How to make Coal in Minecraft

This Minecraft tutorial explains how to craft coal with screenshots and step-by-step instructions.

In Minecraft, coal is an item that you would normally find and gather in the game. However, you can also make coal with a crafting table as well as a furnace or a blast furnace. Coal can be used as a fuel in a furnace to smelt/cook 8 items (1 coal will burn in a furnace for 80 seconds).

coal

Let's explore how to add a coal to your inventory.

Supported Platforms

Coal is available in the following versions of Minecraft:

Platform	Supported (Version*)
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	Yes
Pocket Edition (PE)	Yes
Xbox 360	Yes
Xbox One	Yes
PS3	Yes
PS4	Yes
Wii U	Yes
Nintendo Switch	Yes
Windows 10 Edition	Yes
Education Edition	Yes

* The version that it was added or removed, if applicable.
NOTE: Pocket Edition (PE), Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows 10 Edition are now called Bedrock Edition. We will continue to show them individually for version history.

Where to find Coal in Creative Mode

Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.8 - 1.11	Materials
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.12 - 1.19	Miscellaneous
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.19.3 - 1.20	Ingredients

Minecraft Pocket Edition (PE)

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Pocket Edition (PE)	0.14.1 - 1.1.3	Miscellaneous
Pocket Edition (PE)	1.2 - 1.20.0	Items

Minecraft Xbox Editions

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Xbox 360	TU35 - TU69	Materials
Xbox One	CU23 - CU43	Materials
Xbox One	1.2.5 - 1.20.0	Items

Minecraft PS Editions

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
PS3	1.26 - 1.76	Materials
PS4	1.26 - 1.91	Materials
PS4	1.14.0 - 1.20.0	Items

Minecraft Nintendo

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Wii U	Patch 3 - Patch 38	Materials
Nintendo Switch	1.04 - 1.11	Materials
Nintendo Switch	1.5.0 - 1.20.0	Items

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Windows 10 Edition	0.14.1 - 1.1.3	Miscellaneous
Windows 10 Edition	1.2 - 1.20.0	Items

Minecraft Education Edition

Here is where you can find coal in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Education Edition	0.14.2 - 1.0.18	Miscellaneous
Education Edition	1.0.21 - 1.17.30	Items

Definitions

Platform is the platform that applies.
Version(s) is the Minecraft version numbers where the item can be found in the menu location listed (we have tested and confirmed this version number).
Creative Menu Location is the location of the item in the Creative Inventory menu.

How to mine Coal in Survival Mode

In Minecraft, you can add a coal to your inventory by mining coal ore. So, let's get started!

1. Find Coal Ore

First, let's explore where to find coal ore. In Minecraft, coal ore is easy to find and is found in large deposits. You can usually find coal ore between 4 and 15 blocks below the ground.

coal ore location

In this example, we are going to dig into a mountain to find coal ore.

This is what a block of coal ore looks like:

coal and pickaxe

2. Hold a Pickaxe

To mine for coal, you need to dig up the coal ore with a pickaxe. Select one of these pickaxes in your hotbar:

How to make a Netherite Pickaxe

How to make a Diamond Pickaxe

How to make a Golden Pickaxe

How to make an Iron Pickaxe

How to make a Stone Pickaxe

How to make a Wooden Pickaxe

Other tools will not dig up the coal ore and let you add it to your inventory.

In this example, we are going to use a diamond pickaxe to dig up the coal ore.

3. Mine the Coal Ore

The game control to mine the coal ore depends on the version of Minecraft:

For Java Edition (PC/Mac), left click and hold on the coal ore.
For Pocket Edition (PE), you tap and hold on the coal ore.
For Xbox 360 and Xbox One, press and hold the RT button on the Xbox controller.
For PS3 and PS4, press and hold the R2 button on the PS controller.
For Wii U, press and hold the ZR button on the gamepad.
For Nintendo Switch, press and hold the ZR button on the controller.
For Windows 10 Edition, left click and hold on the coal ore.
For Education Edition, left click and hold on the coal ore.

coal dropped

You will need to continue to dig until the block breaks and a coal finally appears. The coal will float on the ground.

4. Pick up the Coal

Make sure you pick up the coal before it disappears.

coal gathered

Once you pick up the coal, it will appear in your hotbar.

coal

Coal is a very useful item and should be kept in your inventory to be used later.

How to craft Coal in Survival Mode

1. Open the Crafting Menu

First, open your crafting table so that you have the 3x3 crafting grid that looks like this:

3x3 crafting area

2. Add Items to make Coal

In the crafting menu, you should see a crafting area that is made up of a 3x3 crafting grid. To make coal, place 1 block of coal in the 3x3 crafting grid.

When making coal, it is important that the block of coal is placed in the exact pattern as the image below. In the first row, there should be 1 block of coal in the first box. This is the Minecraft crafting recipe for coal.

Crafting recipe for coal

Now that you have filled the crafting area with the correct pattern, 9 coal will appear in the box to the right.

coal

3. Move the Coal to Inventory

Once you have crafted coal, you need to move the new items to your inventory.

Completed coal

Congratulations, you have made coal in Minecraft!

How to smelt Coal in Survival Mode

You can craft coal in Survival Mode using either a furnace or blast furnace.

Furnace
Blast Furnace

1. Open the Furnace Menu

First, open your furnace so that you have the Furnace menu that looks like this:

furnace menu

2. Add Fuel to the Furnace

Next, you need to add fuel to the bottom fuel box in the furnace. In this tutorial, we are going to use oak planks as our fuel.

TIP: Read our tutorial called How to Add Fuel to a Furnace if you aren't sure what items can be used as fuel, the length of time each fuel will burn, or how many items each fuel can smelt/cook.

3. Add Items to make Coal

Next, place the coal ore in the top box of the furnace. You should see the flames smelting the coal ore.

Furnace recipe for coal

Once the coal ore has been smelted in the furnace, the coal will appear in the box to the right.

coal

4. Move the Coal to Inventory

Now that you have made coal in your furnace, you need to move the new item to your inventory.

Completed coal

Congratulations, you have made coal in a furnace!

1. Open the Blast Furnace Menu

First, open your blast furnace so that you have a Blast Furnace menu that looks like this:

blast furnace menu

2. Add Fuel to the Blast Furnace

Next, you need to add fuel to the bottom fuel box in the blast furnace. In this tutorial, we are going to use oak planks as our fuel.

3. Add Items to make Coal

Next, place the coal ore in the top box of the blast furnace. You should see the flames smelting the coal ore.

Furnace recipe for coal

Once the coal ore has been smelted in the blast furnace, the coal will appear in the box to the right.

coal

4. Move the Coal to Inventory

Now that you have made coal in your blast furnace, you need to move the new item to your inventory.

Completed coal