Ofzen And Computing is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How To Make A Lantern In Minecraft? [Light Up Your World]

How To Make A Lantern In Minecraft
  Written By: Ashish Arya
Updated On: 12/12/2023
Est. Reading: 7 minutes

Exploring the pixelated world of Minecraft is always an adventure, filled with vast landscapes, towering structures, and the thrill of crafting your very own creations. One such do-it-yourself project is learning how to make a lantern in Minecraft.

Lanterns not only serve as an excellent light source, illuminating the darkest corners of your world, but also add a distinct charm to your fortresses and hideouts.

Made from basic materials available in the game, creating these handy tools can be an enjoyable task for both novice players trying to master the basics and seasoned gamers looking for ways to beautify their in-game homes.

Why Should You Use Lanterns in Minecraft?

In the immersive world of Minecraft, illumination is paramount. Whether you’re a novice player still finding your way around the blocky landscape or a seasoned gamer looking for versatile resources, you will love the multi-faceted uses of lanterns in-game.

Why Should You Use Lanterns in Minecraft

This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill light source. The lantern serves many more purposes than merely lighting up space. Let’s dig into all the ways a lantern can up your game:

  • Lighting: Obviously, a lantern’s primary function is to provide light. Unlike other light sources in Minecraft, such as torches or glowstones, lanterns give off a luminosity level of 15, which is quite bright.
  • Decoration: Lanterns can add an aesthetic appeal to your builds. They give off a homely and rustic vibe, perfect for designing fortresses and medieval structures.
  • Mob Repellent: Just like with torches and glowstones, hostile mobs won’t spawn in areas where there’s sufficient light emanating from lanterns.
  • Underwater Lighting: One unique feature of lanterns is their ability to work perfectly underwater without getting extinguished. This comes in handy when setting up an underwater base or exploring marine life.
  • Path Marking: In large explorations where one risks losing their way back home, setting up lanterns will help mark your path and guide you back safely.
  • Signal Beacons: Lanterns can be used as signal beacons from vantage points that are viewable from far away. Are they running out on a last-minute expedition? They can signal fellow gamers about various activity points.
  • Thematic Builds: If you enjoy building thematic structures such as medieval castles or nautical ships, adding lanterns will provide an extra authentic touch!
  • Craftable Item Trade-In/Recipe Ingredient: If you’ve got an excess of lanterns at hand, you could trade them with villagers for emeralds. Some communities even use it as an ingredient for specific, localized crafts.

There you have it – the humble lantern, your versatile companion in Minecraft. Be it as a souvenir for your journey trails or a deterrent against hostile mobs, the lantern goes beyond its traditional use. So go on and bring some light into your game.

How To Make A Lantern In Minecraft?

Lighting plays a pivotal role in the world of Minecraft, warding off mobs and making navigation easier during dark hours. But beyond functionality, adding varied light sources like lanterns can give your structures an aesthetic appeal.

How To Make A Lantern In Minecraft

As we steer through the maze of Minecraft pieces, learning how to create these versatile adornments becomes crucial. Let’s dive into the process.

Gather the Materials

Defeating the darkness falling upon your beloved structures begins with gathering the necessary crafting materials. You will only need two simple items to craft a lantern: a torch or a soul torch and eight iron nuggets.

These resources can easily be found or made in your virtual universe:

  • One torch or one soul torch
  • 8 iron nuggets

Open the Crafting Menu

Now that you have all your pieces together for crafting, it’s time to bring them to life by using the crafting table! In order to kick-start this process, right-click on a crafting table within your accessible radius. This action opens up the 3×3 crafting menu.

This grid of nine squares represents one of Minecraft’s magical realms where bits and pieces transform into utility items or elegant decorative.

Here’s where you’ll arrange your gathered materials in precise order to create your very own lantern. The arrangement follows an intuitive pattern, even reminding you visually of what you’re about to craft.

The central spot on this grid is reserved for your torch (a generic one or its soul variant). The surrounding slots are then occupied by eight iron nuggets, forming an envelope around the torch as if imitating how a real-life metallic lantern encases its light source!

This peep into creating items feels like an electrifying ride from squaring up on materials, navigating through blocky acres for a vacant crafting table, and finally opening the door to mysterious yet fulfilling grid-crafting.

Also Read: How To Make A Compass In Minecraft? [Step By Step Tutorial]

Place the Torch in the Center Slot

With the crafting table menu in front of you, it’s time to spring into action. Your meticulous assembly process starts with the humble torch, your principal light source.

This precious item needs to be placed smack-dab in the center of your crafting grid, neatly positioning it at the heart, just like enchanting fires at the core of real-life lanterns.

Visualizing this step as aligning the center of attraction can help you remember it with ease. Now, by relocating a torch from your inventory to this pivotal spot, half your job is already done. This small yet critical move breathes life into an otherwise static inventory.

