To make a Nether portal in Minecraft, you need obsidian blocks arranged in a standing rectangle and then light the inside with flint and steel to activate it.

Basic Requirements

  • Obsidian : At least 10 blocks (14 if you also fill the corners).
  • Flint and steel (or another fire source like fire charge) to light the portal.
  • A safe, open area so you don’t spawn in a dangerous spot in the Nether.

Step‑by‑step: Standard Portal

  1. Collect obsidian
    • Mine obsidian with a diamond or netherite pickaxe, or create it by running water over lava source blocks.
  1. Build the frame
    • Place 4 obsidian blocks in a row on the ground.
    • On each end, stack 3 blocks upward (so each side column is 4 blocks tall including the base).
 * Connect the top with 2 obsidian blocks.
 * The **inner** opening must be 2 blocks wide and 3 blocks high.
  1. Activate the portal
    • Equip flint and steel.
    • Right‑click (or use item) on one of the bottom obsidian blocks inside the frame to set a fire.
    • The opening should fill with a purple, swirling field; stand in it for a few seconds to teleport to the Nether.

You can skip the four corner blocks and replace them with any other block; the portal still works with only 10 obsidian as long as the inner size is 2×3.

Building Without a Diamond Pickaxe (Lava + Water Method)

Players often talk on forums and in guides about speedrunner‑style portals where you never mine obsidian directly.

  • Use buckets to pick up lava source blocks from a lava pool.
  • Build a temporary “mold” with dirt or cobblestone where the portal will stand.
  • Place lava where the obsidian should go, then pour water so it flows over the lava sources, turning them into obsidian one by one.
  • Remove the water and temporary blocks once the frame is fully formed, then light it as usual.

This method is especially popular in newer updates (like 1.20+) and in 2020s speedrunning videos, since it lets you rush the Nether early in a run.

Choosing a Good Location

Where you place the portal in the Overworld affects where you appear in the Nether.

  • Build in a safe, enclosed space (a small room or fenced area) so mobs cannot immediately reach you when you come back.
  • In the Nether, portals often generate near lava lakes, cliffs, or netherrack walls, so it’s smart to carry blocks to build quick shelters when you first go through.
  • Advanced players sometimes “link” portals using coordinate math (Overworld X/Z divided by 8 for Nether coordinates) for fast travel routes.

Quick Forum‑style Example

“I made a portal with 10 obsidian, no corners, lit it with flint and steel, and spawned hanging over a lava lake. Now I always bring extra blocks and make a tiny bunker around the portal as soon as I arrive.”

That kind of tip shows up often in recent community guides and “2025 Nether portal” posts, where players focus on safety and efficient travel, not just the basic frame.

TL;DR:

  • Make a 2×3 inner rectangle of obsidian standing upright (4 wide × 5 tall outer frame, corners optional).
  • Light the inside with flint and steel to create the purple portal, then walk through to reach the Nether.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.