See the formula on how to make a compass in Minecraft

How to Make a Compass in Minecraft

Lost your way? The compass is the best tool to get direction if you are lost in Minecraft.

Right now, I am going to show you how to make a compass in Minecraft and how to uses it. You will need some tricks to use a compass in Minecraft. We will also explain it widely. Just stick with us.

How to Make a Compass in Minecraft

The compass is a tool to direct you to your swap point. The swap point is where you originally started the game. If your home is near to your swap point, it will help you to get back to your sweet home.

However, here’s the complete guideline on how to make a compass in Minecraft

Step 1: Create Crafting Table

To craft a working compass, you will need a crafting table with 3×3 crafting grid. If you already have a crafting table, then you can proceed to the next step.

If you have ‘t created crafting table, just place 4 wood planks on your 2×2 default crafting grid. As a result, you will get a crafting table at the right sided box.

The formula to create crafting table on Minecraft

Move the crafting table and place it on the ground. Just right-click on it if you have to use it.

Step 2: Collect Iron Ingot

As a required material, you will need to collect 4 iron ingots in Minecraft. You can collect iron ingot in several ways on survival mood.

Just open your furnace and place the coal in the fuel slot. Then place iron ore at the upper slot. Wait for few seconds and you will get iron ingot at the right sided box.

The furnace formula to creaet an iron ingot by yourself in Minecraft

You can also kill iron golem to get iron ingot. When you find any iron golem, just start hitting him. Continue attacking until it dies and leaves iron ingot on the ground

The Iron golem to kill and get iron ingot as a result

Step 3: Collect Redstone

The second thing you will need to make compass is Redstone. Generally, you will get Redstone at deep to the underground. Eventually, you can find a couple of Redstone Ore in the underground. If you found one, just hitting it with your pickaxe to get Redstone.

Redstone block in underground in Minecraft

However, you can also use the following code to get Redstone in your inventory.

/give @p Redstone 1

Step 4: Make a Compass

So, now you have all the required ingredients to craft a compass tool. You can start crafting compass on the crafting table.

Go in front of crafting table and right click on it to get 3×3 crafting grid.

At the crafting grid, put 4 iron ingot and 1 Redstone in the following formation.

The crafting formula to create a compass in Minecraft

Place Redstone at the middle block of crafting grid. Put iron ingot at the up, down, left and right of the Redstone. Done! You will see a compass on the right sided box.

Where to Find Compass in Minecraft

Eventually, you can also get the compass from the other aspect of the game. You don’t have to build a compass if you find it in an alternative way.

See all the other ways to get the compass in Minecraft

Minecraft Stronghold

You will get compass at the stronghold library chests. There’s approximately 11.0% of changes to get a compass from a stronghold library chest. It gets up to 10.6% in Bedrock edition.


Roam around the villages in Minecraft and find a librarian villager. You can buy compass from librarian villagers from the tire 2 trading. You will need around 10-10 emeralds to get one.

How to Use Compass in Minecraft

Well, you have successfully created a compass, now it’s time to use it. The compass is a little tricky to use but once you are adapted everything will be smooth.

Here’s how you can use a compass in a practical world of Minecraft.

Step 1: Move Compass to Hotbar

Once you have a compass, move it to the last row(hotbar) of your inventory. Then select the hotbar and take the compass in your hand.

Step 2: Osbert the Compass

While you have a compass on your hand, absorb It properly. Roam around and monitor the compass needle. If you see that compass is pointing to a specific direction, that would be your actual swap point.

Observing the compass needle to get direction in Minecraft

Just go towards the compass is directing to you. Later you will find your swap point and go back home. So, it’s better to build home near to your swap point.

How to Make other Items using Compass

You can also craft other useful items to help yourself in Minecraft. Just like a map, you can create a useful map with the compass. The map will show your location in the world of Minecraft. Isn’t useful?

See the process to make a map using your compass.


To create a map in Minecraft, you will need 1 compass and 9 papers. If you have all of them, open your crafting table and put them in the following pattern. Place compass at the center and 9 papers around it.

Crafting formula to create a map in Minecraft

You can use map just taking the map on your hand and right-clicking on it.

How to Get North without Compass in Minecraft

In several places, you may get confused about using a compass. If you are facing problem to get direction from compass you can also follow alternative ways. There are several in-game signs that will show you directions in Minecraft.

Here are all signs to get north in Minecraft.

Observe the Sun

Whatever the place is, try to find out the sun in Minecraft. It’s a square light source in the sky! If you observe the sun, you will see that the sun is going towards west.

Observing the sun to get direction in Minecraft

Observe the Cloud

If you can’t find the sun, look at the flowing cloud on the sky. You will recognize, the cloud is always flowing towards north.

Observing the cloud in Minecraft to get direction

Use F3 Key

Press the F3 key to get the advanced screen of Minecraft. Now try to move and monitor the X coordinate value. If you move toward the north, the value will get decreased. Also, you can look at the Facing option to know the direction you are facing.

The detailed screen to get direction in Minecraft

Sell Compass in Minecraft

Yes, if you feel compass useless you can also sell them and get some emeralds.

Firstly, find a cartographer villager and trade with them. Right click on them to open trading window. You can sell compass at tire 2 of their trading.

Get Compass with Cheat Code

You can use code to get compass if you are PC/Mac version of Minecraft. Here’s the create code to use.

/give @p compass 1.


  • The compass will not work at Nether and the End world.
  • If you use a compass in Netherworld, it will direct you to random direction every time.
  • Compass will always direct you to the swap point where you started the game.
  • If you used a bed, Minecraft compass will point to bed.

So, that’s how you can recover yourself from a spooky jungle of Minecraft. Just follow the compass needle and you will be on your base.

For what you are waiting for? Go and start exploring new jungle collect rare treasures and items. Hope you will be brave enough.

Related Post

3 thoughts on “How to Make a Compass in Minecraft”

Leave a Comment
