To link a Nether portal, divide your Overworld X and Z by 8 (keep Y the same) and build the Nether portal there; to go back, multiply Nether X and Z by 8. Overworld 1000, 64, −250 links to Nether 125, 64, -32.
Enter the coordinates from the F3 screen (Java) or Show Coordinates (Bedrock), pick the direction and edition, and the calculator gives the exact block to build on, the search radius the game uses to find a partner portal, and how many blocks the Nether saves you.
How to use the nether portal calculator
- Stand inside your existing portal and note X, Y and Z.
- Choose Overworld → Nether or Nether → Overworld.
- Enter the numbers and your edition.
- Go to the result in the other dimension and build the portal on, or as close as you can to, that block.
- Walk through both portals to check they lead to each other.
The formula
Nether X = floor(Overworld X ÷ 8), Nether Z = floor(Overworld Z ÷ 8), Y unchanged. Going the other way, Overworld X = Nether X × 8 and Overworld Z = Nether Z × 8. The floor matters only for coordinates that are not multiples of 8: Java rounds toward negative infinity, so 29.9 becomes 29 and −29.9 becomes −30 (Minecraft Wiki). Multiplying is exact, which is why one Nether block corresponds to an 8 × 8 patch of Overworld.
Overworld to Nether coordinates table
| Overworld X, Z | Nether X, Z |
|---|---|
| 0, 0 | 0, 0 |
| 100, 100 | 12, 12 |
| 500, -300 | 62, -38 |
| 1,000, 0 | 125, 0 |
| -1,234, 5,678 | -155, 709 |
| 2,500, 2,500 | 312, 312 |
| -8,000, 12,000 | -1,000, 1,500 |
| 10,000, -10,000 | 1,250, -1,250 |
| 30, -45 | 3, -6 |
| -7, -7 | -1, -1 |
Note the last two rows: Overworld 30 becomes 3, while −45 becomes -6 and −7 becomes -1 because of rounding down.
Nether to Overworld coordinates table
| Nether X, Z | Overworld X, Z |
|---|---|
| 10, 10 | 80, 80 |
| 64, -128 | 512, -1,024 |
| 125, 0 | 1,000, 0 |
| -250, 400 | -2,000, 3,200 |
| 1,000, 1,000 | 8,000, 8,000 |
| -1,500, 3,000 | -12,000, 24,000 |
How portals find each other
When you step through, the game converts your position to the other dimension and searches around that point for an existing portal, then links to the closest one by straight-line distance (Y included). If it finds none, it creates a new portal nearby. The search area depends on edition:
| Edition | Search radius in the Overworld | Search radius in the Nether |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | 128 blocks (256 × 256 area) | 16 blocks (32 × 32 area) |
| Bedrock Edition | 128 blocks | 128 blocks |
According to the Minecraft Wiki, Java reduced the Nether-side search from 128 to 16 blocks in snapshot 20w28a (version 1.16.2). This is the source of most linking problems in Java: it means Overworld portals more than 128 blocks apart can each have their own Nether portal.
Worked example: two portals that merge
Two Overworld portals at X 800 and X 920 (Z 800, Y 70) are 120 blocks apart. In the Nether they map to X 100 and X 115, only 15 blocks apart, which is inside Java's 16-block search. Light the second portal and it will usually link to the first portal's Nether end instead of creating its own. Fix it by building the second Nether portal yourself at 115, 70, 100 before you travel. The game then finds a closer portal and the pairs stay separate.
Nether travel time saved
| Overworld distance | Nether distance | Blocks saved |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 62.5 | 437.5 |
| 1,000 | 125 | 875 |
| 2,000 | 250 | 1,750 |
| 5,000 | 625 | 4,375 |
| 10,000 | 1,250 | 8,750 |
| 50,000 | 6,250 | 43,750 |
Common mistakes
- Dividing Y by 8. Height is not scaled. Build at a sensible height in the Nether, not at Y ÷ 8.
- Using the coordinates of where you stand outside the portal. Read them inside the purple portal block.
- Rounding −31.25 to −31. Java floors negatives to −32. A one-block slip usually still links, but large builds can end up off-grid.
- Building portals too close together in the Overworld. Under 128 blocks apart in Java, they share Nether search space.
- Letting the game auto-generate the far side. It may place the portal over lava or far up a cliff. Build it yourself at the calculated spot.
More game and hobby tools: the D&D point buy calculator, the bowling score calculator and the song length calculator.
Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB. This calculator is an independent fan tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mojang or Microsoft. Mojang has not published the portal-linking rules in its own documentation, so the search radii above come from the community-maintained Minecraft Wiki.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert Overworld coordinates to the Nether?
Divide X and Z by 8 and keep Y the same. Overworld X 1000, Z −250 becomes Nether X 125, Z -32. Java rounds down (toward negative infinity), so −250 ÷ 8 = −31.25 becomes -32.
How do I convert Nether coordinates to the Overworld?
Multiply X and Z by 8 and keep Y. Nether X 125, Z −40 is Overworld X 1000, Z -320.
Does the Y coordinate change between dimensions?
No. Only X and Z are scaled. You can build the linked portal at any height you like, but the game measures straight-line distance including height when it picks a portal, so a portal at a very different Y can lose out to one that is horizontally further away.
Why did my portal link to the wrong portal?
The game links to the closest existing portal inside its search area. In Java that area is 128 blocks around the target in the Overworld but only 16 in the Nether; Bedrock searches 128 blocks in both. Two Overworld portals closer than about 128 blocks map to Nether spots under 16 blocks apart, so they can end up sharing one Nether portal.
How far apart should Overworld portals be?
At least 128 blocks in Java if you want each to get its own Nether portal, because 128 ÷ 8 = 16, the Nether search radius. In Bedrock the Nether search radius is 128 blocks, so Overworld portals need to be about 1,024 blocks apart to stay separate unless you build both Nether ends yourself.
How much faster is Nether travel?
Each block in the Nether covers 8 in the Overworld. A 10,000-block trip is 1,250 blocks through the Nether, though lava lakes and terrain make the real route longer than a straight line.
What size can a Nether portal be?
The smallest frame is 4 wide by 5 tall, which minecraft.net describes as two blocks on the top and bottom and three on each side (10 obsidian without corners, 14 with). Per the Minecraft Wiki, frames can be any rectangle up to 23 × 23.
Is the ratio the same in Bedrock Edition?
Yes, both editions use 8:1 for X and Z. What differs is the portal search area: Java uses a 16-block radius on the Nether side, Bedrock 128.
What Y level should I build a Nether portal at?
Any height that is safe to stand at. The Nether is 128 blocks tall (Minecraft Wiki), while the Overworld runs from y = −64 to y = 320 since Caves & Cliffs Part II. When the game has to create a portal for you it looks for solid ground near the matching spot first.
Sources & method
- Minecraft Wiki — Nether portal: coordinate ratio, Y handling, portal search area by edition and version history (community-maintained; secondary reference)
- Minecraft.net — Visit the Nether! (smallest portal frame: two blocks top and bottom, three each side; light with flint and steel)
- Minecraft.net — Caves & Cliffs Part II: The Features (Overworld build limit y = 320, dig down to y = −64)
- Minecraft Feedback — Caves & Cliffs: Part II 1.18.0 (Bedrock) release notes (Overworld height and depth y320 / y-64)
- Minecraft Feedback — Minecraft: Java Edition 1.18 release notes
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.