Let’s talk about the best levels to find iron in Minecraft as well as other ways you can get this material in the game.

In Minecraft, one of the ores you will most likely be looking for while out mining the underground levels is iron. This mineral has a ton of uses in the game. From crafting tools to decorative blocks, you will always have a reason to keep a few iron ingots in your storage, just in case you need them.
Fortunately, they are quite abundant in the overworld. Some treasure chests can also contain a few Iron ores or ingots. However, you need to know where to find large iron ore veins. This allows you to stop mining aimlessly and head straight to the iron storage.
Also Read: Minecraft: How to Remove Enchantments
Here is a guide showing the best level to find iron in Minecraft, as well as a few tips and tricks on how you can get more aside from mining in caves.
Best Level To Find Iron in Minecraft

The best Y-Coordinate to find iron in Minecraft is on level 14. Here, you will most likely find ore veins. However, we don’t recommend mine stripping for iron ores. Unlike Diamonds, this mineral is not very rare and can be found in any tall mountains and cave systems in the game. All you have to do is grab your pickaxe and explore the world.
Other Ways To Get Iron Ore in Minecraft
Here is a quick rundown of the different ways you can acquire iron in Miencraft:
- Exploring Caves
- Get from Chests
- Mineshafts
- Killing Iron Golems
More information about each option can be found below.
Exploring Caves

The easiest way to get any type of ore in the game is through exploring cave systems. Almost every cave will have a few iron blocks not too far from their entry points. If you are lucky, you might find a deepslate layer where there are large chunks of iron ore veins in them, including blocks of raw iron which can give around 9 raw irons.
Make sure you bring torches, food, weapons, and other tools with you when going out to mine. You’ll never know what you encounter deep in the caves. Dark areas are also prime locations for hostile mobs to spawn.
Get from Chests

Treasure chests found on various structures and random locations in the world can also contain various types of iron. However, you will most likely find iron ingots on most chests. Saving you the hassle and resources to smelt them. You can find some structures like mob spawn rooms, strongholds, Ancient City, and many more underground. This means you may likely encounter them while exploring cave systems.
Here is a breakdown of the structures where Iron Ingots are likely to spawn:
Structure | Type of Chest | Potential Quantity |
Monster Room | Chest | 1–4 |
Mineshaft | Chest | 1–5 |
Bastion Remnant | Bridge Chest | 4–9 |
Treasure Chest | 3–9 | |
Regular Chest | 1–6 | |
Buried Treasure | Chest | 1–4 |
Desert Pyramid | Chest | 1–5 |
End City | Chest | 4–8 |
Jungle Pyramid | Chest | 1–5 |
Nether Fortress | Chest | 1–5 |
Pillager Outpost | Chest | 1–3 |
Shipwreck | Treasure Chest | 1–5 |
Stronghold | Storeroom Chest | 1–5 |
Trial Chambers | Altar Chest | 1–5 |
Corridor Pot | 1–2 | |
Village | Vault and Reward Chest | 1–4 |
Toolsmith’s Chest | 1–5 | |
Weaponsmith’s Chest | 1–5 | |
Armorer’s Chest | 1–3 | |
Woodland Mansion | Chest | 1–4 |
Mineshafts

This is one of the most common structures you can find underground. They don’t only contain chests that will likely have iron in them, but they are also a prime location for exposed ore veins. Make sure to explore every hallway in mineshafts and grab every ore you can find. While you’re at it, maybe grab some rails, especially the redstone-powered ones. They can be useful in a lot of structures, especially automated farms.
The only problem is you might get lost and can’t remember where you came from due to how similar each hallway is. Make sure to place or remember some landmarks to prevent being lost.
Killing Iron Golems

One of the dangerous ways to get iron ores in Minecraft is by killing Iron Golems in villages. Make sure you are three blocks higher than the golem first before you attack it. Even so, don’t get too close to them, if you are trying to land a hit. Use an axe to deal more damage.
There are other nifty ways, like building an Iron Golem farm to automatically kill them and gather the iron ingots they drop to a hopper and into a storage system. However, it requires a lot of preparation and building to make. Additionally, you need to make sure your villagers are safe and won’t die from any hostile mob attacks, or the Iron Golems will stop spawning.
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