In the vast and exciting world of Minecraft, getting lost can be a common and frustrating experience, especially when you’re venturing far from your base to explore new biomes or mine for precious resources. Fortunately, the compass is a simple yet invaluable tool that can help you navigate your way back home, or towards the world spawn point. This guide will walk you through the process of crafting a compass in Minecraft, ensuring you never lose your way again.
Whether you’re playing in Survival Mode and need to craft one from scratch, or in Creative Mode and want to quickly locate it in the inventory, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about making and finding a compass in Minecraft across various platforms.
Supported Platforms for Minecraft Compass
The compass is a fundamental item in Minecraft and is available across nearly all versions of the game. Here’s a quick rundown of the platforms that support compass crafting and usage:
| Platform | Supported (Version*) |
|---|---|
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | Yes |
| Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition | Yes (0.8.0) |
| Xbox 360 | Yes |
| Xbox One / Bedrock Edition | Yes |
| PS3 | Yes |
| PS4 / Bedrock Edition | Yes |
| Wii U | Yes |
| Nintendo Switch / Bedrock Edition | Yes |
| Windows 10 Edition / Bedrock Edition | Yes |
| Education Edition | Yes |
* Version indicates the version in which the feature was added or removed, if applicable. Bedrock Edition encompasses Pocket Edition (PE), Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 10 Edition.
Finding a Compass in Creative Mode
If you are playing in Creative Mode, you don’t need to craft a compass. It’s readily available in your inventory. The location varies slightly depending on your Minecraft version and platform. Here’s where to find it:
Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | 1.8 – 1.19 | Tools Tab |
| Java Edition (PC/Mac) | 1.19.3 – 1.21.1 | Tools & Utilities Tab |
Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition | 0.14.1 – 1.1.3 | Tools Tab |
| Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition | 1.2 | Items Tab |
| Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition | 1.2.5 – 1.21.0 | Equipment Tab |
Minecraft Xbox Editions
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox 360 | TU35 – TU69 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| Xbox One / Bedrock Edition | CU23 – CU43 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| Xbox One / Bedrock Edition | 1.2.5 – 1.21.0 | Equipment Tab |
Minecraft PS Editions
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| PS3 | 1.26 – 1.76 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| PS4 / Bedrock Edition | 1.26 – 1.91 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| PS4 / Bedrock Edition | 1.14.0 – 1.21.0 | Equipment Tab |
Minecraft Nintendo
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Wii U | Patch 3 – Patch 38 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| Nintendo Switch / Bedrock Edition | 1.04 – 1.11 | Tools, Weapons and Armor Tab |
| Nintendo Switch / Bedrock Edition | 1.5.0 – 1.21.0 | Equipment Tab |
Minecraft Windows 10 Edition
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Edition / Bedrock Edition | 0.14.1 – 1.1.3 | Tools Tab |
| Windows 10 Edition / Bedrock Edition | 1.2 | Items Tab |
| Windows 10 Edition / Bedrock Edition | 1.2.5 – 1.21.0 | Equipment Tab |
Minecraft Education Edition
| Platform | Version(s) | Creative Menu Location |
|---|---|---|
| Education Edition | 0.14.2 – 1.0.18 | Tools Tab |
| Education Edition | 1.0.21 | Items Tab |
| Education Edition | 1.0.27 – 1.21.03 | Equipment Tab |
Materials Needed to Craft a Compass in Survival Mode
To craft a compass in Survival Mode, you will need to gather the following materials:
-
4 Iron Ingots: Iron is a common ore found underground. You’ll need to mine iron ore and smelt it in a furnace to create iron ingots. Iron is crucial for many early-game tools and items, making it a fundamental resource.
-
1 Redstone Dust: Redstone is another essential underground resource, often found in caves and mines. Mining redstone ore will yield redstone dust, which is used in various circuits and crafting recipes, including the compass.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting a Compass
Once you have your iron ingots and redstone dust, follow these simple steps to craft your compass:
1. Open the Crafting Table
First, you need to access your crafting table. If you haven’t crafted a crafting table yet, you’ll need to gather wood and convert it into planks, then craft a crafting table from the planks. Place the crafting table in a convenient location and interact with it to open the 3×3 crafting grid.
2. Arrange the Materials on the Crafting Grid
In the crafting menu, you’ll see a 3×3 grid. To craft a compass, place the iron ingots and redstone dust in the following pattern:
- Center of the top row: 1 Iron Ingot
- Left of the middle row: 1 Iron Ingot
- Center of the middle row: 1 Redstone Dust
- Right of the middle row: 1 Iron Ingot
- Center of the bottom row: 1 Iron Ingot
This specific arrangement is crucial for the recipe to work. Ensure you place the items exactly as shown in the image below.
3. Move the Crafted Compass to Your Inventory
After placing the materials correctly, the compass will appear in the output box to the right of the crafting grid. Simply click and drag the compass into your inventory to complete the crafting process.
Congratulations! You have successfully crafted a compass in Minecraft. Now you can equip it and use it to navigate the world.
Compass Item ID and Name
For players who need to use commands or understand the game’s data structure, here’s the Item ID and Name for the compass across different Minecraft versions:
Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | Java | 1.8 – 1.12 |
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 64 | Java | 1.13 – 1.21.1 |
Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | PE / Bedrock Edition | 1.0 – 1.21.0 |
Minecraft Xbox One
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | Xbox One / Bedrock Edition | 1.6.0 – 1.21.0 |
Minecraft PS4
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | PS4 / Bedrock Edition | 1.14.0 – 1.21.0 |
Minecraft Nintendo Switch
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | Switch / Bedrock Edition | 1.6.0 – 1.21.0 |
Minecraft Windows 10 Edition
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | Windows 10 Edition / Bedrock Edition | 1.0 – 1.21.0 |
Minecraft Education Edition
| Item | Description(Minecraft ID Name) | Data Value | Stack Size | Platform | Version(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass | Compass(minecraft:compass) | 0 | 64 | Education Edition | 1.0 – 1.21.03 |
Using the /give Command for Compass
For quick access or in command blocks, you can use the /give command to obtain a compass. Here are the commands for different versions:
Give Command in Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)
For versions 1.13 and above:
/give @p compass 1For versions 1.8 to 1.12:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)
For versions 1.12.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft Xbox One
For versions 1.12.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft PS4
For versions 1.14.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft Nintendo Switch
For versions 1.12.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft Windows 10 Edition
For versions 1.12.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Give Command in Minecraft Education Edition
For versions 1.12.0 and above:
/give @p compass 1 0Compass Enchantments
Compasses have limited enchantment options. The primary enchantment you might encounter is:
| Enchantment | Description |
|---|---|
| Curse of Vanishing | Cursed item will disappear upon player death |
What You Can Make with a Compass
Besides being a navigation tool, compasses are also used to craft other useful items:
-
Map: Combining a compass with paper allows you to create a map, which is essential for exploring and charting your world.
-
Recovery Compass: This special compass points to your last death location, aiding in retrieving lost items.
-
Enchanted Compass: While not directly craftable, compasses can be enchanted, though enchantments are rare.
Further Uses of a Compass
Beyond crafting, compasses are crucial for:
-
Navigation: The primary function of a compass is to point towards the world spawn point, helping you find your way back home or to a designated location.
-
Lodestone Compass: By using a lodestone, you can create a lodestone compass, which points to the lodestone it’s linked to, allowing you to mark and return to specific locations far from spawn.
With this guide, you are now well-equipped to craft and utilize a compass in Minecraft. Happy exploring, and may you never be lost again!
