the right side of the cave when they enter a new passage. This allows them to find their way back to the entrance simply by keeping the torches on the left. When encountering multiple caverns, also known as a fork, put two torches at the exit to indicate the correct way to exit the cavern. They can also place torches to point towards the exit. This method has its limits, as torches restricted to the right side probably won't provide sufficient light to completely prevent mobs from spawning.
 * Torches placed on the side of a block can be used to indicate direction. Torches placed on the faces of blocks that are in front of the player on the outward journey point back toward the exit on the return journey.
 * Players can put additional torches on the floor in caves and the wider passageways, and in the middle of non-exit walls.
 * If the player "floats" a block in the middle of the cavern and cover it in torches, it lights a wide area, and the floating block is easily distinguishable from the marker torches.
 * If a cave loops back on itself at some point, there can be some confusion as to the shortest way out, the player may need some of the other markers listed below.
 * Combining the previous methods with the "right hand against the wall" rule helps the player methodically explore: Always go into the rightmost dark area at intersections. Imagine the right hand running along the wall.
 * Signs at intersections, often with "ASCII arrows", such as --> or ^, to indicate the heading. Keep in mind that the player need to be able to see these signposts the most on their way back out of the cavern, so when placing them, it is important to position them where they are easily visible from the other direction. Signs are reliable (lava notwithstanding) and fairly cheap (6 planks of the same type and 1 stick produces 3 signs). Unlike most blocks, however, they only stack up to sixteen. This may suffice for small cavern groups; for larger cave systems, the player can bring a stack of planks and a crafting table to make signs as the player go. Also, the table can be carried with themselves after each use. Normally the player will want to carry logs, but in abandoned mineshafts, planks are handy and common.
 * Magenta glazed terracotta, which have arrows on all sides.
 * Cobblestone arrows at each intersection, pointing back towards the passage the player just came from. A torch can be placed on the block at the tip of the arrow to ensure that the arrow is easy to spot. This method has the advantage of utilizing a resource (cobblestone) that is common in caverns and easily carried in bulk, making it suitable for aiding in the exploration of even the most massive caverns. These arrows can be placed on walls or embedded into the floor, and can point in any direction. Similarly to the signpost method, cobblestone arrows should be placed in locations that are easily visible on the way back out of the cavern.
 * Cobblestone can also be used for walls or barricades to block off dead-ends or previously explored cavern branches to find exits more quickly. This along with the "right-side" torch method work very well hand-in-hand and can guarantee a less confusing exit strategy for players in a hurry to end their cavern run.
 * In otherwise "cleaned-up" caverns or mineshafts, dead-ends that have already been cleared out, can be marked with a block of dirt.
 * Redstone: If the player are not using it for other things, the player can use it for several kinds of trail marking.
 * Lines and arrows from spare redstone dust.
 * Redstone torches within sight of each other are distinctive. Note that redstone torches do not provide enough light to stop monster spawning, but the player won't confuse them with regular torches.
 * Combining the above gives the player trails of lit redstone dust, up to 15 long per torch. These fade as they stretch away from the torch, but the player can use that as a directional hint.
 * Minecart tracks can also be used to mark trails. Of course, if the player have laid down an actual track, it's easy to follow or ride that to either end.
 * Jack o'Lanterns can be placed at intersections, with the face pointing towards the exit. This doubles as a light source and a direction out. Jack-o-lanterns are easy to acquire once the player has started a pumpkin farm, and give off more light than a torch. In cases where there is one path on top of the other one, place the jack o'lantern higher (using piles of gravel or some other temporary block to place it on top of) to indicate the exit is the upper path. Make sure to place them at the middle of the intersecting paths, with the pumpkin easy to see from both directions.
 * If the player have been to the Nether, netherrack is conspicuous. It is also very quick to mine, and doesn't naturally appear in the Overworld. When going back, the player can set them alight, recovering torches and marking explored paths.
 * Wool is versatile and stackable, and comes in a variety of colors. Use different colors for different symbols, e.g., "red" for "explored branch", or a combo of "white" and "yellow" to form an exit sign arrow. Beware that wool is flammable, so be careful around lava. The player can also use different colors to mark particular trails. Even underground the player can get string from spiders or cobwebs, and craft that into wool. The player can also get at least two, possibly three primary dyes, which can be used and combine to make the wool more conspicuous: blue dye from moderately deep ore or lily of the valley, and bone meal from skeletons. A large waterfall from the surface may also provide ink sacs from squid. In addition, flowers can be found very rarely in caves.
 * A short, distinctive stack of blocks with two torches: one on top to make the stack stand out from a distance, and one on the side of the stack that points away from the exit: this torch will be clearly visible when the player are walking towards the exit. A cobblestone block on top of a dirt block stands out and is quick and cheap to make. Marker beacons like these are useful for lighting up larger caves and in the middle of a large junction.
 * If the player have a large amount of string, they can create a trail with it on the ground that leads back to where the player came from. This can be very effective in abandoned mineshafts as there are plenty of cobwebs to harvest for this. The only major downside is that the string can be difficult to see, even in a well lit area.

