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.
Lanterns in Minecraft: Recipe and Light Level
A lantern gives light level 15, brighter than a torch's 14, and can sit on top of a block or hang underneath one. Craft it from 8 iron nuggets around a torch. Soul lanterns use a soul torch and give light 10, and copper lanterns came with The Copper Age. Lanterns appear in snowy villages and bastions, and they break if a piston pushes them.
How do you craft lanterns?
| Lantern | Recipe | Light |
|---|---|---|
| Lantern | 8 iron nuggets around a torch | 15 |
| Soul lantern | 8 iron nuggets around a soul torch | 10 |
| Copper lantern | Copper nuggets around a copper torch (Copper Age) | 15 |
Iron nuggets come from smelting iron tools and armor or splitting ingots; see iron. Torches: torches.
How do you hang a lantern?
Aim at the bottom of a block, a fence, a chain or another hanging support and place it; aim at the top of a block to stand it up. Some blocks need you to sneak. A hanging lantern on a chain is a classic street light. If its support is removed, it drops as an item.
Why use lanterns instead of torches?
- Light 15 instead of 14.
- They can hang from ceilings and can be waterlogged.
- They look better in most builds.
- Soul lanterns keep piglins away and look blue; see piglins.
Anything else?
Lanterns melt snow within 2 blocks and ice within 3. They break with any tool and always drop themselves, fastest with a pickaxe. Pistons destroy them instead of moving them. More lights: light sources and light levels.
Frequently asked questions
How bright is a lantern?
Light level 15; soul lanterns give 10.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.