Spyglass

What is Spyglass?

The spyglass magnifies a small part of your current view while you hold use. It is a vanilla scouting tool that makes a distant shape easier to identify. It works well from a lookout, shoreline or open hill where the object is already somewhere within the world you can see.

Why players overlook it

It uses an inventory slot for a job you can sometimes solve by walking closer. Some players also use external zoom features and never try the in-game tool. Its value is clearer on a route where one wrong turn means a long detour.

How to get it

• Collect an amethyst shard from a mature cluster and smelt raw copper into ingots if needed.
• Place the shard above two copper ingots in a vertical crafting column.

Crafting recipe

Shaped crafting

1. Amethyst Shard
2. Copper Ingot
3. Copper Ingot

• 1×Amethyst Shard
• 2×Copper Ingot

→1× Spyglass

What is it used for?

• Check whether a distant outline is a structure or just terrain.
• Scout the shore before choosing where to land, or use a high point to look for a trail marker that a teammate described.

When it comes in handy

On a resource trip, stop at each high point and scan for two landmarks: one for the outward route and one you can recognize on the return trip. The second is often more useful once the terrain behind you changes.

Limitations

The narrow view reduces peripheral awareness. The tool does not extend render distance, load a distant area or show coordinates.

Java and Bedrock

Java Edition. Java has spyglass advancements for observing a parrot, a ghast and the Ender Dragon.

Sources

Checked November 12, 2026 for Java 26.3 and Bedrock 26.60 series (including 26.63 where available).

• Minecraft Wiki · Spyglass ↗