How to make Emerald in Minecraft

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

In Minecraft, an emerald is an item that you would normally find and gather in the game. However, you can also make an emerald with a crafting table as well as a furnace or a blast furnace.

emerald

Let's explore how to add an emerald to your inventory.

Supported Platforms

An emerald is available in the following versions of Minecraft:

Platform	Supported (Version*)
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	Yes (1.3.1)
Pocket Edition (PE)	Yes
Xbox 360	Yes (TU14)
Xbox One	Yes
PS3	Yes (1.04)
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 an Emerald in Creative Mode

Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 an emerald 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 - 1.19.83	Items

Minecraft Xbox Editions

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 - 1.19.83	Items

Minecraft PS Editions

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 - 1.19.83	Items

Minecraft Nintendo

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 - 1.19.83	Items

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 - 1.19.83	Items

Minecraft Education Edition

Here is where you can find an emerald 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 an Emerald in Survival Mode

You can add an emerald to your inventory in Survival mode by mining emerald ore. So let's get started!

1. Find a Block of Emerald Ore

First, you need to find a block of emerald ore in your Minecraft world. The best place to find emerald ore is in the Mountains biome.

mountains biome

In Minecraft, emerald ore is very hard to find and is found in small deposits in the Mountains biome. You can usually find emerald ore between 13 and 31 blocks below the ground and close to lava.

So if you see a pool of lava in the Mountains biome, that is a great place to start mining downward.

emerald ore location

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

This is what a block of emerald ore looks like:

emerald ore and pickaxe

2. Hold a Diamond, Iron or Netherite Pickaxe

To mine for emeralds, you need to dig up the emerald ore with a diamond pickaxe, iron pickaxe, or netherite pickaxe.

How to make a Netherite Pickaxe

How to make a Diamond Pickaxe

How to make an Iron Pickaxe

Other tools will not dig up the emerald ore and drop an emerald.

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

3. Mine the Block of Emerald Ore

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

For Java Edition (PC/Mac), left click and hold on the block of emerald ore.
For Pocket Edition (PE), you tap and hold on the block of emerald 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 block of emerald ore.
For Education Edition, left click and hold on the block of emerald ore.

emerald ore dropped

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

4. Pick up the Emerald

Make sure you pick up the emerald before it disappears.

emerald gathered

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

emerald

Emeralds are very useful items and should be kept in your inventory to be used later.

How to craft an Emerald 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 an Emerald

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

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

Crafting recipe for emerald

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

emerald

3. Move the Emerald to Inventory

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

Completed emerald

Congratulations, you have made emeralds in Minecraft!

How to smelt an Emerald in Survival Mode

You can craft an emerald 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.

furnace menu with fuel

In this tutorial, we are going to use coal 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 an Emerald

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

Furnace recipe for emerald

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

emerald

4. Move the Emerald to Inventory

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

Completed emerald

Congratulations, you have made an emerald 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.

blast furnace menu with fuel

In this tutorial, we are going to use coal as our fuel.

3. Add Items to make an Emerald

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

Furnace recipe for emerald

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

emerald

4. Move the Emerald to Inventory

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

Completed emerald