How to make a Map in Minecraft

6 January, 2023

Minecraft is a great place to create a digital world. The "infinite world" type allows you to create virtual terrain that extends in all directions. Locator maps are essential for younger players who may wander from the Minecraft pack. We will show you how to create a map in Minecraft. This will help everyone find their way home.

Your mapTools and ingredients
Make your map
Fill out your map
Expand your map
Copy your map
Show 1 more item

What you need

- Crafting table (in game)

- Four iron ore block (in-game).

- One pile redstone dust (in game)

- Nine sugar cane stalks (in-game)

Cartography table (ingame)

A map is not required if you create a realm with the "flat" type. They are only 256 x256 blocks in size, so you won't wander too far or fall off the edge. Maps are best suited for infinite terrains. There are five sizes you can use to create maps to track short or extremely long distances.

Your map is yours

There are two types of maps in Minecraft. We assume you want the Locator Map for this guide. It tracks the position of all players in the realm and not just you.

The Basic Map (or simply Map) is a map of your realm that does not include location tracking. This version is better suited for decoration and hanging on a wall.

Both maps don't immediately show every mountain, river, or desert. It works in a similar way to how RPGs conceal undiscovered territory. As you travel, the cloudy veil slowly lifts away. Your journeys will eventually reveal the whole realm.

Your realm will be revealed by a map as soon as it is opened. Ground zero. This point will always be at the center of your map, regardless if it's your crafting table, spawn point, or bed.

Tools and ingredients to make your map

Both the Locator Map and the Basic Map require certain tools and ingredients. These tools and ingredients are listed below with screenshots for those who are new to Minecraft.

Step 1: Make or craft a crafting table (below right) and a furnace. Without one of these items, you can't make anything.

Step 2: Acquire four blocks of iron ore and one pile redstone dust.

Redstone dust is made from a block of redstone, which is found deep underground in the realm's 16 lowest layers. Redstone dust is made by combining redstone ore with fuel. Iron ore blocks (left), are located just above the sea level.

Step 3: Gather nine stalks of sugarcane. These stalks are used to make the paper. They grow in close proximity to water, as shown below.

Step 4: Find the fuel to ignite the furnace.

One block of charcoal, one block or four of coal can be used. It doesn't matter what kind of fire you have. You can find coal ore underground, or in caves, and use a pickaxe to make coal. To make charcoal, combine wood and coal in an oven. This guide uses wood as fuel, but it is the most labor-intensive.

Now that you have all the information, you can start to create your map.

Make your map

These instructions will create a Locator Map that displays your current location. You can skip the steps for creating a compass if you only need a map.

Step 1: Open the furnace, add the iron ore (top) and the fuel (bottom). In the example below, we use charcoal for fuel.

Step 2: The furnace automatically produces iron bars until your iron fuel or iron ore is exhausted, or you exit it. Drag the iron bars into your inventory to complete.

Step 3: Open the Crafting Table, add four iron bars to it, and one heap of redstone dust. The Crafting Table automatically creates an compass.

Step 4: Drag the compass into your inventory to complete.

Step 5: Keep the Crafting Table open and drag three stacks each of three sugarcane into the bottom squares. Each sugar cane stack makes three sheets of paper. You'll need to drag three stacks of paper into the inventory.

Step 6: Keep the Crafting Table open and drag the compass from your inventory to the center square. As shown below, fill all remaining squares with one sheet each of paper. There are eight total.

If you are not creating a Locator Map then swap the compass for a ninth piece of paper and fill in all nine squares. These maps are useful for later cloning of filled maps.

Step 7: Drag the empty Locator Map into either your inventory or Hotbar.

Fill out your map

Now that you have a map to work with, the next step is to fill it. This works in a similar way to how RPGs hide territory undiscovered, slowly removing the curtainas your venture forth.

Step 1: Open your inventory, and drag the Locator Map that you just created into the Hotbar.

Step 2: Select the map, and follow the steps to bring it into view.

Hold the left trigger.
PC: Click the right-click button at your mouse
Mobile Tap and Hold on the Screen

Step 3: Explore your Minecraft realm to fill in the map.

As the map renders the area you'll notice that there is a limit. Your player indicator will stop at the edge if you move beyond the boundaries of the map. It currently captures an area of 128x128 blocks, based on the area it was opened first. This is half the size of the "flat world" type.

The base map in the example above only captured a few blocks of our "infinite", Minecraft Realm. Zooming out will give us greater coverage. This requires a trip back from the Crafting Table.

Expand your map

The map can be enlarged up to four times. These are the actual sizes.

Zoom 1 - Level 1/4 - 256x256
Zoom 2 - Level 2/4, 512 x512
Zoom 3 - 1024x1024 (Level 3/4).
Zoom 4 - 2048x2048 (Level 4/4)

However, you cannot create a single map for an infinite Minecraft world. You can create additional Level 4/4 maps to track large areas beyond your original Level 4/4 map. However, Level 4/4 maps can be very large. You might find that Level 1/4 maps are easier and more useful for mapping the local terrain.

Flat world types are 256x256 blocks in size, so you can easily create and expand a map to cover the entire realm.

Step 1: Open the Crafting Table, insert your current map into the center square, and then fill the eight remaining squares with paper. You can also refer to the previous instructions for how to use sugarcane to craft more paper.

Step 2: Drag your expanded map (256x256, Level 1/4) into the inventory.

Step 3: To create a larger map, drag the newly enlarged map back into Crafting Table. Fill the remaining squares of the map with paper. This creates a map measuring 512 x512 pixels (Level 2/4).

Step 4: Drag and drop the expanded map into your directory.

Step 5: Repetition the process for the 1024x1024 map (Level 3/4), and twice for the 2048x2048 version (Level 4-4).

Your map will be enlarged and it will start rerecording your environment from the point it was opened. This is great for you but what about the other players who can access your realm, especially younger ones?

Copy it!

Copy your map

Gamers with children know the terror of having to send a virtual search party. They wander too far, to the extent that you have to move from screen to screen trying find their exact location. A Locator Map allows you to see the locations of all players in the realm.

Map cloning allows players to have a copy of your map and can return to the same place you opened it. Copied maps are a must-have for younger players who like to wander off, especially when they are in infinite realms.

You will need a Cartography Table (shown below) and an empty map to copy a map.

Before you start, ensure that your current map is complete before you make a copy. This may take some time if you have the Level 4/4 version.

Step 1: Open Cartography Table and add your completed maps to the top square.

Step 2: Name the copied map (optional). This process will rename both maps.