How To Use Maps and Cartography Tables In Minecraft Full Tutorial! For Java and Bedrock!

Hey everyone, it’s UnderMyCap. Welcome back. Today I’m going to teach you all about maps in Minecraft: how to craft them, how to use the cartography table, and how to take advantage of features like expanding maps, duplicating maps, locking maps, and more. We’ll also cover using banners and working with cartographer villagers.

How to Craft a Map

To craft a map, you need eight pieces of paper and one compass.

To craft a compass, combine:

• 4 iron ingots
• 1 redstone dust

Once you have a compass, place it in the center of the crafting grid and surround it with eight paper (like wrapping a present). This crafts a map.

How to Use a Map

To activate a map, right-click it. The map will begin filling in as you explore.

One interesting detail: each pixel on the default map represents one block (a 1:1 ratio). That’s why people can create highly accurate pixel art using maps.

How to Name a Map

You can rename a map using an anvil. For example, if you name it “Hi, I’m a map,” it becomes easier to identify later—especially if you’re collecting multiple maps.

Using the Cartography Table

Once you have a basic map, the cartography table unlocks a lot more functionality. You can duplicate maps, expand (zoom out) maps, and lock maps to preserve them.

A cartography table is crafted using:

• 2 paper
• 4 wood planks

How to Duplicate a Map

If you want to give your map to another player (or just keep a backup), you can duplicate it.

To do this:

1) Place your filled map in the top slot.
2) Place an empty map in the bottom slot.

The result is two identical maps that can be shared or stored.

How to Expand (Zoom Out) a Map

To make a map cover a larger area, you can expand it in the cartography table.

Steps:

1) Place the map you want to expand in the top slot.
2) Place one piece of paper in the bottom slot.

When you expand a map, it zooms out by a factor of two. That means each pixel represents more blocks than before (for example, instead of 1 block per pixel, it becomes 2 blocks per pixel). This is also why colors can look more “blended” at larger scales.

How to Lock a Map

Locking a map is useful if you want to preserve it exactly as it is—like keeping a historical record of an area in your world.

To lock a map:

1) Place the map in the top slot of the cartography table.
2) Place a glass pane in the bottom slot.

After locking, the map will no longer update. For example, if you place blocks to create a visible change (like adding a patch of orange blocks that shows up on the map), then lock the map, the map will keep showing that change even if you later remove the blocks in the world.

These three features—duplicating, expanding, and locking—are the main functions of the cartography table, and they’re incredibly useful for organizing and preserving your world.

Placing Maps on Walls

You can place maps in item frames and arrange them to form a larger map display. When placed correctly, adjacent maps line up to create one continuous view of the terrain. You can also rotate maps in frames as needed.

Another nice detail: if your map has a custom name, that name appears when you look at it in the frame.

Marking Locations with Banners

You can mark important locations on your map using banners.

To add a marker:

1) Place a banner in the world where you want the marker.
2) Use the map on the banner (right-click the banner while holding the map).

A banner icon will appear on the map at that location and stay there. This makes it easy to mark bases, villages, or points of interest.

If you want to remove the marker, use the map on the same banner again to toggle it off.

Cartographer Villagers and Special Maps

The last topic is cartographer villagers. As you level up a cartographer through trading, you can unlock special explorer maps.

These can include:

• Ocean Explorer Maps
• Woodland Explorer Maps

You typically trade emeralds (and sometimes a compass) to receive these maps. They guide you to special structures and can help you locate valuable places you might not find easily on your own.

Duplicating Explorer Maps

A useful bonus: explorer maps can also be duplicated using the cartography table, just like regular maps. That means if you’re playing with friends, you can duplicate a Woodland Explorer Map (for example) so multiple players can have the same destination map.

Wrapping Up

That’s it for this tutorial. Hopefully this helped clear things up if you’ve been unsure about how maps and the cartography table work. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.