Place the Eight Iron Nuggets around the Torch

Once you’ve placed your torch successfully in that central slot, let’s shape up your lantern more palpably by adding some protective casing. Start filling up all eight surrounding slots with iron nuggets akin to wrapping them around your centrally placed torch.

Visualize these nuggets as sturdy shields bracing up and encapsulating your torch – metaphorically and literally setting boundaries against any monsters looming in the shadows.

Be cautious and skeletal during this “step-by-step” placement process because even a single error could make you stumble on this crafting staircase.

Click the Lantern

After precisely placing all items as per the blueprint, torch encircled by iron nuggets, one final click separates you from your glowing prize.

Peering below on Minecraft’s graphical interface at this stage will reveal a dazzling surprise: An image of a regal lantern invitingly blinking under crafting results.

Other Ways to Get a Lantern

Beyond your crafting table, Minecraft also offers other intriguing options to obtain this versatile and illuminating item.

Other Ways to Get a Lantern

Whether you are exploring dark caves or quaint village settlements, trading with in-game characters, or experimenting with the game’s coding, bagging a lantern can upgrade your gaming experience.

These alternatives can be quite enjoyable and contribute to honing your gameplay skills.

Find a Lantern Naturally

Although rare, you can stumble upon lanterns naturally in the game. Certain structures like villagers’ houses and bastion remnants are known for featuring these useful items as part of their decor.

They hang under various blocks in houses or structures belonging to plains villagers and snowy tundra villagers.

Patience and keen observation can reward you with ready-made lanterns without the need to craft them yourself. Plus, it gives you an exciting opportunity to delve deeper into Minecraft’s immersive landscapes while on the lookout.

Explore More: How To Make A Golden Apple In Minecraft? [Step By Step Recipe]

Trade With a Librarian

Did you know that many of the non-playable characters (NPCs) sprinkled across Minecraft provide trade offerings? In particular, librarians distinguished by their white coats are renowned traders of lanterns.

This establishes trading as yet another route to obtain a lantern.

For this arrangement, your currency is emeralds. You can acquire emeralds by mining or farming them through professions in villages. After amassing enough emeralds, find a librarian in any village and initiate a trade deal to get your hands on a lantern.

Get A Lantern from The Creative Menu

In the Creative Mode of Minecraft, players have unlimited access to resources through an inventory menu offering every item within the game, including lanterns.

To tap into this endless supply chain in Creative Mode, access your inventory by pressing ‘E’ on PC or ‘Y’ on Xbox consoles. From there, navigate through item categories until you spot the actual Lantern symbol under ‘Decoration Items.’

Left-click on the lantern and drag it into your inventory, and voila, you now have a lantern without any iron nugget or torch.

Type “/give Lantern” in The Chat

Another exciting feature in Minecraft that defies the conventions of gameplay is the use of chat commands if your game allows for cheats (which can be enabled from settings), press ‘T’ or ‘/’ to open the chat bar.

Then type “/give (Your Player Name) minecraft: lantern (Amount)” and press enter. For instance, if your username is GameMaster and you want 20 lanterns, type “/give GameMaster minecraft:lantern 20”. This command gifts your desired number of lanterns instantly.

Bear in mind that resorting to chats can feel like bending rules to some players. Yet again, this provides an easy method for gamers short on time but keen on keeping their adventures bright.

Also Read: How To Get Honeycomb In Minecraft? [Guide To Sweet Success]

FAQs About Making A Lantern In Minecraft

Can every Minecraft player make a lantern?

Yes, Every player, regardless of their game mode (survival or creative), can indeed craft a lantern, given they have the necessary materials – torches and iron nuggets.

How exactly does a lantern benefit my gameplay in Minecraft?

Well, besides its primary function as a light source, lanterns lend an aesthetic appeal to your structures. They can be used underwater and deter mobs from spawning nearby.

Can you place a lantern on any surface or structure?

Yes, you can! Lanterns in Minecraft are quite versatile and can be placed on most surfaces, including the sides of blocks, as well as hung from ceilings.

How many light levels does a Minecraft lantern give off?

A Minecraft lantern provides 15 light levels, making it brighter than both torches and glowstones, which only emit 14 light levels.

Can I recycle or dismantle a lantern I’ve already made?

Unfortunately, once you’ve crafted and placed your lantern, you cannot recycle it back into its initial materials of iron nuggets and torches.

Author

  • Ashish Arya

    I'm a tech enthusiast and lifelong gamer, hailing from the beautiful city of Chandigarh. My passions range from immersing myself in worlds like GTA V, COD, SIMS, Roblox and Minecraft to exploring the latest innovations in laptops and technology. Armed with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Application, I love sharing my insights through writing and engaging with fellow enthusiasts. Join me on my journey through the ever-evolving realms of gaming and tech!