Here’s how to make obsidian in Minecraft: pour water onto a lava source block, then mine the black block that forms with a diamond or netherite pickaxe. Obsidian has no crafting recipe.
Obsidian is the near-unbreakable block behind Nether portals, enchanting tables and ender chests. The in-game version copies real obsidian, a volcanic glass that forms when lava cools fast with little crystal growth, according to Wikipedia.
This guide applies to Java Edition 26.3 (released September 15, 2026) and the matching Bedrock Edition on PC, console and mobile. Mojang’s 26.3 notes list no change to obsidian, lava or water.
How to make obsidian in Minecraft, step by step
A water bucket poured on a lava source block turns it into obsidian at once. Bedrock Edition follows the same rule, so these steps work on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and mobile.
- Craft a diamond pickaxe: three diamonds across the top row of a crafting table and two sticks down the middle.
- Craft a bucket from three iron ingots and fill it at any water source.
- Find lava in caves, ravines or deep underground.
- Check for a source block. Source lava sits in a full, still pool, while flowing lava runs downhill in thin layers.
- Pour the water on or next to the lava source. It turns into obsidian on contact.
- Hold the mine button until the block breaks. A diamond pickaxe takes about 9.4 seconds in Java Edition.
- Scoop the water back into your bucket and move to the next lava source.
Why you get cobblestone instead of obsidian
You poured water on flowing lava instead of a source block. The Minecraft Wiki says flowing lava hardens into cobblestone, while a lava source becomes obsidian. Find the still pool at the start of the flow and pour your water there.
Which pickaxe can mine obsidian in Minecraft?
Only a diamond or netherite pickaxe collects obsidian. Every other pickaxe breaks it slowly and drops nothing. The times below are Java Edition values with no enchantments, per the Minecraft Wiki.
| Pickaxe | Mining time (Java) | Drops obsidian? |
|---|---|---|
| Wooden | About 125 seconds | No |
| Stone | About 62.5 seconds | No |
| Copper | About 50 seconds | No |
| Iron | About 41.7 seconds | No |
| Golden | About 20.85 seconds | No |
| Diamond | About 9.4 seconds | Yes |
| Netherite | About 8.35 seconds | Yes |
Efficiency and Haste cut these times a lot. Don’t release the mine button halfway, or the block’s progress resets.
How to mine obsidian without falling into lava
Mine from inside water and check below the block first. The obsidian you mine often sits right on top of more lava.
- Stand in a water source next to the obsidian, so water flows in and cools any exposed lava.
- Wall off nearby lava with spare blocks before you start.
- Drink a Fire Resistance potion if you have one.
- Pick up your water last.
How much obsidian do you need?
A Nether portal needs at least 10 obsidian, an enchanting table needs 4 and an ender chest needs 8, per the Minecraft Wiki.
| Item | Obsidian needed | Also needs |
|---|---|---|
| Nether portal frame | 10 (14 with corners) | Flint and steel to light it |
| Enchanting table | 4 | 1 book, 2 diamonds |
| Ender chest | 8 | 1 Eye of Ender |
A portal frame can be any rectangle from 4 by 5 up to 23 by 23, and the corners aren’t required.
Can you build a Nether portal without a diamond pickaxe?
Yes. You can cast the portal in place: pour lava into the shape of the frame, then add water so each piece hardens where it sits. The Minecraft Wiki’s obsidian farming tutorial covers this approach. Layouts vary and take practice, since the lava must stay in frame-shaped spots until the water reaches it.
Where to find obsidian instead of making it
You can loot it from chests, barter for it with Piglins, break an ender chest, or mine structures in the Nether and the End. Figures below are Java Edition values from the Minecraft Wiki.
| Source | Amount | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Ruined Portal chest | 1 to 2 | 46.4% |
| Bastion Remnant generic chest | 4 to 6 | 24.4% |
| Nether Fortress chest | 2 to 4 | 7.5% |
| Piglin bartering (one gold ingot) | 1 | About 8.7% per trade |
| Ender chest broken without Silk Touch | 8 | Always |
Some structures come with obsidian already placed. Ruined portals have it in their frames, and each End ship in an End city holds 26 blocks.
Every entity that enters the End lands on a 25-block obsidian platform that rebuilds itself. Woodland mansions also hide obsidian rooms around a diamond block.
Obsidian myths in other Minecraft guides
We checked four common claims against the Minecraft Wiki and Prima Games. Each one fails.
| Claim | What’s true |
|---|---|
| The Ender Dragon can destroy obsidian | It can’t. The Wither is the only mob that breaks obsidian. |
| Charged creepers destroy obsidian | Obsidian’s blast resistance of 1,200 makes it immune to normal explosions. |
| Strongholds have an obsidian room | Obsidian rooms appear in woodland mansions, not strongholds. |
| A diamond pickaxe needs two iron ingots | It needs three diamonds and two sticks. |
How to farm obsidian in Minecraft
Three methods are renewable: a Nether portal loop, the End platform and a dripstone lava farm.
| Method | Yield | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nether portal loop | 14 per cycle | Fast, needs no lava |
| End platform | 25 per visit | Rebuilds whenever an entity enters the End |
| Dripstone lava farm | 1 lava bucket per fill | Slow, but automatic once built |
Here is the Nether portal loop:
- Build and light a Nether portal in the Overworld, then walk through it.
- In the Nether, build and light a second portal at least 16 blocks from the first.
- Step through the second portal. The game generates a new portal in the Overworld.
- Mine that new frame with a diamond pickaxe for 14 obsidian.
- Go back through your first portal, walk to the second one and repeat from step 3.
For the dripstone farm, cauldrons under pointed dripstone collect lava that you then turn into obsidian with water. Lava wasn’t renewable before 1.17, so this method only works in newer versions. Check the wiki’s tutorial for exact block distances before you build.
Obsidian changes in Minecraft 26.x
Nothing changed about how obsidian forms. Java switched to year-based version numbers in 2026, starting with 26.1 on March 24, and 26.2 (Chaos Cubed, June 16, 2026) added the sulfur cube.
Per Mojang’s patch notes, the sulfur cube absorbs a block when you interact with it while holding one. The Minecraft Wiki says obsidian gives the cube a “Slow Bouncy” effect.
Can you make crying obsidian?
No. Crying obsidian can’t be crafted or formed with water and lava. You find it in ruined portals and bastion remnant chests, or get it from Piglin bartering. It also can’t be used in a working Nether portal frame.
Obsidian remains one of the most-used blocks in a game that has sold more than 300 million copies, as reported by The Verge, because every trip to the Nether starts with a portal frame.
FAQ
Can you craft obsidian in Minecraft?
No. Obsidian has no crafting recipe. Pour water on a lava source block to make it, or in Creative mode run /give @s obsidian 64 if commands are on.
Can you get obsidian without lava?
Yes. Ruined portal chests, Piglin bartering, broken ender chests and the End platform all give obsidian without touching lava.
How many obsidian blocks do you need for a Nether portal?
You need 10 at minimum, or 14 with the corners filled in. The corners aren’t required for the portal to work.
Can you mine obsidian with an iron pickaxe?
No. An iron pickaxe takes about 41.7 seconds in Java Edition and the block drops nothing. Only diamond and netherite pickaxes collect obsidian.
Is obsidian renewable in Survival mode?
Yes. Nether portal loops, the End platform and dripstone lava farms all give a renewable supply of obsidian.
