How to Find and Use a Cartography Table in Minecraft

TL;DR

• Craft a Cartography Table with 2 paper and 4 wood planks — any wood type works
• You can also find one naturally in Cartographer houses inside villages
• It has four main uses: zoom out a map, clone a map, lock a map, and add a locator (Bedrock)
• A Cartography Table is also the job site block that turns an unemployed villager into a Cartographer
• Cartographers sell Explorer Maps for finding Woodland Mansions, Ocean Monuments, and Trial Chambers
• Zooming out a map at the Cartography Table costs only 1 paper — vs 8 paper on a crafting table

What Is a Cartography Table?

A Cartography Table is a utility block that handles everything map-related in Minecraft. It lets you zoom out maps, make copies, lock them so they stop updating, and add a player marker.

It is also the job site block for the Cartographer villager — one of the most useful villager professions in the game. Without a Cartography Table nearby, there is no Cartographer.

The Cartography Table was added in Java Edition 1.14. It works in both Java and Bedrock, though Bedrock has a couple of extra features the Java version does not have.

How to Craft a Cartography Table

Crafting one is simple and cheap. You only need two materials:

• 2 Paper
• 4 Wood Planks (any type — oak, spruce, birch, jungle, acacia, dark oak, mangrove, bamboo, cherry, crimson, or warped all work)

Crafting layout (3×3 grid):

• Row 1: Paper | Paper | (empty)
• Row 2: Plank | Plank | (empty)
• Row 3: Plank | Plank | (empty)

You can mirror this layout to the right side and it still works. You can also mix and match wood plank types — they do not all have to be the same.

Paper is easy to make. You need sugarcane, which grows near water. Three sugarcane in a row on a crafting table gives you 3 paper. If you need a reminder, check our guide on how to make paper in Minecraft.

How to Find a Cartography Table Without Crafting

If you do not have the materials yet, you can find a Cartography Table already placed in the world.

Villages are the only natural location where Cartography Tables generate. They spawn inside the Cartographer’s house — a specific building in the village. You can identify the Cartographer’s house by the carpet on the floor and paper stored in the chests inside. The exterior often has flowers planted outside and a stair-style roof.

Not every village has a Cartographer’s house. Larger villages are more likely to have one. If you find a table in the village that has no villager assigned to it, you can break it with any tool (an axe is fastest) and take it for yourself.

How to Open the Cartography Table

Right-click the Cartography Table (or press the interact button on console and mobile) to open the GUI.

The interface has two input slots on the left and a preview/output slot on the right. What you put in those two slots determines what the table does.

All Cartography Table Uses in Minecraft

Use 1: Zoom Out a Map

This is the most common use. Placing a filled map and a piece of paper in the table zooms the map out one level, showing a larger area.

• Slot 1: Your existing filled map
• Slot 2: 1 piece of paper
• Output: A zoomed-out map

A map can be zoomed out up to 4 times. At maximum zoom (level 4), a single map covers a 2048 x 2048 block area — ideal for map walls and tracking large regions of your world.

This is far more efficient than the crafting table method. Zooming a map on a crafting table requires 8 pieces of paper per upgrade. The Cartography Table does it with just 1.

Important rule: You always zoom starting from an existing map — not a blank one. The zoomed map stays aligned to the grid that includes the original map’s area. This matters if you are trying to build a map wall — start each section from a base map created in that specific area, then zoom it out.

If you want to make a map first before zooming it, check our guide on how to make a map in Minecraft.

Use 2: Clone a Map

Need two copies of the same map? The Cartography Table clones any map quickly.

• Slot 1: Your existing filled map
• Slot 2: An empty map (blank map)
• Output: Two copies of the same map — one original, one clone

The clone shows the same area as the original. Both maps update together as you explore — unless one or both are locked (see below). This is perfect for multiplayer, where different players need the same map, or for placing in item frames while keeping one in your inventory.

Use 3: Lock a Map

Once you lock a map, it stops updating. The map image freezes exactly as it is. Any changes made to the world afterward — new buildings, dug tunnels, removed blocks — will not appear on a locked map.

• Slot 1: Your existing filled map
• Slot 2: A glass pane (must be clear/regular glass, not stained glass)
• Output: A locked map

A lock icon appears in the preview before you confirm. Locked maps are marked with a banner-style icon so you can tell them apart.

