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Today, you will learn how to craft and use Map in Minecraft. You can use the Table of Contents above to navigate quickly.

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Map Overview

Steve using Map Minecraft

Observing the Minecraft world with a Map.

The Map is an item that players can use to print/draw the world terrain, including generated structures, to use as a reference to explore and observe the Minecraft world. There are different types of Maps in Minecraft. But I will cover the common ones. 

Cartography Table is a block that you can use to modify Maps. You can expand, clone, or lock Maps with it. 

How to Craft an Empty Map

Crafting Map Minecraft Java

Crafting Map | Minecraft Java Edition

To craft an Empty Map in Java edition, you need 8 Papers and 1 Compass

In Minecraft Bedrock, there are two types of Empty Maps you can craft. The normal Empty Maps and Empty Locator Maps. The different things about these two Empty Maps are: 

  • Locator Map has a pointer enabled, while normal Map doesn’t. 
  • You don’t need Compass to make a normal Empty Map. 
Crafting Empty Map and Empty Locator Map

Crafting Empty Map and Empty Locator Map | Minecraft Bedrock

To craft an Empty Locator Map, you also need 8 Papers and 1 Compass, just like crafting Map on Java. However, to craft a normal Empty Map, you need 9 Papers without a Compass

You can, however, change the normal Map into Locator Map by adding a Compass.

No matter what your Minecraft edition is, you will always receive an Empty Map every time you craft a Map. The Empty Map is just a Map you haven’t use yet.

How to Use Map

After you have crafted an Empty Map, you can start using it by clicking while holding it or click the “Create Map” button if you play on mobile devices. Then, the Empty Map will no longer be blank and immediately print/draw the terrain around you. 

Sometimes, Map won’t print/draw some areas, this is normal, you need to go to that area, so your Map can start print it.

Map Pointer

The Pointer.

The pointer you see on your Map reflects your movement, position, and what you’re facing. Pointer can also prevent you from getting lost.

All levels of Map | Right: Java | Left: Bedrock

You can expand your Map’s coverage up to 4 levels using Cartography Table. 

The Map (except Locked Map) always updates the world terrain, whenever there are changes made. So if you’ve made a Map and you start to build something for your world, the Map will reflect on the current terrain. This means you can see your building on your Map. It also means you can “draw” an image on your world and print it on your Map.

You can place Map on Item Frame to display it on the wall/floor and combine it with other Maps to make a bigger Map. It works like a Puzzle.

You can also use Map in the Nether and End world.

How to Give Marker on Your Map

Marker on Map Minecraft

Map with markers.

You can give your Map a marker whenever you visit some places. So you will get better information about the areas in your world.

In the Minecraft Java Edition, you can give a marker by placing a Banner, wherever you want, then, right-click the Banner. You can also give Banner a name and use different colors. 

For example, you can use the Yellow Banner and name it “Village #1” and place it in the Village and open your Map.

In Minecraft Bedrock, unfortunately, you can’t use Banner to make a marker for your Map. Instead, you need to make Locator Map and place it into an Item Frame or Glow Item Frame. Then, you can see the green pointer reflects the Map’s location (if the Map has a name, it won’t be displayed). This method works with Java as well.


So, that’s how you can craft and use Map in Minecraft. For more guides like this, see Tutorials and Guides. Thank you for reading the article.

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