Lodestones are new blocks introduced with Minecraft 1.16, the Nether Update. You won’t be able to obtain one until you have entered the Nether and mined some new blocks and obtained a Netherite Ingot.
When in the Nether, holding a Compass will prove useless, as there is nowhere for it to lock on to. The needle will spin repeatedly, giving you no sense of direction.
The Lodestone changes that, instead making it so your Compass will point towards the Lodestone whilst in the Nether. This is especially useful for if you have a base in the Nether, or you want to make sure you always have a way to get back to your Nether Portal.
This guide is suitable for all versions of Minecraft, including Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. The steps should also be similar between consoles and devices including the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Pocket Edition. For more Minecraft Guides & Best-of content, make sure to check out our dedicated area here!
How to Craft a Compass
You won’t be able to use a Lodestone without a Compass, so craft one of those first. If you already know how to craft a Compass, skip towards the next section.
To craft a Compass, simply place a piece of Redstone in the middle slot. Then add 4 Iron Ingots surrounding the Redstone in a layout similar to the screenshot above. You won’t be able to obtain these materials in the Nether, so make sure to craft them in the Overworld.
How to Craft a Lodestone
Lodestones aren’t too simple to make. Firstly, you’ll need 8 Chiselled Stone Bricks. These can be crafted using Stone Brick Slabs, placing 2 on top of eachother inside of a Crafting Table will provide you with a single Chiselled Stone Brick.
You’ll also require a single Netherite Ingot, which requires you to mining Ancient Debris in the Nether. Smelt the Ancient Debris into Netherite Scrap, and combine 4 Netherite Scrap and 4 Gold Ingots inside of a Crafting Table to get a single Netherite Ingot.
Once you have those ingredients, combine them in a Crafting Table with a layout similar to above. Once you have a Lodestone, place it down in your game world, ideally in the location you want your Compass to point to.
How to Use the Lodestone in Minecraft
Setting up your Lodestone is simple. With it placed down, interact with it whilst holding your Compass (Right Mouse Button on PC).
Your Compass will be switched out for one that points towards the Lodestone. Hopefully, this makes finding your base/Nether Portal much easier when exploring the Nether in Minecraft!
