How to Activate a Beacon in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Activate a beacon by placing it on top of a pyramid built from iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite blocks, with a clear view of the sky. A 3x3 base (9 blocks) activates level 1; a full 4-level pyramid needs 164 mineral blocks. Then open the beacon and choose a power.

What you need

1 beacon (5 glass + 3 obsidian + 1 nether star)
9 to 164 mineral blocks (iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite, mixed freely)
1 ingot, emerald or diamond to select each power

Step by step

Craft a beacon with 5 glass, 3 obsidian and 1 nether star (dropped by the wither).
Pick an open spot: the beacon needs an unobstructed view of the sky to work, so no opaque blocks above it.
Build the pyramid base under the beacon. Level 1 is a 3x3 layer (9 mineral blocks) directly under it.
Add more layers for more power: a 5x5 layer for level 2 (34 blocks total), a 7x7 layer for level 3 (83 total) and a 9x9 layer for level 4 (164 total).
Use iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite blocks in any mix. The block type is purely cosmetic and does not affect the power or range.
Right-click the beacon and insert an iron ingot, gold ingot, emerald, diamond or netherite ingot as payment.
Choose a primary power. At pyramid level 4 you can also pick a secondary power: regeneration or boosting the primary effect to level II.

Java vs Bedrock

Beacons work the same in Java and Bedrock. The effect range grows with the pyramid level, from 20 blocks at level 1 up to 50 blocks at level 4. If the pyramid is damaged, repair it and the previously selected powers resume automatically. In Bedrock the effect range is also capped by simulation distance, so keep the pyramid inside your simulated chunks.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

How many blocks do you need for a full beacon?

164 mineral blocks for the full 4-level pyramid: 81 for the 9x9 layer, 49 for the 7x7, 25 for the 5x5 and 9 for the 3x3. That is 2 stacks + 36 blocks, or 1476 ingots.

Which block is best for a beacon pyramid?

Functionally they are identical, so use whatever you can farm. Iron is the classic choice because iron farms make it renewable. Netherite blocks work too but are wildly expensive.

Why won't my beacon activate?

Check two things: the beacon must sit on a complete pyramid of valid mineral blocks with no gaps, and it needs a clear line to the sky. Any opaque block above the beacon disables it.