Diamonds are usually a randomly generated resource in Minecraft, however, it’s quite possible to find and farm them irrespective of the world that you generate. There have been significant changes to how you will locate and mine Diamonds in the game over recent patches, hence, there are a few specific things that you will need to do in order to get a steady supply of them.
Here is a guide that goes over everything that you need to know about getting and using Diamond in Minecraft.
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How to find Diamonds in Minecraft
Post 1.21 update you will be able to find Diamonds by digging below Y=15. Once you reach this point, the deeper down you go, the higher will be your chances of finding Diamond Ores.
To know the Y level that you are on, just tap F3 on your keyboard and you will have the coordinates displayed. So make sure you are digging deep to improve your chances of finding the resource.
However, do keep in mind that if a Diamond is about to spawn near an open-air block when you are generating a world, there will be a slight chance of it not spawning at all. This is why you will be hard-pressed to find Diamonds inside caves. Therefore, the most reliable way of encountering one will be to dig a tunnel through the Deepslate.
Note: If you are playing Minecraft on 1.17 or earlier versions you can find Diamond Ore in every Overworld biome between Y-levels 1-15. However, they will be much more abundant between 5-12. If you are playing Minecraft on version 1.18, you will need to go below Y=0 and into the negative to improve your chances of finding Diamonds.
Best way to mine and farm Diamonds in Minecraft
If you are on 1.21 the best method of farming Diamonds will be to reach atleast Y= -57 and then start digging a 2-block tunnel in any desirable direction. The goal is to leave a 2-block-wide gap between each new tunnel that you make, so when you start mining make sure to keep this in mind.
To further accelerate your strip-mining process, once you are done with level -57, head to -53 and repeat the same process. As a result, you will be able to see all Diamond spawn points between -58 and -51. This will allow you to target farm the nodes with an Iron Pickaxe or a better tool, by helping you avoid blocks of Bedrock.
As you are going to go deep down for the resource, always make sure to carry a Water Bucket as you will often encounter pockets of lava. Make sure to also bring a torch so as to prevent mobs from spawning in the tunnels.
Night Vision potions can also come in handy, helping you navigate through the Deepslate as you start mining and making tunnels.
Note: If you are playing Minecraft on 1.17 or an earlier version then you can use the exact same method as stated above to mine Diamonds. However, instead of picking levels -57 to -53 you will need to stay between levels 6 and 10.
Alternative ways of getting more Diamonds in Minecraft
Mining might be the more traditional way of farming Diamonds in Minecraft, but certain alternate methods will help you maximize the yield of the resource in the game:
1) Using Enchantments
When you use Fortune Enchantment on your pickaxe you will get an increased chance to double your drop when mining Diamond Ores.
- With Fortune I, you will get a 33% chance of getting a double drop
- With Fortune II, you will get a 25% chance to multiply the Diamond drop by either 2 or 3.
- With Fortune III you will have a 20% chance to multiply drop by 2, 3, or 4.
Placing bookshelves around the Enchanting Table will significantly improve the odds of receiving a high-level Enchantment. You can also purchase the rarer Enchantments by visiting Librarians or trading with villagers.
2) Obtaining Diamonds from chests
You will find chests throughout the Overworld. These too are randomly generated, so the frequency of you finding them will depend on your luck. If you are in the Java edition of Minecraft you will be able to be able to locate chests in the following regions:
| Location | Drop Amount | Drop Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Bastion Remnant | 2-6 Diamonds | 15.8% chance. |
| Buried Treasure | 1 Diamond | 46.9% chance. |
| Desert Pyramid | 1-3 Diamonds | 6.3% chance |
| End City | 2-7 Diamonds | 21.2% chance |
| Jungle Temple | 1-3 Diamonds | 12.8% chance |
| Mineshaft | 1-2 Diamonds | 8.9% chance |
| Nether Fortress | 1-3 Diamonds | 19% chance |
| Shipwreck | 1 Diamond | 14.1% chance |
| Stronghold | 1-3 Diamonds | 7.1% chance |
| Village (Toolsmith Chest) | 1-3 Diamonds | 9.9% chance |
| Village (Weaponsmith Chest) | 1-3 Diamonds | 16.2% chance |
The above rates are similar when it comes to the Bedrock spawn rates as well, however, there are a few differences. You will have:
- 8.9% chance to obtain 1-2 Diamonds in Bastion Remnants
- 59.9% chance to obtain 1-2 Diamonds within a Buried Treasure Chest
3) From Suspicious Sand
The Suspicious Sand resource was introduced to Minecraft with the Trails and Tales update. They are very fragile in nature and will break if you drop them or hit them with a tool other than a Brush.
