How to Make a Redstone Repeater in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft a redstone repeater with 3 stone, 2 redstone torches and 1 redstone dust. It boosts dying signals back to full 15, adds adjustable delay, works as a one-way diode, and locks into memory with a side signal.

What you need

Stone x3 (smelted, not cobblestone)
Redstone torch x2
Redstone dust x1
Crafting table

Step by step

Smelt cobblestone into 3 stone (cobblestone does NOT work in this recipe).
Craft 2 redstone torches: each is a redstone dust on top of a stick.
Craft the repeater: 3 stone across the bottom row, redstone torches in the middle-left and middle-right, redstone dust in the very center.
Boost signals: redstone dust weakens by 1 per block and dies after 15. A repeater re-emits any input at full strength 15 - chain them for long-distance wiring.
Add delay: use the repeater to cycle 4 delay settings, from 1 to 4 redstone ticks (0.1-0.4 seconds). Repeaters in series build precise timers.
Use it as a diode: signals only flow from back to front, never backward - repeaters stop feedback loops from shorting your circuits.
Lock it: power the side of a repeater with another repeater or a comparator and it freezes in its current state - a one-bit memory cell for doors and traps.
Note the speed cost: every repeater adds at least 1 redstone tick of delay, so route around them in timing-critical lines.

Java vs Bedrock

Recipe and all four functions (boost, delay, diode, lock) work the same in Java and Bedrock.

Versions: Added in Beta 1.3 (2011) alongside beds and the redstone update of that era; the side-locking memory feature arrived in 1.4.2.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my redstone repeater craft?

The recipe needs smooth STONE, not cobblestone. Smelt cobblestone in a furnace first - 3 stone across the bottom, 2 redstone torches on the middle sides, 1 redstone dust in the center.

How far does redstone travel without a repeater?

Fifteen blocks. Redstone dust loses 1 power level per block, so place a repeater every 15 blocks of dust to restore the signal to full strength 15.

How do you slow down a redstone signal?

Right-click a repeater to raise its delay: each setting adds redstone ticks, up to 4 (0.4 seconds) per repeater. Chain several at max delay for multi-second timers.