Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Maps, Compasses and Lodestones
A compass points to world spawn; use it on a lodestone and it points to that lodestone instead, even in the Nether or the End. A map shows the land you explore, from 128x128 blocks up to 2,048x2,048 when fully zoomed out, and a recovery compass points to where you last died.
How does a compass work?
A normal compass points to the world spawn in the Overworld (changing it with /setworldspawn moves where it points). In the Nether and the End it spins randomly. Use a compass on a lodestone and it becomes a lodestone compass, with a glint, that points to that lodestone in any dimension. If the lodestone is broken or in another dimension, it spins.
How do you make a lodestone?
A lodestone is now crafted from chiseled stone bricks and an iron ingot, which made it renewable; it used to need eight chiseled stone bricks and a netherite ingot. Place it at your base and link compasses to it to always find your way home.
What does a recovery compass do?
The recovery compass, added in 1.19 and crafted from echo shards (found in ancient city chests) and a compass, points to where you last died. It only works if you have died before and are in the same dimension as that spot; otherwise it spins. See The Wild Update.
How do maps work?
- A new map covers 128x128 blocks. Zoom it out up to 4 times by adding paper at a cartography table, up to 2,048x2,048. Zooming resets what the map shows, so explore again afterwards.
- Lock a map with a glass pane at a cartography table; a locked map never changes and cannot be zoomed.
- On Java, use a map on a placed banner to mark the spot with the banner's colour and name.
- On Bedrock, the Starting Map option gives you an empty locator map at a 1:8 scale (not in Hardcore).
- Put a map in an item frame over 128x128 pixel art to make a picture.
How do you find your way on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
Where does a compass point in Minecraft?
To the world spawn in the Overworld, or to a lodestone once linked to one.
How big can a map get?
2,048 by 2,048 blocks after zooming out 4 times.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.