Minecraft tracks your character's position within the game world through a coordinate system. This data is not visible and is located within the debugging system of the computer version of Minecraft. When playing on console, your character's location coordinates are visible on the map. If you play Minecraft PE, to view your coordinates, you need to install a third-party application, as this version of the game has neither a map nor a debugging system.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Windows computer / Mac OS X
Step 1. Activate the debug screen
By default, in new versions of the game, debugging information is hidden. You can view them in full screen through the "Options" menu.
Access the "Options" menu and choose "Chat Settings". Disable the "Reduced Debug Info" option
Step 2. Press the "Debug" button
This will bring up a window with Minecraft debugging information. It is normally associated with the F3 key on the keyboard, but this setting varies depending on the computer being used.
- Windows desktop computer: Pressing the F3 key displays the debug screen.
- Mac and many laptops: you need to use the key combination Fn + F3.
- Modern Macs: Press the key combination Alt + Fn + F3.
Step 3. Locate the coordinates within the debug screen
Inside this window a lot of information is shown. Simple coordinates are labeled "Block", while detailed coordinates are labeled "XYZ". There is also an entry called "Facing", which indicates the direction your character is facing.
Step 4. Interpret the coordinates
Your position in the game world is calculated with respect to the starting block. The "Block" item shows the numbers corresponding to the three coordinates (XYZ) without labels.
- "X": corresponds to your position on the east-west axis with respect to that of the starting block (longitude).
- "Y": corresponds to the altitude of your position with respect to that of the starting block.
- "Z": corresponds to your position on the north-south axis with respect to that of the starting block (latitude).
Step 5. Move around the game world to see how the values of the "Block" entry change
This step is for you to better understand how the coordinate system works. If the "X" value is negative, it means you are west of the starting block. If the "Z" value is negative, it means you are north of the starting block.
When you start the game, normally, the starting X and Z coordinates take on the value 0 (unless the starting block is in the water). While the Y coordinate takes the value 63 which identifies the sea level within the game world
Method 2 of 3: Console
Step 1. Open the map
In the console version of Minecraft (Xbox, PlayStation and Wii U), you can view your coordinates within the game world map. When a new game world is created, all players start with the screen showing the map. You can access the map through the inventory.
Step 2. Find your character's coordinates
Your character's current position is shown at the top of the map. Three coordinates are displayed: X, Y and Z.
Step 3. Interpret the coordinates
Your position in the game world is calculated from the block your character is placed on at the start of the game. The "X" coordinate corresponds to the longitude, ie the position you occupy on the west-east axis with respect to the starting block. The "Z" coordinate corresponds to the latitude, ie the position you occupy on the north-south axis with respect to the starting block. The "Y" coordinate represents the current altitude relative to the "bedrock" layer.
- Normally the starting block assumes the following coordinates "X, Z: 0, 0". If the 0, 0 coordinates represent a submerged point, it means that the starting block is nearby.
- The "Y" coordinate varies according to the altitude of your starting position. The sea level is identified by the value "Y: 63".
Step 4. Observe how the coordinates change
Coordinate values vary in real time as you move around the game world. If the value of the "X" coordinate is positive, it means that you are east of the starting block. If the "Z" coordinate value is positive, it means you are south of the starting block.
Method 3 of 3: Minecraft PE
Step 1. Enable cheats if you are playing in Survival mode
If you are playing in a creative world, cheats are enabled by default and you can skip to the next step. To enable cheats in your current Survival world:
- Open the menu Worlds.
- Tap the pencil icon next to your world name.
- Set the "Activate Cheats" switch to On (it will turn green or blue).
- A pop-up window will appear telling you that the results will be permanently disabled for this world if you continue. If it suits you - and is required to enable cheats - tap Continues.
- Return to the location in your world whose coordinates you want to view.
Step 2. Tap the chat icon
It is in the shape of a cartoon and is located at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Type / tp ~ ~ ~ in the chat window and press ↵ Enter
This is the command to teleport to your current location, which is how you can view your coordinates. The coordinates will appear in the lower left area of the screen.
Step 4. Interpret the coordinates
There are three coordinates in Minecraft PE: X, Y, and Z.
- "X": corresponds to the longitude. If the value of X is positive, it means that you are east of the starting block. If the value of X is negative, it means that you are west of the starting block.
- "Y": corresponds to the altitude of your position. The value 63 identifies the sea level, while the value 0 identifies the "bedrock" layer.
- "Z": corresponds to the latitude. If the value of Z is positive, it means that you are south of the starting block, while if it is negative it means that you are north of the starting block.
