How to Get Obsidian in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Pour water over a lava source block: obsidian forms where flowing water touches still lava. Mine it with a diamond or netherite pickaxe (anything else drops nothing), or barter with piglins (~8.53% for 1 obsidian per gold ingot).

What you need

Diamond or netherite pickaxe
Water bucket
Gold ingots (bartering option)
Fire resistance potion (Nether trips, recommended)

Step by step

Find a lava source block: lava pools generate on the surface, in caves and in the Nether.
Pour water from a bucket onto the lava source blocks: flowing water touching a still lava source turns it into obsidian. Flowing lava makes cobblestone instead, so aim for the sources.
Mine it with a diamond or netherite pickaxe: obsidian takes 9.4 seconds with a diamond pickaxe and 8.35 with netherite. With a weaker tool it takes longer and drops nothing.
Renewable sources: the 25-obsidian platform in the End regenerates every time an entity enters the End, nether portals generate obsidian when created, and lava can be farmed with cauldrons under pointed dripstone.
Barter with piglins: a gold ingot gives a ~8.53% chance of 1 obsidian, the fastest way to stack it up without mining.
Loot chests: ruined portal chests (1-2 obsidian, ~46%), bastion remnant generic chests (4-6, ~24%), village weaponsmith chests (3-7, ~23%) and nether fortress chests (2-4, ~7%).

Java vs Bedrock

In Java Edition, a nether portal generated midair creates 4 extra obsidian blocks at the bottom. Blue wither skulls can destroy obsidian, since they ignore blast resistance.

Versions: In 1.16 (20w07a) piglins offered obsidian with a ~0.92% chance; in 20w09a it rose to ~8.85% in stacks of 1-5. Today it is ~8.53% (40/469) for a single block Obsidian page.

Frequently asked questions

What pickaxe do you need to mine obsidian?

Diamond or netherite only. With any other pickaxe obsidian takes far longer and drops nothing when it breaks.

Can you make obsidian infinitely?

Yes. The End's 25-block obsidian platform regenerates whenever an entity goes through an end portal, nether portal frames regenerate when new portals are created, and lava is renewable via pointed dripstone and cauldrons since 1.17.

What is obsidian used for?

Nether portal frames (minimum 10 blocks), enchanting tables (4), ender chests (8) and beacons (3). It has a blast resistance of 1,200 and normal explosions cannot destroy it.

Does flowing lava make obsidian?

No. Obsidian only forms when water touches a lava SOURCE block. Water touching flowing lava makes cobblestone, and lava flowing onto water makes stone.