When you use a Brush on Suspicious Sand you will have a 12.5% chance to obtain a Diamond from it. You will find this resource mainly under Desert Pyramids or at the very bottom of Desert Wells.
They are also a primary source of Pottery Sherds in the game.
Best uses of Diamonds in Minecraft
Here are some of the best uses of Diamonds in Minecraft:
1) Making durable weapons and armor
Weapons, armor, and tools are some of the strongest gear that you will be able to get your hands on in the Overworld. This is especially because you will be able to turn them into Netherite which is the strongest element in Minecraft.
So when it comes to prepping yourself for surviving for the longest time in the world, obtaining this resource is a must in any playthrough.
While you can get Netherite equipment in other, more organic ways, it can take you hours to get them. So once you have a steady supply of Diamonds going, it’s best to use the gear for Netherite.
When beginning to make Diamond gear in Minecraft, start with a sword and a pickaxe if you are running low. These will be the ones that you rely on the most before you get an entire gear set going.
2) Making Enchantment Tables
It can be time-consuming to get your hands on rarer Enchantments in Minecraft. So if you want to start improving your existing gear right away, you can manually Enchant them by constructing an Enchantment Table.
Each table that you make will need:
- 1x Book
- 3x Obsidian
- 2x Diamond
Once you have the table setup you will be able to boost the efficiency of your standard gear by enchanting them. So when using an Enchantment Table you will get a selection of three randomized enchantments.
The level of this enchantment will depend on your XP level and will cost you around one to three Lapis Lazuli along with one to three levels (Depending on the choice that you make). To further improve the level of the enchantments that are offered, you can add bookshelves around it. However, the maximum number you place will be capped at 15 units.
If you have an Enchanted Book in your inventory, you can always use the Anvil to provide the standard gear with an Enchantment.
3) Crafting a Jukebox to keep pets happy
The next best use of Diamond is to create a Jukebox with it in Minecraft. You will need the following resources to craft it:
- 8x Planks
- 1x Diamond
Once you have made the Jukebox you will be able to play tunes in it as long as you have a music disc. If you have the item, insert it into the box, and the device will play the tune one time before prompting you to reinsert it.
However, you can make an interconnected system with hoppers and droppers to make sure that the disk keeps auto-inserting itself.
Once music starts playing from the jukebox, if you have pet allays and parrots you will see them dancing around. The tune has a range of 64 blocks and is a great way of keeping your pets merry around your base.
4) Creating beautiful fireworks
If you add Diamonds as one of the many crafting elements in fireworks, you will be able to add a special beauty to them. While the resource is not needed to craft the item, you can choose to add it and grant that additional bit of elegance.
Standard fireworks will explode and propel you allowing you to fly around with the Elytra and leaving a beautiful trail of Diamond dust behind if you have used it in the crafting spec. However, if you have added Firework Stars along with Diamond, then you will get a lethal but beautiful bomb that explodes and deals massive AoE damage.
Firework Stars fireworks are amazing at clearing out mobs. However, they cannot be used to fly as the explosion will damage your character instead.
5) Making Decorations
If you are looking to set up a pretty base, then Diamonds can help impart the aesthetic appeal that you are going for. You can even use it to create blocks and then build structures like beacons.
Moreover, after the 1.20 Trails and Tales update, you will also now be able to use Diamonds to customize the appearance of your armor. To pull this off, you will need to duplicate a Smithing Template by using Diamonds and then adding them to the desired gear.
