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Redstone Dust – Wiki Guide

246 views ❘ January 20, 2023

This Minecraft tutorial explains how to craft redstone dust with screenshots and step-by-step instructions.

In Minecraft, redstone dust is an item that you would normally find and gather in the game. However, you can also make redstone dust with a crafting table as well as a furnace or a blast furnace.

Let’s explore how to add redstone dust to your inventory.

Where to find Redstone Dust in Creative Mode

Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac)

Here is where you can find a redstone dust in the Creative Inventory menu:

Platform	Version(s)	Creative Menu Location
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.8 – 1.11	Materials
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.12 – 1.19	Miscellaneous
Java Edition (PC/Mac)	1.19.3	Ingredient

Platform is the platform that applies.

Version(s) is the Minecraft version numbers where the item can be found in the menu location listed (we have tested and confirmed this version number).

Creative Menu Location is the location of the item in the Creative Inventory menu.

How to mine Redstone Dust in Survival Mode

You can add redstone dust to your inventory in Survival mode by mining redstone ore. So, let’s get started!

1. Find a Block of Redstone Ore

First, let’s explore where to find redstone ore. In Minecraft, redstone ore is easy to find and is found in large deposits. You can usually find iron ore between 10 and 25 blocks below the ground.

In this example, we are going to dig into a mountain to find redstone ore.

This is what redstone ore looks like:

2. Hold a Diamond, Iron, or Netherite Pickaxe

To mine for redstone dust, you need to dig up the redstone ore with a diamond pickaxe, iron pickaxe, or netherite pickaxe:

How to make a Diamond Pickaxe
How to make a Iron Pickaxe
How to make a Netherite Pickaxe

Other tools will not dig up the redstone ore and drop redstone dust.

In this example, we are going to use a diamond pickaxe to dig up the redstone ore.

3. Mine the Redstone Ore

The game control to mine the redstone ore depends on the version of Minecraft:

For Java Edition (PC/Mac), left click and hold on the block of redstone ore.
For Pocket Edition (PE), you tap and hold on the block of redstone ore.
For Xbox 360 and Xbox One, press and hold the RT button on the Xbox controller.
For PS3 and PS4, press and hold the R2 button on the PS controller.
For Wii U, press and hold the ZR button on the gamepad.
For Nintendo Switch, press and hold the ZR button on the controller.
For Windows 10 Edition, left click and hold on the block of redstone ore.
For Education Edition, left click and hold on the block of redstone ore.

You will need to continue to dig until the block breaks and redstone dust finally appears. The redstone dust will float on the ground.

4. Pick up the Redstone Dust

Make sure you pick up the redstone dust before it disappears.

Once you pick up the redstone dust, it will appear in your hotbar.

Redstone dust is a very useful item and should be kept in your inventory to be used later.

How to craft Redstone Dust in Survival Mode

1. Open the Crafting Menu

First, open your crafting table so that you have the 3×3 crafting grid that looks like this:

2. Add Items to make Redstone Dust

In the crafting menu, you should see a crafting area that is made up of a 3×3 crafting grid. To make redstone, place 1 block of redstone in the 3×3 crafting grid.

When making redstone, it is important that the block of redstone is placed in the exact pattern as the image below. In the first row, there should be 1 block of redstone in the first box. This is the Minecraft crafting recipe for redstone dust.

Now that you have filled the crafting area with the correct pattern, 9 redstone dust will appear in the box to the right.

3. Move the Redstone Dust to Inventory

Once you have crafted redstone dust, you need to move the new items to your inventory.

Congratulations, you have made redstone dust in Minecraft!

How to smelt Redstone Dust in Survival Mode

You can craft redstone dust in Survival Mode using either a furnace or blast furnace.

1. Open the Furnace Menu

First, open your furnace so that you have the Furnace menu that looks like this:

2. Add Fuel to the Furnace

Next, you need to add fuel to the bottom fuel box in the furnace.

In this tutorial, we are going to use coal as our fuel.

TIP: Read our tutorial called How to Add Fuel to a Furnace if you aren’t sure what items can be used as fuel, the length of time each fuel will burn, or how many items each fuel can smelt/cook.

3. Add Items to make Redstone Dust

Next, place the redstone ore in the top box of the furnace. You should see the flames smelting the redstone ore.

Once the redstone ore has been smelted in the furnace, the redstone dust will appear in the box to the right.

4. Move the Redstone Dust to Inventory

Now that you have made redstone dust in your furnace, you need to move the new item to your inventory.

Congratulations, you have made redstone dust in a furnace!