Other hints

 * While it will not help players in navigating the cave itself, it may be wise to bring a map with them into a large cave, should they have get lost and need to dig their way out. Note that most caves occupy less area horizontally than they might seem, but interconnected caves and abandoned mineshafts can sprawl over huge distances. The player might well map some new surface as the player explore underground, but the cave itself will not be mapped.
 * A good mining practice is to fully explore and light a cave system before beginning to mine out any resources. It is extremely dangerous to stop and mine in a dark cave system, and the player can lose their loot if they are killed. Check for "broken bridges" such as gravel masses or 2-block drops. If monsters can come out of them, they may want to change that; once verified safe, they can save the blocked-off areas for later.
 * As part of exploration, try to "clean up" the area, taking off leftover blocks, filling small pits, and generally smoothing things out. In abandoned mineshafts, clear out most of the fence-and-plank "supports" as the player "claims" an area. This improves both visibility and mobility, cutting down on unpleasant surprises.
 * Some water flows come from openings in the seafloor. With care (and perhaps a door or some ladders), than players can swim up these and mark the entrance with a jack o'lantern, which are generally visible from the sea surface. Such openings are also a quick way to get back to the surface if the player have gotten lost. With a bit more effort, players can seal the opening altogether, perhaps leaving a shaft with ladders for their own use. Note that that ladders and signs block water.
 * When finished exploring a cave, they can make their own exit. Just dig upwards to the surface in a staircase fashion, watching for drips and being careful not to dig the block just above them. This is especially useful for when the player are lost and have not used any of the other plans. When digging a staircase out of a cave, it can be useful to check the map to figure out where they will, or want to, emerge. Coming out into the seabed can be tricky, especially if the torches get washed away. If players are more experienced, digging straight up is much quicker. Just place a torch below the player to brake any sand or gravel and dig up. When the players cannot mine due to height anymore, quickly jump and place blocks below their feet until they are in a two block high gap. Rinse and repeat until they are on the surface. If they break a lava pool floor, just cover it quickly with a block and travel a bit horizontally before continuing.
 * To mark cave entrances and other important, but hard to notice places on the map: clone the map, then put it in an item frame. They can then find the place by the green marker.
 * If they have built their home base at or near the world spawn point, a compass will be able to point to the home once they have escaped from a cavern. If they have built their home base far away from the world spawn, then it might not be a bad idea to leave a trail of some kind in between the world spawn and the house so that this method can still be used in a pinch.

Marine Navigation
If the player travels through water with a boat often, they may very well find themselves lost and unable to re-locate their base. There are a few ways to travel safely above and below water. Maps are very useful here. The player can also build towers from the seafloor to well above the surface, and top the towers with a torch or jack o'lantern. Sugar cane, glass panes, and iron bars all provide an air pocket along the height of the tower, and glass blocks or panes also carry light into the depths. Advanced players might use glowstone or burning netherrack for the lights.

If the player have lily pads (found in swamps), they can use them to create small islands for navigation or minibases. They will need a bucket of lava for this—place the lily pad, then, from as far as the player can reach, dump the lava on top of the pad. The lava will form an island. At this point, they have a blazing landmark in the ocean. If the player wants to use the island for other activities, they will need to reclaim the lava source with their bucket and wait for the flowing lava to cool. If the player is unable to grab the lava from the boat, they may be able to quickly jump onto the burning island, but this will hurt and set the player on fire. They would then have to bucket the lava source and jump off into the water to put your flames out. One should make sure they are at full health and fully fed before making such an attempt. The player can use the same method to dump water on the lava to cool it more quickly. Once the lava is gone, they will have a nice small island, big enough for a chest, crafting table, and even a bed. Note that the new island may or may not show on the map. Remember to stick a torch or jack o'lantern on it to prevent monster spawning.

Glowstone and jack-o-lanterns can also be placed under the water, on the seafloor. The jack-o-lantern can also be oriented to show the direction home, or to indicate an opening in the seafloor (that is, leading to caves).

Also, the player can consider shaping the waterways, adding canals, and putting together a light house if they have a lot of water around their base. That way, the player will be able to quickly move around and navigation will be easy from a moderate distance because of the lighthouse.

Block orientation
Many blocks are placed at a fixed orientation. Knowing this, it is possible to use the textures on the top faces of the blocks to orientate oneself without a compass. Note that actual blocks may vary with resource packs.

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