How to Make a Compass in Minecraft

Last Updated: September 16, 2021

A compass is used in Minecraft to direct the player to his or her original spawn point. It will point wherever it is, be it in a chest, on the floor, in your inventory or in the character's hand. However, it won't work when in The Nether or The End worlds. Here is how to make one.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Sourcing the Materials

1
Obtain four iron ingots and one redstone.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Making the Compass

1
Consider whether you even need to make the compass first. If you're low on iron ingots and/or redstone, you can save them by simply looking at the compass pointer when the items are placed in the crafting table but then not activating the crafting.
- Note that you can also see the compass on the item statistics page if you've made a compass in the past. This means you can see the direction pointer without having to even use the crafting table.
- If you need a compass to make map paper, you'll need to craft it.
2
Craft a compass. Place the four iron ingots and one redstone into the crafting table as follows:
- Place the redstone in the center grid spot.
- Place the four iron ingots above, below and next to the redstone.
- Wait for the compass to be crafted.
- Shift click or drag the compass to your inventory.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Crafting with the Compass

1
Make a map. To make a map using a compass, surround the compass with paper.
- Go to the crafting grid and place the compass in the center.
- Place paper in all of the other empty slots.
2
Craft the map. Shift click or drag to place the map into your inventory.

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Community Q&A

Question

How do I use the compass?

Community Answer

Click it as if you were to eat it, and it will point you home.
Question

What's the point of having a compass?

Stephz16

Community Answer

It directs you to your spawn point. If you've set up home at your spawn point, or set your spawn point to home, it will take you home.
Question

I put the 8 pieces of paper and compass on the crafting table, but it's not showing that it made a map. Anyone know why this might happen?

Gaming_Online

Community Answer

The compass needs to go in the very middle, and the paper has to surround it.
Question

Do I need a diamond hoe to do this? When I put paper and compass in, it doesn't show map.

Community Answer

Are you sure you put the compass in the middle and 8 pieces of paper around it, using a crafting table?
Question

If I have my spawn point in Nether, what will my compass show?

Community Answer

The compass will spin wildly in many directions if you try it in the Nether or End.
Question

Can a compass track anything other than your spawn?

Seasalt25

Top Answerer

If you place a lodestone and use a compass on it, the compass will then point towards the lodestone instead of the spawn.
Question

Why do you need one?

Seasalt25

Top Answerer

You don't need a compass, but it can be helpful to have one in case you get lost and need to find your way back to spawn or a lodestone.