When is this useful? If you want to display a map in an item frame as a permanent record — for example, showing what your base looked like before a big build project — locking it preserves that snapshot forever.

Locking also applies to clones. If you lock a cloned map, both the original and the clone are locked from further changes.

Use 4: Add a Player Locator (Bedrock Edition Only)

In Bedrock Edition, the Cartography Table has an extra function: adding a player marker to a map that does not have one.

• Slot 1: An existing map (without a player marker) or paper
• Slot 2: A compass
• Output: A locator map with a player marker

A locator map shows your current position on the map as a moving arrow. In Bedrock, it is possible to create a map without a player marker (called an empty map, made from just paper). The Cartography Table lets you add the marker afterward without starting over.

In Java Edition, all maps automatically include the player marker, so this step is not needed.

Bedrock-Only Bonus: Rename Maps

In Bedrock Edition only, the Cartography Table UI includes a text field where you can rename any map. This is free — it does not cost any XP, unlike renaming on an anvil. Use this to label your maps clearly: “Base Area,” “North Continent,” “Mine Shaft Zone,” and so on.

Java Edition does not have this feature.

Cartography Table as a Fuel Source

One small bonus: a Cartography Table can be used as fuel in a furnace. It smelts 1.5 items per block. It is not the most efficient fuel, but if you are clearing out a village and have spare tables, this is a decent use for them.

The Cartography Table and the Cartographer Villager

This is where the Cartography Table becomes even more valuable. It is the job site block that creates the Cartographer villager profession.

How to Create a Cartographer Villager

If you place a Cartography Table near an unemployed villager (one without a job), the villager will walk over to it and claim it as their workstation. Green particles appear when the villager successfully takes the job. That villager is now a Cartographer.

This works whether you are in a village or have transported villagers to your base. As long as the table is accessible and no other villager has already claimed it, any jobless villager nearby will eventually take the profession.

If you want to re-roll a Cartographer’s trades, you can break and replace the Cartography Table before trading with the villager. Once you make your first trade with a villager, their trades are locked permanently — you can no longer re-roll them.

To understand how to breed and set up more villagers, see our guides on how to breed villagers in Minecraft and villager trading tiers.

Cartographer Villager Trades — Every Level

The Cartographer has five trade levels. Here is what they offer at each stage:

Novice (Level 1 — Stone Badge)

• Buys paper from you for emeralds. This is one of the best early-game emerald farms in Minecraft. Sugarcane grows fast and paper is free to make in bulk.
• Sells empty maps for 1 emerald

Apprentice (Level 2 — Iron Badge)

• Buys glass panes for emeralds
• Sells Ocean Explorer Maps (13 emeralds + 1 compass) — leads to an Ocean Monument
• Sells Trial Explorer Maps (12 emeralds + 1 compass) — leads to a Trial Chamber

Journeyman (Level 3 — Gold Badge)

• Buys compass for emeralds
• Sells item frames for emeralds

Expert (Level 4 — Emerald Badge)

• Sells various colored banner patterns depending on the biome the villager spawned in

Master (Level 5 — Diamond Badge)

• Sells Woodland Mansion Explorer Maps (14 emeralds + 1 compass) — leads to a Woodland Mansion
• Sells globe banner patterns

The paper-to-emerald trade at Novice level is outstanding. A single Cartographer can become an emerald farm with a fast sugarcane setup nearby. Combined with a building an automatic farm setup for sugarcane, you can generate emeralds almost passively.

How to Use Explorer Maps

An Explorer Map is a special pre-filled map that shows a specific structure marked with an icon. The map shows the land-water outline of the surrounding terrain in an orange striped texture, with the structure marked at its location.

When you first receive an Explorer Map, your player icon may appear very small on it. That means you are far away from the target — potentially thousands of blocks. As you travel closer, your icon grows back to its normal size.

How to read an Explorer Map:

Hold the map in your hand and look at the ground to see it. Your white dot shows your current position. The structure icon marks the destination. Use F3 (Java) or the in-game coordinates to track your direction as you travel.

Important things to know:

• Explorer Maps do not always point to the nearest structure. They point to a structure, which may not be the closest one
• In Java Edition, each Cartographer villager sells a unique Explorer Map pointing to a different location. If you want to find multiple structures, trade with Cartographers in different villages
• In Bedrock Edition, each Cartographer points to the nearest location of that structure type
• Rarely, a map may point to a location where the structure could not actually generate due to terrain. This is most common with Woodland Mansion maps

Explorer Map types:

For the Woodland Mansion specifically, the Explorer Map is the best non-cheat method to find one. The full exploration strategy is covered in our Woodland Mansion guide.

