(Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes)

‘Tis the season to be spooky, and Minecraft is the place to be! But Halloween in Minecraft wouldn’t be complete without a Jack o'Lantern. Thankfully, this item is reasonably easy to get. So, continue reading as we teach you how to carve a pumpkin in Minecraft and make use of it as a Jack o'Lantern and more.

How to Carve a Pumpkin in Minecraft

To carve a pumpkin in Minecraft means following a specific procedure. Below, you’ll learn the steps to undergo this process from start to finish:

Step #1: Finding a Pumpkin

Introduced in Java Edition Alpha version 1.2.0, Pumpkins in Minecraft typically spawn in pumpkin patches. However, these locations are fairly rare. Sometimes, a Minecraft pumpkin patch can be rarer than finding a diamond. But you’ll generally have more luck finding pumpkin patches in grassy biomes. Don’t waste your time finding this area in sandy or stony biomes.

Step #2: Crafting Shears

If you don’t have a pair of Shears, you can make one by placing 2x Iron Ingot in the 3x3 crafting grid. Note that one Iron Ingot should be in the middle box at the top, and the other should be in the leftmost box at the middle row.

Step #3: Carving Your Pumpkin

Next, place the Pumpkin on the ground. Then, equip the Shears and right-click on the Pumpkin (or press the left trigger if you’re playing the console version, or tap the screen if you’re playing the mobile version). If successful, a face should appear on the Pumpkin and you'll have a carved pumpkin.

Step #4 (Optional): Making a Jack o'Lantern

If you want to step up your carved pumpkin to a whole new level of atmospheric decoration, then this next optional step is for you. With a carved pumpkin, you can create a Jack o'Lantern that also works as a light source. To do this, simply combine your carved pumpkin with a torch, and you'll have a bright Jack o'Lantern to place!

Other Uses for Carved Pumpkins in Minecraft

Now that you know how to carve a pumpkin in Minecraft, the next step is to use your spooky creation. You can place the Carved Pumpkin anywhere as a piece of decoration. Otherwise, here are other uses of this item you might want to try:

• Wear the Carved Pumpkin to prevent attacks from Endermen.
• Place a Carved Pumpkin next to four Iron blocks in a “T” shape to summon an Iron Golem.