Since Minecraft worlds are so massive and generate for millions of blocks in every direction, losing your way can happen on occasion. This is especially true for newer players who may not have their bearings quite yet.
Fortunately, there are several strategies to employ that can prevent players from getting lost. Some tactics require items, while others simply demand players to use a little know-how.
Either way, any and all of these tricks are super helpful for both beginners and veterans who may just be returning to the game after a lapse in playing.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer.
Minecraft: Tips to remember to avoid getting lost
1) Keep a compass on hand
The compass is one of the most helpful items in Minecraft, and it costs very little to make.
Created via four iron ingots and a piece of redstone dust, compasses will always point towards the world spawn. This ensures that players can return to the point where they first arrived in the world.
Furthermore, players can link compasses to lodestone blocks in order to point them to certain locations if the world spawn isn’t preferred.
Compasses can be looted from certain generated structures, including villages, strongholds, shipwrecks, and ancient cities.
2) Using a map
Players can create maps in Minecraft either by combining nine pieces of paper in Bedrock Edition or eight pieces of paper and a compass in Java and Bedrock Edition. Maps begin blank, but when players use the item, the map will begin to fill.
As players progress through the area that the map details, they’ll uncover more of the area. Initial map sizes are limited, but players can use cartography tables to increase the amount of ground that maps cover. These items can even keep track of buildings and other locations of note, making them invaluable for beginners in particular.
3) Mark Your Way
As players travel through their Minecraft world, it never hurts to keep some extra easy-to-collect blocks on hand. Specifically, these can be used to create tall structures or other large landmarks for players to look back on if they get lost.
Granted, these landmarks’ effectiveness will depend on how closely they’re built together and how far a player’s render distance is set, but they can be incredibly helpful.
For example, if a player is lost in a forest biome, they can climb to the top of a nearby tree, look to the sky for their last-placed tower, and make their way back to it.
4) Use Console Commands
If Minecraft players don’t mind having cheats enabled, they can use console commands to keep their bearings no matter where they find themselves in the world.
Players can use commands like /locate to find specific biomes or structures they may be looking for. They can also use the /teleport or /tp command to immediately appear at certain coordinates.
It’s even possible to return to the world spawn or a player’s set spawn point like a bed by using “/tp @s” and then entering the coordinates of the player’s spawn. If players get lost in their Minecraft world, teleporting and other helpful commands can greatly help.
5) Use Map Mods
If all else fails, it may not be a bad idea to download a map mod and install it to avoid getting lost. Awesome mods like JourneyMap provide players with a minimap to help them keep their bearings while also featuring a larger version viewable in a web browser.
On the larger map, players can mark points of interest or spawn points, and the map is refreshed automatically over time so that players always have up-to-date information on their surroundings.
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