An Eye of Ender flies a short way towards the nearest stronghold, the underground structure that holds the End portal. Following eyes one at a time works, but it costs a pearl and a blaze powder whenever an eye breaks (a 20% chance per throw). Triangulation is cheaper: throw one eye, note your position and the direction it flew, move a few hundred blocks sideways, throw another and see where the two lines cross.
In Java Edition open the debug screen (F3), stand where you threw the eye, look straight at it while it hovers and read the “Facing” yaw angle and your X and Z coordinates. Minecraft measures yaw clockwise from south: 0° is south (+Z), 90° west, ±180° north and −90° east. Enter both throws and the calculator intersects the two lines. Bedrock players can read their position with “Show coordinates” and estimate the angle with a compass or a block grid.
The answer is only as good as the angles: the further apart the throws and the closer the crossing angle is to 90°, the better. In Java Edition 1.21 the three strongholds of the first ring lie 1,280–2,816 blocks from 0, 0, so the calculator also checks which ring your estimate falls in. Travel there (or 1/8 of the way through the Nether), then throw one more eye to pinpoint the portal room.
How to use the Minecraft End Portal Finder
- Throw 1 – X coordinate
- Throw 1 – Z coordinate
- Throw 1 – facing (yaw) angle — F3 “Facing” value: 0 = south, 90 = west, ±180 = north, −90 = east.
- Throw 2 – X coordinate
- Throw 2 – Z coordinate
- Throw 2 – facing (yaw) angle
Everything is calculated in your browser, so results appear instantly and nothing you type is sent to a server.
How it works
Each throw defines a line from the throw position along the yaw direction. The two linear equations are solved for the crossing point; parallel throws, or lines that cross behind you, are reported because they indicate a mistake in the angles.
Worked example
Throw 1 at X 100, Z 50 with facing −58.7° points along (0.854, 0.519); throw 2 at X 600, Z −300 with facing −36.9° points along (0.600, 0.800). Solving the two line equations puts the crossing at about X 1,503, Z 903, 1,643 blocks from throw 1, with the lines meeting at 21.8°. In the Nether that is X 188, Z 113, and at 1,754 blocks from the origin it lies in the first stronghold ring.
Reading the facing angle
| F3 facing | Direction | Coordinate that grows |
|---|---|---|
| 0° | South | +Z |
| −90° (270°) | East | +X |
| ±180° | North | −Z |
| 90° | West | −X |
Formula
Direction of a throw: Δx = −sin(yaw), Δz = cos(yaw) · intersection of the lines P₁ + t·d₁ = P₂ + s·d₂ · t = ((x₂ − x₁)·d₂z − (z₂ − z₁)·d₂x) ÷ (d₁x·d₂z − d₁z·d₂x)
Worked example
Inputs — Throw 1 – X coordinate: 100; Throw 1 – Z coordinate: 50; Throw 1 – facing (yaw) angle: -58.7 °; Throw 2 – X coordinate: 600; Throw 2 – Z coordinate: -300; Throw 2 – facing (yaw) angle: -36.9 °.
Results — Portal X coordinate = 1,503; Portal Z coordinate = 903; Distance from throw 1 = 1,643 blocks; Distance from throw 2 = 1,505 blocks; Nether X (travel through the Nether) = 188; Nether Z = 113.
Key terms
- Yaw
- Horizontal facing angle shown as "Facing" on the F3 screen.
- Triangulation
- Locating a point from the directions measured at two known positions.
- Stronghold
- Underground structure containing the End portal room.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the End portal with two eyes?
Throw an eye, record X, Z and the facing angle from F3, walk 300+ blocks sideways, throw again, and enter both throws here.
What does the facing angle mean?
Yaw measured clockwise from south: 0 = south (+Z), 90 = west (−X), 180 = north (−Z), −90 or 270 = east (+X).
How far apart should the throws be?
At least a few hundred blocks sideways to the direction of flight, so the lines cross at a wide angle.
How far are strongholds from spawn?
In Java Edition the first ring of 3 strongholds lies 1,280–2,816 blocks from 0, 0; 128 strongholds sit in 8 rings.
Can I use the Nether to get there faster?
Yes – divide the X and Z by 8, travel in the Nether and build a portal back.
How do I know I am close?
When the eye flies downward instead of up and away, the stronghold is beneath you.
Does an Eye of Ender always break?
No – each throw has a 20% chance to shatter; otherwise it drops as an item you can pick up.