How to make a Minecraft Map

November 22, 2022

Are you interested in learning more about Maps in Minecraft Maps are so useful and should be kept on every Minecraft adventurer. Maps will help you navigate the world, whether you're exploring new caves or leaving behind your castle. Although they were initially limited in scope, the Cartography Table has made them an even more valuable resource.

We'll show you how to create a map in Minecraft. We'll also discuss the two types of maps available in Minecraft, as well as third-party mapping tools if you are interested.

How to make a Minecraft Map

There are two ways to create a map in Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. You can create a Minecraft map in Java by surrounding a Compass using 8 pieces of paper in a Crafting table. You will need 9 pieces of paper for Bedrock. One per tile in the Crafting Table window.

The map will start blank. To make it active, click on the blank map you hold. This will make your current location the centre of the map.

Java's Compass is an addition to the map recipe that allows you to always see your current location marked on the map. To get this functionality in Bedrock, you will need to combine the Map and a Compass in Anvil.

It's a great way to explore your Minecraft surroundings and create a map. Every Minecraft world seed is unique, and each one offers unique discoveries and surprises.

How to mark a map

Interacting with a Banner placed in the world can mark a location on a map. The marker will match the colour of the Banner to mark the location of the Banner on the map.

If the Banner is destroyed the marker will still be there until you re-explore the area in the world. After which the map will be updated and the marker will be removed.

How to make and use a Cartography Table

A Cartography Table can enhance maps in Minecraft. You can create a Cartography Table by placing two pieces of paper on top of a grid of Wooden Planks 2x2 in a Crafting Table.

The following results can be achieved by combining the following items and your Cartography Table map.

-Map + Paper Zoom out an existing Map.-Map + Blank Map Clone an Existing Map.
- Map + Glass Pane - Lock a map to prevent further exploration.

It is quite obvious why you might need zoom or clone a mapping. You can lock a map to prevent further exploration for many reasons. However, the most common use is for creating adventure maps or special scenarios on Minecraft servers.

Map zoom levels

A default Minecraft map covers an area of 128x128 block. Zooming out the map with a Cartography Table can be used up to 4 times. This will allow you to expand the area to 256x256 or 512x512, 1024x1024, 2048x2048, and 1024x1024.

The default map has the origin (your position when the map was activated) in the centre of the map. Zoomed maps will have the origin in the top-left corner.

What are Explorer maps?

Explorer Maps are a special type of map that works differently to regular maps. Explorer Maps are used to show areas where there is a rare type of structure: a Buried Treasure or a Woodland Mansion or an Ocean Monument. An icon will mark the location of the rare structure on the map.

Explorer Maps can't be crafted. To obtain one, you will need to trade Emeralds with a Cartography Villager and a Compass. (Or, in the case Buried Treasure Maps, find them in Shipwrecks or underwater Ruins).

Explorer Maps can often show areas far from the player. However, you can always see where you are relative to the map by looking at your player marker. Your player marker will appear somewhere on the border of the map if you are outside the boundaries of the map. As you get closer, the marker will grow larger. Once you reach the boundary of the map, you can begin to explore the area and fill in the map as a normal map.

A Minecraft map viewer

Map items and Cartography Tables will allow you to keep within the limits of Survival Minecraft. If you aren't afraid to use third-party tools, you might consider using an online Minecraft map viewer to get a better view of your world.

The Chunk Base Seed Map webpage is currently the best map viewer. Simply enter your Minecraft version number and your seed to view all blocks at the spawn point.

There are many Minecraft mods that add minimaps or full-screen maps to Minecraft, just like other games. JourneyMap is the most popular mod of this type. It gives you a powerful map tool that you can use in-game or in a web browser. It tracks your location and allows for exploration in real time.

It is a tedious, but very satisfying, process to map a Minecraft world. Our guide to the best Minecraft shaders, and the best Minecraft texture pack will help you make your Minecraft world stand out on screen and paper. You might also be interested in the new world generation changes with Minecraft 1.18.