Overworld and Nether coordinates
Nether Portal Calculator: Coordinates and Portal Linking
Convert Overworld and Nether coordinates (divide or multiply X and Z by 8), then check whether two portals will link in Java and Bedrock Edition.
Overworld portal
Nether portal
Overworld to Nether
Overworld 1000, 64, −500 becomes Nether 125, 64, −63.
- X: 1000 ÷ 8 = 125
- Z: −500 ÷ 8 = −62.5, rounded down to −63
- Y stays the same.
Nether to Overworld
Nether 135, 64, −70 becomes Overworld 1080, 64, −560.
- X: 135 × 8 = 1080
- Z: −70 × 8 = −560
- Y stays the same.
Will these two portals link?
- Java Edition: the two portals link in both directions.
- Bedrock Edition: the two portals link in both directions.
Overworld portal to Nether portal
Stepping through the Overworld portal sends you to Nether 125, 64, −63, and the game searches a square around that spot. The other portal is 10 blocks east and 7 blocks north of it, about 12.2 blocks away in a straight line.
| Edition | Search area | The other portal is |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | 32×32 square (16-block radius) | Inside (6 blocks of room) |
| Bedrock Edition | 256×256 square (128-block radius) | Inside (118 blocks of room) |
Nether portal to Overworld portal
Stepping through the Nether portal sends you to Overworld 1080, 64, −560, and the game searches a square around that spot. The other portal is 80 blocks west and 60 blocks south of it, about 100.0 blocks away in a straight line.
| Edition | Search area | The other portal is |
|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | 256×256 square (128-block radius) | Inside (48 blocks of room) |
| Bedrock Edition | 256×256 square (128-block radius) | Inside (48 blocks of room) |
If more than one portal is inside the search area, the game picks the closest by straight-line distance, counting height too. If none is inside, it builds a new portal near the destination.
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How the coordinate conversion works
Going from the Overworld to the Nether, the game divides X and Z by 8 and rounds down to a whole block. Going the other way it multiplies X and Z by 8. Y is not scaled, so a portal at height 64 leads to a spot at height 64.
Rounding down means toward negative infinity, not toward zero. Overworld X = −239 is −29.875 in the Nether, which becomes −30, and X = −240 divides evenly to −30 as well. For Overworld (1000, 64, −500) the Nether destination is (125, 64, −63), because −500 ÷ 8 = −62.5 rounds down to −63.
- Overworld to Nether: floor(X ÷ 8), Y, floor(Z ÷ 8).
- Nether to Overworld: X × 8, Y, Z × 8.
- Because of the rounding, eight neighboring Overworld columns share one Nether column, so a round trip does not always return you to the same block.
Which portal does the game pick?
After converting, the game searches a square area centered on the destination, across the full height of the world. In the Overworld the square is 256×256 blocks (a 128-block radius) in both editions. In the Nether it is 32×32 blocks (a 16-block radius) in Java Edition and 256×256 blocks (a 128-block radius) in Bedrock Edition.
These are squares, not circles, so a portal 16 blocks away on both axes still counts in the Java Edition Nether even though it is farther than 16 blocks in a straight line. If several portals are inside the square, the closest one wins, measured in a straight line and including the height difference. If none is found, the game builds a new portal near the destination.
- Java Edition: Overworld search 128 blocks, Nether search 16 blocks.
- Bedrock Edition: 128 blocks in both dimensions.
- The checker counts a distance equal to the radius as inside. Treat results within a block or two of the edge as risky and move the portal closer.
Building a linked pair on purpose
Pick the Overworld portal, divide its X and Z by 8, round down, and build the Nether portal on that spot. Landing within a few blocks is enough in either edition. Keep other portals out of the search area, because a closer portal will win.
Mind the Nether’s height. Per the wiki, Java Edition lets you build from Y 0 to 255, with the natural bedrock roof at Y 123 to 127, while Bedrock Edition stops at Y 127. Keep Nether portals below the roof.
Common questions
How do I convert Overworld coordinates to Nether coordinates?
Divide X and Z by 8 and round down to a whole number; leave Y alone. Overworld (800, 70, −1) becomes Nether (100, 70, −1), since −1 ÷ 8 = −0.125 rounds down to −1.
Why did my portal link to a different portal?
The game takes the closest portal inside the search square. In Java Edition the Nether side searches only 16 blocks around the destination, so a portal a little farther away is missed and a new one is built. A closer older portal, even one you forgot about, can also win.
Is the portal search a circle or a square?
A square, centered on the converted coordinate. The Java Edition Nether square is 32×32 blocks, the Overworld square is 256×256 blocks, and Bedrock Edition uses 256×256 in both.
How high can I build a Nether portal?
Bedrock Edition stops at Y 127. Java Edition allows building to Y 255, but the natural bedrock roof sits at Y 123 to 127, so portals are normally kept below it.
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