How to Find the End Portal in Minecraft 1.18

If you’re a newbie to Minecraft, you might be wondering how do you get to the end dimension to fight the ender dragon? How do you find the end portal? Unlike the nether portal which we can build, the end portal can’t be built. So how do you locate this structure?

This article will guide you through every step, which will eventually lead you to the end portal in Minecraft 1.18 and, most probably, a future version of the game. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

End portal & the stronghold

The end portal looks something like the image shown above. Unlike the nether portal, the end portal is arranged as a floor which you jump into. To activate this end portal, you’ll need ender eyes. Now, depending upon the portal you’ve gotten, you’ll need different amounts of ender eyes. We’ll get into how to craft these eyes in a moment.

The end portal is located in a stronghold; you’ll find many mobs here trying to stop you from going to the end dimension. So before you make your way into the stronghold, make sure you have good armor and tools. Also, carry a bed so that you respawn near the end portal if the dragon kills you. Just like the nether, you can’t sleep in the end.

Crafting eyes of ender

Eyes of ender are crafted using two ingredients: ender pearls and blaze powder. 

Ender pearls

Ender pearls are dropped by endermen anywhere in the game. If you slay an enderman, there’s a chance of it dropping an ender pearl. These pearls can be used to transport you over vast distances just by throwing them, and this mechanic of the ender pearl will aid you in your journey to the portal as well.

Make sure you get as many ender pearls as possible before you start your journey, as they will help in crafting the ender eyes and help you reach the portal faster.

Blaze Powder

Blaze powder is an ingredient that is crafted using blaze rods. Blaze rods can be obtained by slaying the Blaze in the nether fortress. Blaze can be hard to kill as they shoot firey projectiles at you, so make sure you take a bucket of water to put out the fire.

Finding the nether fortress shouldn’t be challenging; you can navigate the nether using striders added in the Nether update. Plus, you can now respawn in the nether using the respawn anchor.

Crafting eyes of ender

Now that you have all the necessary items, simply follow the recipe shown above to craft ender eyes. You’ll need 12 ender eyes, but we advise you carry 15-18 at least.

Locating the ender portal

Once you have the ender eyes, put on your best armor, get your enchanted tools, and start your expedition to the portal. To locate the end portal, just toss an ender eye in the air, and it will move in the direction of the end portal. These ender eyes may drop down after showing you the direction, so make sure you keep an eye on where they fall so you can reuse them. They have a 20% chance of breaking, which is why you need to carry some extras.

Use ender pearls to speed up the process of traveling in a direction. Sometimes the portals might generate really far away from the spawn point. Keep following the ender eye until you finally locate the portal. Once you're in the stronghold, find the end portal.

Put your ender eyes in the portal blocks, and the portal will activate. The rest of the adventure is up to you!