Minecraft: How To Combine Maps? (& Use Them)

Minecraft flaunts an incredibly vast overworld for players to explore, from unique biomes to expansive oceans brimming with wildlife. Considering that the maps seem to connect in the same areas, many players are wondering how to combine maps in Minecraft, as well as how to use them.

Minecraft maps

Plenty of players have been benefiting from the maps in Minecraft for ages. Maps are classified as items in the game, used to view explored terrain as well as mark specific landmarks around Minecraft’s overworld.

Maps can be found as loot from chests or crafted by using a single piece of paper on a cartography table, by using paper and a compass on a crafting table, or by using just paper in the Minecraft Bedrock Edition. Although, a map will be blank after it is initially created by the player – labeled an “empty map” in the Minecraft Java Edition or an “empty locator map” in the Minecraft Bedrock Edition.

Players will need to hold an empty map in their hand and press the “use item” button to transform the empty map into a functional map item. This will gradually begin filling the map with information in a top-down view, depending on where the player travels within the map’s borders, with a pointed oval indicator to show the player’s current location.

Maps do work in the Nether and in other dimensions as well, but the mechanics are slightly different compared to Minecraft’s overworld. It may also differ slightly between the Minecraft Java Edition and the Minecraft Bedrock Edition as well.

In the Nether, maps will only display the red-and-gray pattern, regardless of the blocks that are placed. When using a map from another dimension in the Minecraft Java Edition, the map displays the player’s position and direction when they were last in the dimension of the map. On the other hand, in the Minecraft Bedrock Edition, players can use maps from one dimension while their character is in another dimension.

Can you combine maps in Minecraft?

What makes things slightly tricky is the fact that Minecraft maps do not center on the player when they are first created. Instead, the Minecraft overworld is broken up into expansive, invisible grid-like squares, and the map will portray the area of the grid square it is in when the player originally uses it during travel.

If a player uses a new map in a specific grid square and then moves a distance in a different direction and uses another empty map but is still within the same grid square as the first map, then both of the maps will appear to be identical. The player would actually need to travel far enough so that they are outside of the first map’s edges before using a new blank map.

As a result, no two maps of the same size can ever overlap with another, and every single Minecraft map can only display a specific area. Of course, with this sort of mechanic, it would be fantastic if players could collect all of the different Minecraft maps available and combine them into one giant yet equitable map of the entire Minecraft overworld.

But unfortunately, this is not possible in Minecraft, and there is no way to actually combine the different maps in Minecraft vanilla. The only way to get a full experience of all the areas in Minecraft is to explore all of the terrains and collect the recorded maps along the way, ensuring that blank maps are not wasted by recording the same square grids multiple times.

How to combine maps

Since there is no way to combine Minecraft maps in vanilla, the only other option is for players to create a large piece of ‘pixel art’ that can be mounted. Players will need to build a vertical surface to use as a base for the mounted map, such as a wall made of blocks or fencing, and place empty picture frames on each of the blocks.

Players will need to center a map on it and place that map in an item frame to create a custom picture, after which they should lock it. Follow the steps below to get your hands on all of the maps in Minecraft and create your own full-scale map:

1. To do this, start off by collecting a ton of blank maps and keep them in your inventory.
2. Players will need to explore the Minecraft overworld in order to get each map. It can be done in survival mode, but players can get through the exploration process much more quickly in creative mode (at least in terms of getting the maps).
3. Use your frame stand as the central marker for all of the map pieces, and only open up a new blank map once your character heads off the edge of the current map.
4. Once you have all of the map pieces, add them to the frames. You can also add the maps one at a time for more directional guidance in creative mode.

For a detailed guide on how to make a full-scale “combined” map in Minecraft, check out the video below by GameFaceZA:

Once the maps are placed side-by-side, you’ll be able to get a clear picture of all the areas that you have explored in Minecraft. It is not technically merging the maps, and you will not be able to equip or use them as one map, but it’s as close to combining maps in Minecraft as possible. Players can also use the zoom-in or out feature to make the map-viewing experience more practical.

Going through this process can take a ton of time, but it’s definitely worthwhile since you’ll be able to get a thorough overview of your Minecraft world before heading off in search of new adventures. Creating a full-scale mounted Minecraft map won’t result in you losing your maps either since you will still be able to use them as singular maps if you take them out of the picture frames.

Considering just how much land players need to get through in Minecraft’s overworld, it’s completely understandable that players would want to add singular maps to other maps. Having one large map of the entire Minecraft overworld might make the exploration process much easier, but it may dampen the fun. Knowing that there’s always something more to discover is partially what makes Minecraft so special!

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