Lanterns are one of the most popular light sources in Minecraft. They give off as much light as a torch, look far better, can hang from ceilings and chains, and fit almost any building style. There are three kinds: the regular lantern, the blue soul lantern and the newer copper lanterns. This guide shows how to make a lantern in Minecraft, how to make soul and copper lanterns, how to get iron nuggets, where to find lanterns naturally, and creative ways to use them in Java and Bedrock Edition.
How to make a lantern in Minecraft
Craft a lantern on a crafting table with 8 iron nuggets surrounding 1 torch.
| Row | Left | Middle | Right |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top | Iron nugget | Iron nugget | Iron nugget |
| Middle | Iron nugget | Torch | Iron nugget |
| Bottom | Iron nugget | Iron nugget | Iron nugget |
One lantern costs 8 iron nuggets, slightly less than one iron ingot, plus a torch, which is 1 coal or charcoal and 1 stick. That makes lanterns cheap enough to use all over your base.
How to get iron nuggets
- Craft an iron ingot in your inventory grid to get 9 iron nuggets.
- Smelt iron tools, weapons and armor, including chainmail and iron horse armor, to get 1 nugget each. Zombie and skeleton drops are perfect for this.
- Loot chests in villages, shipwrecks and ruined portals often contain nuggets.
How to make a torch
Place 1 coal or charcoal above 1 stick to make 4 torches. Charcoal comes from smelting any log in a furnace, so you can make lanterns even if you have not found coal.
How to make a soul lantern
A soul lantern uses a soul torch instead of a regular torch: 8 iron nuggets around 1 soul torch. Make a soul torch with coal or charcoal on top, a stick in the middle and soul sand or soul soil below, which gives 4 soul torches. Soul sand and soul soil come from soul sand valleys and Nether fortresses.
Soul lanterns glow blue and give a lower light level of 10, compared with 15 for a normal lantern. They also repel piglins, which avoid soul fire, so they are useful in Nether bases. Their cold blue light suits spooky, icy and Nether-themed builds.
How to make a copper lantern
Recent versions added copper lighting as part of the copper update. A copper lantern is made the same way as a normal lantern but with copper nuggets around a copper torch. A copper torch is crafted from coal or charcoal, a stick and a copper nugget, and burns with a green flame. Get copper nuggets by crafting a copper ingot into 9 nuggets. Copper lanterns oxidize over time like other copper blocks, changing from orange to green, unless you wax them with honeycomb. You can scrape oxidation off with an axe. See what copper is used for for more copper items.
Lantern vs torch vs other lights
| Light source | Light level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lantern | 15 | Hangs or stands; waterloggable; looks great |
| Soul lantern | 10 | Blue light; repels piglins |
| Torch | 14 | Cheapest; cannot be placed underwater |
| Glowstone | 15 | Full block from the Nether |
| Sea lantern | 15 | Full block; from ocean monuments or prismarine |
| Shroomlight | 15 | Full block from huge Nether fungi |
| Jack o’lantern | 15 | Pumpkin with a torch; works underwater |
Light level matters because hostile mobs only spawn at block light level 0 in current versions, so any of these lights stop spawns around your base. Lanterns are brighter than torches by one level and do not break when the block they hang from is waterlogged.
How to place a lantern
- On the ground: aim at the top of a block.
- Hanging: aim at the underside of a block, fence, wall or chain. The lantern hangs from a little chain.
- On chains: place chains down from the ceiling and hang a lantern at the end for tall halls.
- On fences and walls: lanterns sit on top of fence posts, which is perfect for lamp posts along paths.
Lanterns cannot be placed on the side of a block like a torch. They can be waterlogged, so you can use them in aquariums, fountains and underwater bases.
Where to find lanterns naturally
- Villages: lanterns appear in many village houses, especially snowy and taiga villages, and on lamp posts in some villages.
- Ancient cities: soul lanterns light parts of these deep dark structures.
- Bastion remnants and ruined portals: sometimes include lanterns and chains.
- Pillager outposts and other structures: occasionally use lanterns as decoration.
- Librarian and other villager trades: some villagers sell lanterns for emeralds.
Mine lanterns with a pickaxe to collect them quickly and keep the drop.
Building ideas with lanterns
- Lamp posts: a fence or wall column with a lantern on top lights paths beautifully.
- Chandeliers: hang several lanterns at different heights on chains in a great hall.
- Porches: hang lanterns under roof overhangs instead of placing torches on walls.
- Docks and bridges: waterlogged lanterns on posts look like old harbor lights.
- Nether bases: soul lanterns keep piglins away from your doors.
- Japanese and medieval builds: lanterns suit both styles better than torches.
Tips
- Keep a stack of lanterns for mining trips; they look better than torches in long tunnels.
- Use zombie and skeleton iron drops in a furnace to get free nuggets for lanterns.
- Pair lanterns with glass windows and terracotta walls for warm builds.
Java vs Bedrock
Lantern and soul lantern recipes, light levels and placement rules are the same in both editions. Copper lanterns and copper torches arrived in the copper update for both editions, so update your game if you cannot find the recipe.
Lantern FAQ
How do you make a lantern in Minecraft?
Surround a torch with 8 iron nuggets on a crafting table.
How do you make a soul lantern?
Surround a soul torch with 8 iron nuggets. Soul torches use soul sand or soul soil.
Is a lantern brighter than a torch?
Yes. Lanterns give light level 15, torches 14.
Can lanterns go underwater?
Yes. Lanterns can be waterlogged.
How many iron nuggets are in an ingot?
9.
How many lanterns do you need?
Mobs spawn only in complete darkness, at block light level 0, so you need fewer lights than in older versions. A lantern spreads light up to 14 blocks away before it fades to zero, so placing lanterns about 12 to 14 blocks apart on open ground keeps an area safe. Indoors, one lantern per room is usually enough. For a large build, plan your lighting early and hide some light sources under carpets, behind leaves or inside walls, then use lanterns where people will see them so the lighting looks natural.
Making lanterns in bulk
Each lantern needs nearly an ingot of iron, so an iron farm or a stack of iron ore from a mining trip is the easiest way to make dozens. Smelt the raw iron, craft ingots into nuggets nine at a time, and craft torches from charcoal made by smelting logs. A tree farm and a furnace array give unlimited torches, which means iron is the only real limit. If iron is scarce early in a game, use torches for function and save lanterns for your main hall and doorways, then replace torches with lanterns later.
Lanterns and redstone
Lanterns are not redstone components: they cannot be switched on and off. For lights that turn on with a lever or daylight sensor, use redstone lamps or copper bulbs instead, and use lanterns for permanent decorative light.
Lanterns also burn forever and never need fuel, so once a room is lit with them you never have to think about it again.