Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Clocks in Minecraft: Recipe and How to Read One
A clock is an item that shows the time of day in the Overworld: the dial turns slowly, with the sun side up in the day and the moon side up at night. Craft one from 4 gold ingots around a redstone dust. In the Nether and End it spins randomly. It works in your hand, in an item frame or on the ground.
How do you read a clock?
The dial follows the sun and moon. Sun at the top means noon, moon at the top means midnight, and the horizon line shows sunrise and sunset. It is most useful underground, where you cannot see the sky, to know when it is safe to come out or time to sleep. Day length: day and night.
What else are clocks for?
- Put one in an item frame on a wall as a real clock.
- Buy one from a librarian, who sells clocks; see librarian trades.
- Piglins love them, since they contain gold, and run to pick up a dropped one; see piglins.
- In maps and redstone, a daylight detector gives the time as a signal; see daylight detectors.
Why does my clock spin?
There is no day and night in the Nether or the End, so it spins at random there. Time still passes in the Overworld while you are away. Other navigation items: maps and compasses.
How else can you check the time?
On Java the F3 screen shows the in-game day, and the command /time query daytime gives the exact tick; see time commands. In Survival without cheats or the debug screen, a clock is the easiest way to tell the time underground.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recipe for a clock?
4 gold ingots around 1 redstone dust.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.