The End is a separate dimension you reach by finding a stronghold and entering through an End Portal

The End is not a place you stumble into by walking far enough. It is a completely separate dimension in Minecraft, and the only way to enter it is through an End Portal — a frame made of 12 End Portal Blocks arranged in a square, with a purple void in the middle. To reach it, you must first locate a stronghold, an underground structure that always contains an End Portal.

The stronghold is hidden somewhere in your world, and the game gives you a tool to find it: the Eye of Ender. When you throw an Eye of Ender, it floats through the air toward the nearest stronghold, then disappears. You follow it, throw another one, and repeat until you reach the stronghold entrance. Once inside, you navigate the corridors until you find the End Portal room.

Key Takeaways

  • You must craft or find Eyes of Ender, which point toward the nearest stronghold when thrown.
  • Follow the Eyes of Ender across the landscape, crafting more as needed, until you reach the stronghold.
  • Inside the stronghold, find the End Portal room and place Eyes of Ender in the 12 empty End Portal Blocks to set up the portal.
  • Step into the activated portal to enter the End dimension, where the Ender Dragon waits.
  • Defeating the Ender Dragon or entering the End Portal that appears after victory completes the game.

How to craft or find Eyes of Ender

An Eye of Ender is made from two ingredients: Ender Pearl and Blaze Powder. Ender Pearls drop from Endermen (tall black mobs that spawn in the Overworld, especially in dark places). Blaze Powder comes from Blaze Rods, which drop from Blazes — mobs that live in the Nether. To get Blaze Rods, you must travel to the Nether, find a Nether Fortress, and kill Blazes inside it.

Craft the Eye of Ender at a crafting table by placing one Ender Pearl and one Blaze Powder anywhere on the grid. You will need multiple Eyes of Ender — typically 8 to 12 — because each one is consumed when you throw it, and some may be lost or destroyed before reaching the stronghold. If you do not want to visit the Nether, you can also search for Eyes of Ender in the inventory of killed Endermen, though this is slower and less reliable than crafting them.

Following Eyes of Ender to the stronghold

Hold an Eye of Ender in your hand and right-click (or use your secondary action key) to throw it. The Eye will float upward and move horizontally toward the nearest stronghold, leaving a trail of purple particles. Follow it on foot or by flying if you are in Creative mode. The Eye travels in a straight line but may go over water, mountains, or other obstacles.

After traveling some distance, the Eye will slow down and descend into the ground, then disappear. This means the stronghold is directly below that spot. Mark the location and dig down carefully — you may hit the stronghold structure itself, or you may need to dig deeper. Throw another Eye of Ender to confirm you are heading in the right direction, or to triangulate if the stronghold is far away. Repeat this process — throw, follow, mark, dig — until you break through into the stronghold. The stronghold is made of stone bricks, End Rods, and other distinctive blocks, so you will recognize it when you see it.

Navigating the stronghold to find the End Portal room

A stronghold is a large underground maze of corridors, rooms, and dead ends. There is no single correct path, but the End Portal room is always somewhere inside. Explore methodically: light your way with torches, mark walls so you do not loop back, and look for the End Portal room, which is a large chamber with a 3×3 pool of lava in the center and the End Portal frame on one side.

The End Portal frame consists of 12 End Portal Blocks arranged in a square, with 3 blocks on each side. Some of these blocks may already have Eyes of Ender in them — if so, you only need to fill the empty ones. Watch out for Silverfish in the stronghold; they are small, fast, and spawn from Infested Stone blocks. If you get lost, retrace your steps or dig upward to escape and reorient yourself.

Activating the End Portal

Once you find the End Portal frame, place an Eye of Ender in each of the 12 empty End Portal Blocks. You can do this by holding an Eye of Ender and right-clicking on each empty block. As you place the final Eye, the portal will set up — the frame will fill with a swirling purple void, and the lava pool will drain.

If you run out of Eyes of Ender before filling all 12 blocks, you must craft or find more and return to the stronghold. You can always come back; the stronghold does not despawn. Keep track of which blocks still need Eyes so you do not waste time placing them in blocks that are already full.

Entering the End and defeating the Ender Dragon

Step into the activated End Portal. You will be transported to the End dimension, a dark void with floating islands of End Stone. The Ender Dragon will be flying around, destroying blocks and attacking you. Your goal is to destroy the dragon by hitting it with a sword, bow, or other weapon. The dragon regenerates health by flying near healing crystals on top of tall obsidian pillars, so you must destroy those crystals first — either by climbing the pillars and breaking them, or by shooting them with a bow.

Once the Ender Dragon is defeated, it will drop experience and fly toward the center of the map, where an End Portal will appear. Jumping into this portal will take you back to the Overworld and display the end credits, marking your completion of the game's main objective. The fight can take anywhere from a few minutes to much longer depending on your preparation and skill.

What to bring to the End

Before entering the End Portal, prepare your inventory. Bring a sword (diamond or better is recommended), a bow with arrows, a pickaxe to break the healing crystals, blocks to build with (so you can climb the obsidian pillars), food to heal yourself, and a bed. A bed is useful because when you sleep in the End, it explodes and damages the Ender Dragon — this is one of the fastest ways to defeat it.

Avoid bringing valuable items you cannot afford to lose, because if you die in the End, you will drop everything and respawn in the Overworld. Your items will remain on the ground for five minutes before disappearing. A shield is also helpful for blocking the dragon's attacks and the projectiles fired by the healing crystals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a stronghold without Eyes of Ender?

No. Eyes of Ender are the only tool that points toward strongholds. You can search randomly, but strongholds are rare and buried deep underground, so this would take an extremely long time. Crafting Eyes of Ender is the intended path.

What if I fall into the void in the End?

You will die and drop your items. Your items will disappear after five minutes if you do not retrieve them. Stay on the islands and use blocks to build bridges or platforms if you need to cross gaps. Ender Pearls can also be thrown to teleport yourself short distances.

Can I leave the End and come back later?

Yes. If you die in the End, you respawn in the Overworld at your spawn point. You can return to the stronghold and enter the End Portal again whenever you want. The End Portal does not close or reset.

Do I have to defeat the Ender Dragon to beat the game?

Defeating the Ender Dragon is considered the main objective and triggers the end credits, but there is no penalty for not doing it. You can explore the End, gather End Stone and other blocks, or straightforward leave. The game does not end if you do not fight the dragon.

What happens after I defeat the Ender Dragon?

The credits roll, and you return to the Overworld. The game does not end — you can continue playing, building, and exploring. The Ender Dragon will respawn if you place an End Crystal on each of the four sides of the exit portal in the End.