How to make a locator map in Minecraft

A locator map in Minecraft is one of the items all new players in the game want to possess when starting out in this title. It is a very useful tool, especially for players who are not familiar with the game.

The map acts as a visual aid when you're exploring the Minecraft world. It is basically a map of the world, telling players where they are and what is around them. Follow this guide to find out how to craft a locator map in Minecraft Bedrock and use it.

Note: A locator map is essentially a regular map in Minecraft Java. It is referred to as a locator map instead of an empty map in Bedrock Edition.

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How to craft Minecraft locator map

Making an empty locator map (Image via Mojang)

To make a locator map, you will need a compass, paper, and a cartography table (optional). It's worth noting that you can make a locator map without a cartography table, but it will cost you more paper.

Crafting locator map on a crafting table (Image via Mojang)

Once you have all the required items, you will need to place a paper and a compass inside the cartography table, and it will create a locator map in Minecraft. If you don't have a cartography table, you can make a locator map on a crafting table by surrounding a compass with eight papers.

Here's how you can get the required items for crafting a locator map:

1) Compass

Recipe for crafting a compass (Image via Mojang)

You will need a compass to create a locator map in Minecraft. You can easily craft it using one redstone and four iron ingots. The compass serves as a way to give directions, and you will need one compass per locator map created.

You can find compasses around the Minecraft world inside chests in villages, strongholds, and shipwrecks. Librarian villagers often have them for sale as well. It's worth a mention that compasses are not very hard to craft though.

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2) Paper

Crafting recipe for paper (Image via Mojang)

Obviously, paper is one of the key ingredients to creating a map in Minecraft. You will need to use eight pieces of paper to create a single locator map. You will need to combine paper with a compass to create it.

Paper can be found pretty easily in Minecraft. You can commonly find it inside village chests, or it can be crafted using three sugar canes. The latter are typically found on river banks.

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3) Cartography table (optional)

Crafting recipe for cartography table (Image via Mojang)

You can find these blocks inside villages, or you can craft them using two paper and four wooden planks. You can use a cartography table to craft locator maps in Minecraft. These are blocks that you can use to add locations of additional pointers to the map, and they can also be employed to create other maps.

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What does locator map do in Minecraft?

Using a locator map in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

You can use this map to locate other players and to determine the positions of different Minecraft structures around the map. The map will pinpoint the structures when the player is near them. This is a handheld item, and you will have to have it in their hands to put it to use.

You will also see your spawn location or house on the locator map. This is really useful, as you can easily figure out what direction to go back in to find your spawn point.

Locator maps will also work for players in the End. They can access the End in Minecraft to fight off the Ender Dragon, go to End Cities, and obtain things such as shulker boxes and elytras.

Players can use locator maps to show where they have visited in the End, and to show what is around them. It is always useful to have a map of End Cities in Minecraft. Gamers can use it to know where the end city stops and starts as well as where ships are located.