How to Get a Nether Star in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Summon and kill the wither: it always drops exactly 1 nether star, unaffected by Looting. The star is immune to explosions and, in Bedrock, never despawns. Its only use is crafting a beacon (3 obsidian + 5 glass + 1 nether star).

What you need

4 soul sand or soul soil
3 wither skeleton skulls
Smite V sword, bow, golden apples
Milk buckets for the Wither effect
Obsidian and glass for the beacon

Step by step

Gather the summoning materials: 4 blocks of soul sand or soul soil plus 3 wither skeleton skulls. Skulls drop from wither skeletons in nether fortresses at 2.5% (up to 5.5% with Looting III) - plan a fortress grind.
Choose your arena carefully: the wither destroys most blocks and its explosions are brutal. Fight it far from your base - deep underground in a tunnel, under the End's exit portal bedrock (Java), or in an open field with golden apples and a Smite V sword.
Build the T: place the 4 soul sand in a T shape and the 3 skulls on top. The last block placed must be a skull. Step back immediately - it charges up, then explodes.
Kill the wither: above half health it flies and shoots explosive skulls (arrows work); below half it gains armor against projectiles, so finish it with melee. Watch out for the Wither effect - milk cures it.
Grab the star: it always drops exactly 1 nether star, Looting doesn't change it. The star is immune to explosions, but cacti, fire, lava and the void can still destroy it.
Don't dawdle in Java: a nether star dropped by the dying wither despawns after 10 minutes (5 if dropped any other way). In Bedrock, dropped nether stars never despawn.
Craft the beacon: 3 obsidian along the bottom, 1 nether star in the center, 5 glass filling the rest. Place it on a pyramid of iron, gold, emerald, diamond or netherite blocks to activate powers.
Stars are renewable: soul sand is renewable through piglin bartering (since 1.16) and skulls from wither skeleton farms, so you can summon as many withers as you can kill.

Java vs Bedrock

The fight and drop are the same in both editions, with two differences: Bedrock's wither has 600 HP versus Java's 300 and spawns wither skeletons at half health, making it much harder - and dropped nether stars never despawn in Bedrock, while Java gives you 10 minutes.

Versions: Nether stars were added in Java Edition 1.4.2 (the Pretty Scary Update, 12w36a) and Pocket Edition v0.16.0. They became renewable in 1.16 when piglin bartering made soul sand renewable.

Frequently asked questions

How many nether stars does the wither drop?

Always exactly one, and Looting doesn't increase it. One wither equals one beacon.

Can a nether star be destroyed?

It's completely immune to explosions - including the wither's own - but cacti, fire, lava and the void still destroy it, and in Java it despawns after 10 minutes.

Is the wither harder in Bedrock?

Yes. Bedrock's wither has double the health (600 vs 300) and spawns wither skeleton minions at half health. Bring better gear than you would for Java.

What is the nether star used for?

Only one thing: crafting a beacon. The beacon sits on a mineral-block pyramid and grants effects like Speed, Haste, Strength, Jump Boost, Resistance and Regeneration.