How to Get Eyes of Ender in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft them: 1 blaze powder + 1 ender pearl makes 1 eye of ender (shapeless recipe). Blaze powder comes from blaze rods (nether fortresses) and ender pearls from endermen. You'll want 12-15: up to 12 to fill the End portal, plus extras since each throw has a 20% chance to shatter.

What you need

Blaze rods (nether fortress blazes)
Ender pearls (endermen or piglin bartering)
12+ eyes worth of both for the portal run

Step by step

Farm ender pearls: kill endermen at night or warp to a warped forest in the Nether - each drops 0-1 pearls (up to 4 with Looting III). Piglin bartering works too.
Get blaze rods: find a nether fortress and farm blazes - each drops 0-1 rods (more with Looting). Our blaze rod guide covers the safest setups.
Craft blaze powder: 1 blaze rod makes 2 blaze powder, no crafting table needed.
Craft eyes of ender: 1 blaze powder + 1 ender pearl anywhere in the grid makes 1 eye. Make 15 or so for a first stronghold run.
Use them to find the stronghold: throw one in the Overworld - it flies about 12 blocks toward the nearest stronghold's staircase chunk, then falls or shatters (20% chance per throw). Follow until it dives down, then dig.
Activate the End portal: fill the 12 frame blocks with eyes. Each frame has a 10% chance to generate pre-filled, so you usually need fewer than 12.

Java vs Bedrock

Identical recipe and behavior in Java and Bedrock: 1 blaze powder + 1 ender pearl, 20% shatter chance per throw, 10% pre-filled portal frames. Eyes only work in the Overworld - they do nothing in the Nether or the End.

Versions: Eyes of ender were added in Java Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3 (2011, version 1.0.0), gaining their stronghold-locating throw in Prerelease 4. Bedrock has had them since its earliest End updates.

Frequently asked questions

How do you craft an eye of ender?

1 blaze powder + 1 ender pearl, anywhere in the crafting grid. Blaze powder comes from blaze rods (1 rod = 2 powder), and ender pearls drop from endermen or come from piglin bartering.

How many eyes of ender do you need?

An End portal needs 12 to fill every frame, but each frame has a 10% chance to generate with an eye already inside. Craft 15 or so - each locating throw also has a 20% chance to shatter the eye.

Why did my eye of ender disappear?

Every thrown eye has a 20% chance to shatter mid-air instead of dropping back as an item. Three throws carries roughly a 50% chance of losing one, so bring spares.

Can you get eyes of ender without crafting?

No - crafting is the only source. There's no chest loot, trade or drop for eyes of ender; you need blaze powder and ender pearls every time.