Spyglass
Minecraft Wiki article. Categories: Renewable_resources, Non-stackable_resources, In_development, Pages_with_sound_tables, Pages_with_Java_sound_tables, Pages_with_Bedrock_subtitles_missing, Pages_with_Bedrock_subtitle_key_missing, Pages_with_Bedrock_sound_tables…
This article is reproduced from Spyglass on the Minecraft Wiki. Mirrored from revision 3704791. It is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 by the Minecraft Wiki contributors — not under the Codex’s CC BY-SA 4.0, and it may not be used commercially. Edits belong upstream, not here.
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"title": "Spyglass",
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A spyglass is a utility item used to zoom in on distant objects.
Obtaining
Crafting
| Ingredients | Crafting recipe |
|---|---|
| Amethyst Shard + Copper Ingot |
Generated loot
| Item | Structure | Container | Quantity | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition 26.3 | ||||
| Common chest | 1 | 19%{ "item": "Spyglass", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.18999999999999995, "structure": "Abandoned Camp", "container": "Common chest" }
| ||
| Bedrock Edition 26.50 | ||||
| Common chest | 1 | 19%{ "item": "Spyglass", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.18999999999999995, "structure": "Abandoned Camp", "container": "Common chest" }
| ||
Usage

To use a spyglass, the player selects it from the hotbar and clicks use while looking in the desired direction.
Spyglasses are used to zoom in on a specific location in the player's field of view (FOV). The spyglass changes the FOV to 1⁄10 of the FOV set in options. By default, the FOV is set to 70° in Java Edition and 60° in Bedrock Edition, resulting in an FOV of 7° in Java Edition and 6° in Bedrock Edition through the spyglass. The player's FOV can be set from 30° to 110°, so the spyglass FOV can range from 3° to 11°. Regardless of the situation, or status effects the player has, using the Spyglass always shows a FOV 1⁄10 of the FOV set in options.
A square cutout overlay is applied to the screen when the spyglass is in use, similar to the effect applied when wearing a carved pumpkin. Pressing F1 removes the overlay,[Java Edition only][1][2] similarly to a carved pumpkin.
Hazy distant objects remain hazy when viewed in the spyglass. Mobs too distant to render also do not render in the spyglass. The spyglass shows a magnified view of what the player already sees.
The player is slowed down while watching through the spyglass. Camera movement damping can be adjusted in the controls settings in Bedrock Edition. When the player uses the spyglass continuously for 1 minute (1200 game ticks), the interface is automatically closed.
If the player has a certain effect on their screen like fire, the spyglass does not remove that effect on the player's screen.

Sounds
| Sounds | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Closed captions | Source | Description | Identifier | Translation key | Volume | Pitch | Attenuation distance |
| Spyglass expands | Players | When a player uses a spyglass | item | subtitles | 0.5 | varies [sound 1] | 16 | |
| Spyglass retracts | Players | When a player stops using a spyglass | item | subtitles | 0.5 | varies [sound 2] | 16 | |
- ↑ Can be 1.15, 1.33, 1.4, or 1.55
- ↑ Can be 1.0, 0.8, or 0.9
| Sounds | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Closed captions | Source | Description | Identifier | Translation key | Volume | Pitch |
| ? | Players | When a player uses a spyglass | item | ? | 0.5 | 1.15–1.55 | |
| ? | Players | When a player stops using a spyglass | item | ? | 0.5 | 0.8–1.0 | |
Data values
ID
| Name | Identifier | Form | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|
spyglass | Item | item |
| Name | Identifier | Numeric ID | Form | Translation key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
spyglass | 660 | Item | item |
Advancements
| Icon | Advancement | In-game description | Actual requirements (if different) |
|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Is It a Bird? | Look at a Parrot through a Spyglass | — |
![]() | Is It a Balloon? | Look at a Ghast through a Spyglass | — |
![]() | Is It a Plane? | Look at the Ender Dragon through a Spyglass | — |
History
Reveal
| October 3, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Java Edition
| Java Edition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.17 | 20w45a | ||||||
| 20w46a | |||||||
| 20w48a | |||||||
| A spyglass in use is anchored better to the player's "eye" when viewed in 3rd person. | |||||||
| 21w05a | Copper ingots are now renewable via drowned, making spyglasses renewable. | ||||||
| 21w10a | |||||||
| 1.17.1 | pre1 | ||||||
| Upcoming Java Edition | |||||||
| 26.3 | snap1 | Spyglasses can now generate as part of abandoned camps in chests. | |||||
Bedrock Edition
| Bedrock Edition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.17.0 Experiment | beta 1.17.0.50 | ||||||
| 1.17.0 | beta 1.17.0.52 | Spyglasses are now available without enabling Experimental Gameplay. | |||||
| 26.40 Experiment | Preview 26.40.27 | Spyglasses can now generate as part of abandoned camps in chests. | |||||
| Upcoming Bedrock Edition | |||||||
| 26.50 | Preview 26.50.22 | All features from the "Drop 3 of 2026" experiment have been fully implemented. | |||||
-
The spyglass was originally called the telescope.
-
The telescope's overlay was originally round instead of square.
-
Steve using a spyglass before its 3D model was added.
-
Alex using a spyglass before its 3D model was added.
Issues
Issues relating to "Spyglass" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.
Trivia
- If
/item replaceis used to place a spyglass on a player's head, the item appears stuck to the center of the player's face. - If loaded in an outdated world in Bedrock Edition, it has no texture, but can still be used.
Gallery
Renders
The specific instructions are: Add renders of Ari, Efe, Kai, Makena, Noor, Sunny, and Zuri
Screenshots
-
Spying on villagers through a spyglass.
-
Hiding the HUD removes the spyglass overlay.
-
How the spyglass looks in the third person.
-
Screenshot used in the spyglass taking inventory Minecraft.net article.
-
Screenshot used in the spyglass taking inventory Minecraft.net article.
In other media
-
Header of the spyglass taking inventory Minecraft.net article.
-
Makena using a spyglass on a happy ghast.
-
Pixel art of Efe using a spyglass
-
Noor trying out a spyglass.
-
An allay peeking into view of Noor's spyglass.
-
Tiny Jens holding a stylized spyglass, from the Mob Vote 2023 Server Event.
-
A spyglass toy bundled with an action figure of Steve.
References
- ↑ MC-203575 – The spyglass overlay goes away when pressing F1 – resolved as "Works As Intended".
- ↑ MCPE-125869 – Spyglass's overlay don't go away even if the player toggles Hide GUI on/ Pressing F1 – resolved as "Won't Fix".
External links
- "Taking Inventory: Spyglass" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, February 17, 2022.
Navigation
Sources
- Spyglass — Minecraft Wiki, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, revision 3704791.

