How to Get Netherite in Minecraft (Full Guide)

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Mine ancient debris in the Nether (most common around Y=16), smelt it into netherite scrap, then craft 4 scrap + 4 gold ingots into 1 netherite ingot. Use a smithing table with a Netherite Upgrade template, a diamond item and an ingot to upgrade your gear - or loot ingots from treasure bastion chests.

What you need

Diamond pickaxe (minimum)
Ancient debris x4 per ingot
Gold ingots x4 per ingot
Netherite Upgrade smithing template (for gear)
Smithing table

Step by step

Gear up first: you need at least a diamond pickaxe to mine ancient debris, plus fire resistance potions and food for the Nether.
Find ancient debris: it generates hidden in netherrack, generated away from air. The sweet spot is around Y=16 - strip-mine, bed-mine or TNT-mine at that height. Java chunks hold up to 2 clusters; Bedrock chunks attempt up to 5, so Bedrock worlds average slightly more.
Mine it: ancient debris only drops itself with a diamond or netherite pickaxe. It resists explosions and floats in lava, so bed/TNT mining is safe for the debris.
Smelt to scrap: put ancient debris in a furnace or blast furnace to get netherite scrap (blast furnaces are twice as fast).
Craft the ingot: 4 netherite scrap + 4 gold ingots, shapeless, makes 1 netherite ingot. Yes, that's 4 ancient debris and 4 gold per ingot - a full set of armor plus tools takes about 36 debris.
Shortcut via bastions: treasure-room chests in treasure bastion remnants can contain netherite ingots directly (about a 42% chance per chest since 1.16.2).
Upgrade your gear: since 1.20 you need a Netherite Upgrade smithing template (found in bastion chests) + the diamond item + 1 netherite ingot on a smithing table. Enchantments, durability and names carry over.
Bonus facts: netherite items are immune to fire and lava - a dropped netherite ingot floats on lava instead of burning. Ingots also work as beacon payment and armor-trim material, and can repair netherite gear on an anvil.

Java vs Bedrock

Same crafting and upgrading in both editions. One difference: Bedrock chunks attempt up to 5 ancient debris clusters (vs 2 in Java), so Bedrock worlds average slightly more debris. Both editions peak around Y=16.

Versions: Added in 1.16 (20w06a) for Java and 1.16.0 for Bedrock. Smithing-table upgrading arrived in 20w10a, bastion chest loot in 20w16a (buffed to 42.1% in 1.16.2), the required Netherite Upgrade template in 1.20, and lodestones stopped needing netherite in 1.21.5.

Frequently asked questions

What Y level is best for netherite?

Ancient debris is most common around Y=16 on average in both editions. It generates hidden in netherrack, generated away from air, so strip-mining or exploding beds/TNT at Y=15-16 is the standard farming method. Bring a diamond pickaxe - nothing weaker can mine it.

How many ancient debris do you need for full netherite?

Each netherite ingot costs 4 netherite scrap (4 ancient debris) plus 4 gold ingots. Upgrading a full armor set plus sword, pickaxe, axe, shovel and hoe costs 9 ingots - that's 36 ancient debris and 36 gold ingots.

Can you find netherite ingots in chests?

Yes - treasure-room chests in treasure bastion remnants can contain netherite ingots at about a 42.1% chance per chest (since 1.16.2). You can also find netherite scrap and ancient debris in other bastion chests. It's still slower than mining, but great while you're looting for the upgrade template.