How do you make a lantern in Minecraft? (Easy)

To make a lantern in Minecraft, you need to 1 torch + 8 iron nuggets Place them in the 3×3 crafting grid: the torch in the center, with the eight iron nuggets arranged around it.

This gives you a reliable light source to illuminate your home or construction site.

There are two variants :

1. The Lantern of the souls (Replace the torch with a Soul Torch)
2. And the lantern aquatic (4 crystals + 5 prismarine shards).

These are the only light sources of this type that can be hung from the ceiling or placed on the floor.

✅ In the game, a lantern is primarily used for lighting. Since hostile creatures appear in low-light conditions, placing your lanterns strategically will help keep your bases safe.

This guide walks you through the process of crafting each lantern step by step, and then explains how to obtain and place them.

For more information, check out our tutorial as well how to make iron on Minecraft, which is essential for gathering the necessary iron nuggets.

Craft lantern Minecraft: How to craft a lantern in Minecraft?

To make a lantern out of Minecraft, you need to 1 torch + 8 iron nuggets Arrange them in the 3×3 crafting grid: the torch in the center, the nuggets all around it. There are two main versions of this light block:

• The regular lantern (standard flashlight)
• The lantern of souls (a soul torch instead).

This light source was introduced with the Village and Pillage update (1.14), both on Java Edition than on Bedrock. A lantern emits a light level of 15, which is the game's maximum brightness, making it one of the best light sources for preventing hostile creatures from spawning.

How to make regular lanterns in Minecraft?

The process involves two steps: preparing the ingredients, then assembling the block on the workbench.

1. Prepare the torch:

Place a piece of coal (or charcoal) in the 3×3 crafting grid, then a wooden stick directly below it. Next, pick up the torch from your inventory.

Check out our guide to find out How to Make Torches in Minecraft if required.

2. Prepare the iron nuggets:

Place an iron ingot in the smelter, which will turn it into 9 iron nuggets. You need 8 of them to make a lantern. To smelt your ore more efficiently, find out How to Build a Blast Furnace on Minecraft.

3. Assemble the lantern:

On the 3×3 grid, place the torch in the center, then surround it with the 8 iron nuggets in all the remaining squares. Drag the result into your inventory—your lantern is ready.

How do you make a lantern of souls in Minecraft?

The lantern of souls uses exactly the same layout as the regular lantern: simply replace the central torch with a soul torch (8 iron nuggets + 1 soul torch).

⚠️ Warning: The Soul Torch is not an ordinary torch—it is crafted using 1 stick, 1 piece of coal, and 1 block of Soul Sand or Soul Soil.

Its blue flame gives the lantern its distinctive look. In terms of brightness, it emits a light level of 10, which is slightly dimmer than the classic version. It also evokes the atmosphere of a campfire Minecraft with bluish hues.

How to use the lanterns in Minecraft?

• Once manufactured, a lantern is used as a decorative and functional element in Minecraft : placed on the floor, on most solid blocks, or suspended from the ceiling by a chain.
• Its placement affects its orientation: when placed on a surface, it stands upright; when suspended, it hangs naturally.

How to use the regular lanterns in Minecraft?

• They emit a light level of 15, which is the game's maximum, compared to 14 for a standard torch.
• Whether suspended from the ceiling by a chain or placed on a block, they can be adapted to all types of buildings and prevent hostile creatures from appearing within a wide radius.

How to use soul lanterns in Minecraft?

• The lantern of souls is particularly useful for repelling Piglins and protect you in the Nether.
• It emits a brightness of 10, which is dimmer than a regular lantern, with its characteristic bluish light.

To note : Whether it's the Java Edition or the Bedrock Edition, the usage and light level of these lanterns are the same.

Where can I find lanterns in Minecraft?

If you don't have the necessary materials, you can obtain several lanterns without crafting:

• There are lanterns naturally occurring in the villages of the snow-covered tundra and in the ruins of the Nether stronghold.
• Through trade with the villager : An apprentice-level librarian can give you an ordinary lantern in exchange for an emerald.

Aquatic lantern Minecraft : How to craft aquatic lanterns?

The water lantern (also known as a sea lantern) is a luminous block found naturally in underwater monuments and ruins in Minecraft.

To make an aquatic lantern, you'll need 5 Prismarine Shards + 4 Prismarine Crystals placed in a 3×3 crafting grid.

The ingredients needed for production are therefore:

• 5 prismarine shards; ;
• 4 prismarine crystals.

To make an aquatic lantern:

1. Open your table crafting to unlock the 3×3 crafting grid; ;
2. Place 1 piece of prismarine in the center and 1 chip in each of the four corners (5 chips in total); ;
3. Arrange the 4 crystals of prismarine on the remaining side squares, as shown in the pattern in the image below.

Once crafted, this lantern can be placed like most solid blocks: on the ground, on a surface, or suspended from the ceiling. It retains its brightness both on land and underwater.

The water lantern is available on all versions of the game, both in Java Edition what about Bedrock Edition (PC, consoles, and mobile).

Now it's your turn to make your own lantern in Minecraft to light up your structures and limit the appearance of hostile creatures.

Find out more about How to make circles in Minecraft on our article!