Can’t Find Minecraft Buried Treasure? Here’s What to Do

Minecraft is an immersive game, especially if you play in creative mode. As time passed, the game got many updates, which introduced new biomes and mobs, making the game even more interesting to play. The game developers actively try to further this aspect of the game with every new update. One such update is the buried treasure. But how does the buried treasure actually work in the game, and how to find it?

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated in October 2023 and represents the most current state of the game.

Buried treasure is the only source of Heart of the Sea

Buried treasure in Minecraft is a loot-filled chest found in generated structures, primarily on beaches, snow biomes, and underwater. These chests are covered by blocks like sand, stone, or gravel and can also be waterlogged. It’s crucial to have the “Generate structures” option enabled for them to appear. The chest contents vary, including items like iron, gold, cooked fish, weapons, TNT, emeralds, diamonds, Prismarine Crystals, and the Heart of the Sea.

Heart of the Sea is incredibly valuable since it’s used to create conduits, that make further underwater exploration much easier.

How do you find buried treasure?

In order to find these buried treasures, you first need to find a treasure map. The maps are usually easy to find. They are found inside underwater structures such as shipwrecks or ruins. Although they do not spawn all over the place, it shouldn’t take too long to find them.

It’s important to keep in mind that not every structure will have a chest with a treasure map inside it. If this happens to you, just be patient and keep searching.

Once you find the map and take a look at it, the map will display the location of the buried treasure with a red X and, conveniently, your own location with a white dot.

To find the treasure simply follow the map. It works just like a regular map, with the top of the map showing the North and other sides of the world according to that.

One important thing to note is where you are in regard to the treasure the map is showing. Depending on where you are, to find it, you may have to go the opposite way.

If you are not sure which way to go, you can press F3 on your keyboard, and among other information, right under chunk, you will find a line showing which way you are facing.

To make it easier to find the treasure, you can take advantage of this game mechanic. Another thing that makes finding the treasure chests easier is that the map starts to color in once you get close enough to the treasure’s location.

How far down is buried treasure in Minecraft? 

Finding buried treasure in Minecraft isn’t always about digging deeper; chests are typically not buried more than ten blocks below the X on the map. Instead of digging down, it’s more effective to dig a few blocks around the indicated spot.

The map doesn’t pinpoint the exact location, leading people to dig deeper unnecessarily. Alternatively, an easy method is using TNT near the chest’s location—although the chest might get blown away, its contents can still be collected.

Here are some general rules regarding the spawning of buried treasure in Minecraft:

1. Buried treasures generate in beach biomes and can be found underwater.
2. The chest is typically covered by materials like sand, gravel, or stone blocks.
3. If generated on an underwater hill, it may spawn with stone blocks covering it.
4. On the ocean floor, it can be covered by gravel or sand blocks, or any suitable terrain-generated blocks like coal ore and diorite.
5. In Java Edition, buried treasure consistently generates at chunk coordinate 9 on both the X and Z axis, always facing east.
6. In Bedrock Edition, buried treasure always generates at chunk coordinate 8 on the X and Z axis.

Can buried treasure not spawn? 

It’s downright impossible for buried treasure not to spawn if all the right conditions are met. Buried treasure initially spawns independently, but disabling the “generate structures” option prevents it. Using a map from one Minecraft version to locate the treasure in a different version can be misleading due to terrain changes, causing the chest not to be where the map indicates.

What is the easiest way to find treasure in Minecraft?

The easiest way to find buried treasure in Minecraft is to open the cheat console and type /locate buried_treasure. But if you’re not prone to cheating you might try out these tricks.

1. Avoid digging too deep and dig around instead of down.
2. Explore the sides of underwater hills, where buried treasure might spawn with stone blocks covering it.
3. Place TNT strategically near the chest’s location, allowing the explosion to reveal the chest without destroying its contents
4. Sometimes, you can hear the sound of the chest as you get closer. This can be helpful in pinpointing the exact location.
5. Follow the dolphins as they are known to sometimes lead to buried treasure.

Can buried treasure spawn underwater & how to get it?

Yes, buried treasure can indeed spawn underwater in Minecraft. In fact, it’s one of the possible locations for buried treasure chests. When searching for buried treasure, be sure to explore the ocean floor, particularly around beach biomes, as chests may be covered by sand or gravel in these underwater locations.

If your buried treasure happens to be underwater, you’ll need to dive in. Since finding the treasure might take some time, keep an eye on your oxygen level. To avoid any interruptions, consider taking a Potion of Water Breathing. Once you locate the treasure, just open it. To access the chest, ensure you remove the sand blocks covering it or a water block if the chest is waterlogged.

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