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Compasses are an item used to point to the world spawn.

Obtaining

Crafting

Ingredients Crafting recipe
Iron Ingot +
Redstone Dust

Compass

Natural generation

Item Structure Container Quantity Chance
Java Edition
Compass Ancient City Chest 1 16.1%
Shipwreck Map chest 1 7.7%
Stronghold Library chest 1 10.9%
Village Cartographer's chest 1 26.3%
Bedrock Edition
Compass Ancient City Chest 1 16.1%
Shipwreck Map chest 1 7.7%
Stronghold Library chest 1 10.5%
Village Cartographer's chest 1 26.3%

Trading

In Java Edition, expert-level librarian villagers have a 50% chance to sell a single compass for 4 emeralds.

In Bedrock Edition, expert-level librarian villagers have a 13 chance to sell a single compass for 4 emeralds.

Usage

Normally, the compass' needle points toward the world spawn point; more specifically, it always points toward the northwest corner of the block whose coordinates are set as the world spawn. The compass points to spawn when viewed in any way, including as a dropped item, in a player's hand, in an inventory or the crafting table, or in an item frame. The direction the needle points is relative to the player who is viewing it.

In the Nether or the End, the compass' needle spins and points in random directions.

The compass can be used on a lodestone, after which it points to that lodestone as long as the compass is in that dimension. If the compass is taken to a different dimension, it spins randomly. If the lodestone is destroyed, it also spins randomly even if the lodestone is replaced afterward.

Crafting ingredient

Name Ingredients Crafting recipe Description
Empty Map Paper +
Compass
Compass
This variation is called an "empty locator map" in Bedrock Edition, or an "empty map" in Java Edition.

When the player first creates a map, it is blank. It needs to be activated by holding it and pressing use item. after which it records terrain and location markers as the player travels within (or close to) the area it maps.

Map
(with marker)
Map or Empty Map +
Compass
Compass

Bedrock Edition only.

Maps crafted from only paper do not show the location marker; to add it, a compass must be added to the map.

Recovery Compass Echo Shard +
Compass
Compass
Recovery Compass

Anvil usage

Name Ingredients Anvil usage Description
Locator Map Map +
Compass
Repair & NameMapCompass


Bedrock Edition only.

Maps crafted with only paper do not show the location marker; to add it, a compass must be added to the map.

Trading

A single compass can be sold to a journeyman-level cartographer villager for 1 emerald.‌[Java Edition only]

A single compass can be sold to an expert-level cartographer villager for 1 emerald as their sixth trade.‌[Bedrock Edition only]

A compass is also part of the cost of explorer maps:

  • An ocean explorer map and‌[JE only]/or‌[BE only] a woodland explorer map can be bought from a journeyman-level cartographer for 12 emeralds and one compass, as part of their fifth trade.‌[Bedrock Edition only]
  • In Java Edition, apprentice-level Cartographer villagers offer to sell an ocean explorer map for 13 emeralds and a compass, and journeyman-level Cartographer villagers offer to sell a woodland explorer map for 14 emeralds and one compass.

Enchantments

A compass can receive the Curse of Vanishing enchantment, but only through an anvil.

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierTranslation key
Compasscompassitem.minecraft.compass
item.minecraft.lodestone_compass

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierNumeric ID Translation key
Compasscompass345item.compass.name
Lodestone Compasslodestonecompass741item.lodestonecompass.name

Item data

  •  tag: The item's tag tag.
    •  LodestoneTracked: Optional. 1 or 0 (true/false) - true if the compass is connected to a lodestone. When false, LodestoneDimension and LodestonePos is not automatically removed when the lodestone is destroyed, but the compass still points to that location.
    •  LodestoneDimension: Optional. The dimension of the lodestone to which the compass is pointing.
    •  LodestonePos: Optional. The coordinates of the lodestone to which the compass is pointing.
      •  X: x coordinate
      •  Y: y coordinate
      •  Z: z coordinate

Advancements

Icon Advancement In-game description Parent Actual requirements (if different) Resource location
Advancement-plain-rawCountry Lode, Take Me Home
Use a Compass on a Lodestone Hidden in the Depthsnether/use_lodestone

History

alpha
v1.1.0File:Compass JE1 BE1.gif Added compasses.
beta
1.8Pre-releaseCompasses can now be found in library chests in the new strongholds.
Java Edition
1.3.112w21aLibrarian villagers now sell 1 compass for 10–11 emeralds.
1.4.212w34aSince the mapping system has been changed, a compass can now be used to craft an empty map.
1.814w02aLibrarian villagers now sell 1 compass for 10–12 emeralds.
1.915w43aThe average yield of compasses in stronghold library chests has been increased.
1.1116w39aCartographer villagers have been added, who buy compasses as their tier 2 trade.
1.1317w47aPrior to The Flattening, this item's numeral ID was 345.
18w11aCompasses can now generate in shipwreck chests.
1.1620w13aFile:Invicon Lodestone Compass JE1.gif Compasses can now be used on lodestones to make them point to the stones.
20w14aCompasses now have the LodestonePos, LodestoneDimension, and LodestoneTracked data fields. If LodestoneTracked is zero, the game skips checking for a lodestone in the specified position.
Compasses can now have the Curse of Vanishing enchantment on them.
Pocket Edition Alpha
0.8.0build 2File:Compass JE1 BE1.gif Added compasses.
0.14.0build 1Compasses must now be added to a map using an anvil to add the location marker.
Pocket Edition
1.0.0?Windows 10 Edition can now use the anvil, as well as the crafting table, to apply position markers, with compasses just as Pocket Edition can in general.
1.0.4alpha 1.0.4.0Librarian villagers now sell 1 compass for 10–12 emeralds.
1.1.0alpha 1.1.0.3Cartographer villagers have been added, who buy compasses as part of their tier 2 trade.
Compasses used with emeralds can be used to buy explorer maps as part of cartographer villagers' fourth tiers trade.
Bedrock Edition
1.4.0beta 1.2.14.2Compasses can now be found inside map room chests in shipwrecks.
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3Compasses can now be found in village cartographer house chests.
1.11.0beta 1.11.0.4Trading has been changed, cartographer villagers now buy compassess as part of their fourth tier trades.
Compasses used with emeralds can now be used to buy explorer maps as part of cartographer and fletcher villagers' third tier trades.
Librarian villagers now have a 13 chance to sell compasses for 4 emeralds as part of their fourth tier trades.
1.16.0beta 1.16.0.57File:Invicon Lodestone Compass BE1.gif Compasses can now be used on lodestones to make them point to the stones.
Compasses now have the LodestonePos, LodestoneDimension, and LodestoneTracked data fields. If LodestoneTracked is zero, the game skips checking for a lodestone in the specified position.
Compasses can now have the Curse of Vanishing enchantment on them.
Legacy Console Edition
TU1CU1 1.0 Patch 11.0.1File:Compass JE1 BE1.gif Added compasses.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0File:Compass JE1 BE1.gif Added compasses.

Issues

Issues relating to "Compass" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia

  • Using /setworldspawn to change the world spawn also changes where the compass points.
  • The Lodestone Compass changes to a greenish-blue color in addition to receiving an enchantment glint.‌[Bedrock Edition only]

Gallery

See also

References


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