Where to Find Elytra in Minecraft
Wing-like equipment worn in the chestplate slot that allows gliding and powered flight with firework rockets.
Elytra at a glance
Elytra is a rare treasure item in the Armor category of Minecraft, and this guide names the one place it turns up, the 3 routes that end with one in your hand, and the fastest of them. Short version: Elytra means one trip to The End (End Cities with End Ships), where you find it in End Ship item frames in End Cities. Difficulty for Elytra: 5 of 5, which we call very hard, since it sits among the hardest items in the game to acquire, usually saved for the late game.
Primary Location
The End (End Cities with End Ships)
Difficulty
Very Hard (5/5)
Version Added
1.9
Stack Size
1
Durability
432
Where to Find Elytra
The End (End Cities with End Ships) is the one place tied to Elytra, so that is where a trip for Elytra goes. Reaching it means travelling to the End, which is only accessible after activating an End Portal in a Stronghold with Eyes of Ender. First defeat the Ender Dragon to access the outer End islands via the End Gateway portal. End Cities with ships spawn on the outer End islands; not every End City has a ship.
Biomes & Dimensions
- The End (End Cities with End Ships)
Best Way to Get Elytra
Elytra has no crafting recipe, so the efficient approach is to go straight to its source rather than hoping to stumble on it: find it in End Ship item frames in End Cities. The Elytra is in an item frame in the treasure room of the End Ship. A Shulker guards the Elytra; bring a shield to block Shulker projectiles. Use Firework Rockets for powered flight (craft with paper + gunpowder). Mending enchantment is essential since Elytra cannot be re-crafted; repair with Phantom Membranes. Plan the trip around the slot count rather than the stack size: Elytra takes one slot each, a chest holds 27 and a double chest tops out at 54, so decide up front how many you need. Before you plan a trip around Elytra, note this on the version side: Added in 1.9 (Combat Update). Given how rare Elytra is, most players treat each one as a milestone, so it is worth keeping it safe in an ender chest until you are ready to put it to use.
All Methods
- 1Found in End Ship item frames in End Cities
- 2Cannot be crafted
- 3Only one Elytra per End Ship
Tips for Finding Elytra
- First defeat the Ender Dragon to access the outer End islands via the End Gateway portal
- End Cities with ships spawn on the outer End islands; not every End City has a ship
- The Elytra is in an item frame in the treasure room of the End Ship
- A Shulker guards the Elytra; bring a shield to block Shulker projectiles
- Use Firework Rockets for powered flight (craft with paper + gunpowder)
- Mending enchantment is essential since Elytra cannot be re-crafted; repair with Phantom Membranes
Version history of Elytra
- Added in 1.9 (Combat Update)
More notes on Elytra
Found exclusively in End Ships. Use firework rockets for powered flight. Cannot be crafted.
Enchantments for Elytra
Items and guides next to Elytra
Ender Pearl, Eye of Ender, and Diamond Chestplate come up in the same trips as Elytra, whether through the same biome, the same chest or the same recipe. Stats, durability and the grid for Elytra sit on its own item page.
View the Elytra item pageGetting Elytra in practice
Elytra come from one place only: the item frame in the treasure room of an End city ship. That makes finding a ship the whole task, and end ships are rarer than the cities themselves, so the practical route is to bring plenty of ender pearls and check every city you land on.
Frequently asked questions about Elytra
Where do you find Elytra in Minecraft?
Elytra is found in The End (End Cities with End Ships). Found in End Ship item frames in End Cities.
What is the best way to get Elytra?
The most efficient method is to find it in End Ship item frames in End Cities.
Can you craft Elytra?
No. Elytra cannot be crafted in vanilla Minecraft, so you must obtain it from its in-world source by looting it from End Ship item frames in End Cities.
How hard is it to find Elytra?
Finding Elytra is rated very hard (5 out of 5): it sits among the hardest items in the game to acquire, usually saved for the late game.
When was Elytra added to Minecraft?
Elytra was added in the 1.9 update.