How to Build a Map Wall Using the Cartography Table

A map wall is a grid of item frames with zoomed maps covering a large region. The Cartography Table makes this practical.

Here is the right way to build one:

Step 1: Decide how large you want your map wall to be. Each map covers a specific region. Plan the grid before you start — for example, a 3×3 map wall covers nine map sections.

Step 2: Travel to the center of each section you want to map. Create a new base map in each section by holding an empty map in your hand and right-clicking to fill it. Do not zoom these maps yet.

Step 3: Take each filled base map back to your Cartography Table. Use paper to zoom each one out to your desired level (up to 4 times).

Step 4: Lock each map with a glass pane so it does not change as you build.

Step 5: Place item frames on a flat wall surface and put each map in the correct frame. The maps will align and connect to form a seamless world map.

Why the order matters: You cannot create multiple base maps in one place and then zoom them out to cover different areas. Each zoomed map stays aligned to the grid that includes the original map’s location. Always create the base map in the actual region you want to cover first.

Cartography Table Tips and Tricks

Use it with Redstone in 1.21. The Crafter block added in Java 1.21 can automate Cartography Table functions when powered by redstone. If you want to mass-produce maps or zoomed copies, this is a viable automation route. Check our Minecraft redstone basics guide for the fundamentals.

The paper trade is one of the best early emerald farms. Novice Cartographers buy paper for emeralds. Sugarcane is easy to grow in large quantities. Set up a sugarcane farm, convert it to paper, and sell it to a Cartographer for a steady flow of emeralds to spend on other trades. Get more ideas in our automatic farm guide.

Cartography Tables also work as Note Blocks. Place a Note Block on top of a Cartography Table and it produces a bass sound — different from most other blocks. This is a niche building trick for music makers.

Lock cloned maps before sharing. If you are playing multiplayer and want to give another player a copy of your map, clone it first, then lock both copies. That way neither player’s exploration updates the shared map, keeping it as a clean reference.

Trapped Cartographers in your base work fine. You do not need to find a village every time. Transport a villager to your base, give them a bed and a Cartography Table, and they will operate as a full Cartographer at your location. This is a key part of setting up a proper Minecraft server or multiplayer base.

Use the right world seed. Finding a village with a Cartographer early is much easier when you start with a seed that puts a village near spawn. Check out our best Minecraft seeds 2026 guide to find seeds with great village starts right at spawn.

Grindstone nearby is useful. If you are doing a lot of trading and your tools get worn, keep a Grindstone near your Cartography Table setup to remove enchantments and repair gear before your next expedition. Here is how to make a Grindstone in Minecraft.

Cartography Table FAQ

Can I use a Cartography Table as a crafting table? No. It only handles map functions. For regular crafting, you still need a standard crafting table.

Does it matter which type of wood planks I use? No. Any wood type works — you can even mix and match different plank types in the same recipe.

Can I zoom in on a map at a Cartography Table? No. The table can only zoom out, not zoom in. Once you zoom a map out, that cannot be undone.

Does locking a map affect both the original and the copy? Yes. Locking a cloned map freezes both the locked copy and the original from further updates.

Can I get a Woodland Mansion map without a Cartographer? The Explorer Map only comes from a Master-level Cartographer. There is no other way to get it in Survival. However, you can find Woodland Mansions using the /locate command or a seed finder tool like Chunkbase without a map.

What happens if I destroy the Cartography Table my Cartographer uses? The villager loses their profession and becomes unemployed. If you have already traded with them, the trades are locked in and the villager will regain their profession once they find the table again or you place a new one. If you have not traded with them yet, destroying the table before they sleep allows you to re-roll their trades.

Does the Cartography Table work on console and mobile? Yes. It is available in all versions of Minecraft, including Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and Windows.

Final Thoughts

The Cartography Table is one of the most overlooked blocks in Minecraft. Most players know it exists but do not use it beyond the occasional map zoom.

The real power is the Cartographer it creates. Paper-to-emerald trades, Explorer Maps for Mansions, Ocean Monuments, and Trial Chambers — a single Cartographer villager at your base changes the way you explore the entire game.

Craft one early. Set up a Cartographer fast. And use that paper trade to fund everything else.