Iron ingots are one of the most important items in Minecraft. You need them to craft tools, weapons, armor, and machines. This guide covers every way to get iron ingots in survival mode.
Finding Iron Ingots in Creative Mode
Java Edition
| Versions | Menu Location |
|---|---|
| 1.8 – 1.11 | Materials |
| 1.12 – 1.19 | Miscellaneous |
| 1.19.3+ | Ingredients |
Smelting Iron Ingots (Fastest Method)
Smelting is the quickest way to turn raw iron into ingots. You need either a furnace or blast furnace.
Step 1: Open Your Furnace
Place down a furnace and right-click (or interact with) it to open the menu.
Step 2: Add Fuel
Put fuel in the bottom slot. Coal works great, but you can also use wood, charcoal, lava buckets, or anything burnable. A blast furnace smelts twice as fast but uses the same fuel.
Step 3: Add Raw Iron
Put raw iron in the top slot. You’ll see the flames start cooking it. After a few seconds, the iron ingot appears in the output slot on the right.
Step 4: Collect Your Ingots
Click the iron ingot to move it to your inventory.
Crafting Iron Ingots
You can craft iron ingots from iron nuggets or iron blocks. This is useful if you have extras you don’t need.
From Iron Nuggets
Place 9 iron nuggets in a 3×3 crafting grid. This makes 1 iron ingot.
From Iron Blocks
Place 1 iron block in any slot of a crafting table. This gives you 9 iron ingots.
Getting Ingots from Iron Golems
Iron golems drop 3-5 iron ingots when killed. This isn’t efficient early game, but it’s useful if you have a golem farm.
Step 1: Find or Build an Iron Golem
Iron golems spawn naturally in villages. If you can’t find one, you can build one using 4 iron blocks and 1 carved pumpkin or jack o’lantern.
Step 2: Kill the Golem
Attack it repeatedly. It takes a while, but eventually it drops iron ingots.
Tip: Use a sword or axe to kill it faster.
Item Details
Java Edition (PC/Mac)
| Name | ID Name | Data Value | Max Stack | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ingot | minecraft:iron_ingot | 0 | 64 | 1.8 – 1.12 |
| Iron Ingot | minecraft:iron_ingot | N/A | 64 | 1.13+ |
Give Command
Java Edition 1.13+:
/give @p iron_ingot 1
Java Edition 1.8-1.12:
/give @p iron_ingot 1 0
What You Can Make with Iron Ingots
Iron is used for tons of items. Here are the most important:
Tools
Iron pickaxe, iron shovel, iron axe, iron hoe. Iron tools mine faster than stone and last longer.
Armor
Iron helmet, chestplate, leggings, and boots. Iron armor gives 6 protection points per piece.
Weapons
Iron sword does 7 damage, iron axe does 9 damage. Much better than stone weapons.
Machines & Blocks
Hoppers, furnaces, anvils, rails, buckets, tripwire hooks, minecarts, pistons, and more. Iron is essential for almost every farm or machine.
Decorative Items
Iron bars, iron doors, iron trapdoors, cauldrons, chains. These look good and have practical uses too.
Early Game Tips
Mine iron ore with a stone pickaxe or better. Smelt it in a furnace to get ingots. Iron ore is found between Y-level -64 and 72, but it’s most common around Y-level 0.
For the fastest early game progression, focus on getting enough iron for a pickaxe, then mine diamonds.