From illuminating that first terrifying night to lighting up mines that would otherwise be filled with fright, torches are an essential part of every Minecraft world. However, with the right items, function isn’t their only use, and torches can become decorative too. So, today, we explore all the different torches and lanterns available to craft, including the copper torch and copper lanterns, in our Minecraft torch guide.

How to Craft a Minecraft Torch

Torches are an essential item that should ideally be obtained before your first night has begun, and thankfully, it is not hard to go about getting one. The first item needed is a stick, which can be obtained by punching trees, turning the logs into planks, and then sticks. After that, a form of coal is needed. If coal ore has been spotted nearby, it can be mined with a stone pickaxe, but otherwise, cooking some logs in a furnace will provide charcoal, which can be used in its place. Once sticks and a form of coal are in hand, torches can be crafted right from your inventory, providing four torches per each stick and coal.

The Light of Torches

In Minecraft, torches produce light, which affects a variety of mechanics, including crop growth and player vision. However, the most notable thing light does in Minecraft is prevent monsters from spawning. This is why seeing torches scattered across the landscape is very common, especially around player bases. To make the most of your torches, remember that each type of Minecraft torch and lantern has a light level. Standard torches, for example, have a light level of 14, which means it produces a gradually fading amount of light up to 14 blocks away, counting the block that it is placed on. Even though the light is faint by the fourteenth block, it still prevents mobs from spawning. Additionally, light levels beyond 12, like that of standard torches, will melt nearby snow and ice.

All Minecraft Torch Variants

Torches vary in color, light level, and mechanical function, with redstone torches even providing power to other blocks in its vicinity. However, they all share how they can be placed, with this being on the top and sides of most blocks. If the block a torch is attached to or placed on breaks, the torch will break as well.

Torch

• Recipe: 1 Stick & Coal
• Light Level: 14
• Flame Color: Yellow

Redstone Torch

• Recipe: 1 Stick & Redstone Dust
• Light Level: 8
• Flame Color: Red

In addition to providing some light, redstone torches strongly power the block above the torch and weakly power those surrounding it. Redstone torches can also be activated and deactivated using blocks such as levers.

Soul Torch

• Recipe: 1 Stick, Coal, & Soul Soil/Sand
• Light Level: 10
• Flame Color: Blue

Regular piglins will avoid areas illuminated by soul torches.

Copper Torch

• Recipe: 1 Stick, Coal, & Copper Nugget
• Light Level: 14
• Flame Color: Green

Copper torches function identically to standard torches and do not oxidize.

How to Craft a Lantern

Torches remain a cheap and useful item even in the late game, but for builds, they can eventually become a decoration that seems a bit out of place. For this reason, Mojang added lanterns as a late-game upgrade to torches, which are better both visually (at least to some) and mechanically. They can be crafted on a crafting table using eight iron nuggets and one torch, which produces a single lantern with a light level of 15.

All Minecraft Lantern Variants

With the exception of jack o’ lanterns, which act as a standard block, lanterns in Minecraft can be placed on top of or directly beneath most blocks. And, like torches, if the block they are attached to is broken, the lantern breaks too.

Lantern

• Recipe: 1 Torch & 8 Iron Nugget
• Light Level: 15
• Flame Color: Yellow

Soul Lantern

• Recipe: 1 Soul Torch & 8 Iron Nugget
• Light Level: 10
• Flame Color: Blue

Like the soul torch, regular piglins will avoid areas illuminated by soul lanterns.

Copper Lantern

• Recipe: 1 Copper Torch & 8 Copper Nuggets
• Light Level: 15
• Flame Color: Green

The metal of copper lanterns is orange, but if not waxed using honeycomb, they will gradually oxidize, turning green over time if outdoors. This process can be reset using an axe, and oxidation does not affect the light level produced.

Jack o’ Lantern

• Recipe: 1 Torch & Carved Pumpkin
• Light Level: 15
• Flame Color: Yellow

Finally, we have the original upgrade to torches, jack o’ lanterns! This holiday favorite produces the same amount of light as lanterns but with the added bonus of acting as a standard block that can be placed just about anywhere. A carved pumpkin is created by using shears on a pumpkin.