Extra Portals: Build Custom Gateways From Almost Any Block
Vanilla Minecraft gives you exactly two ways to slip between dimensions: a blocky obsidian frame or a mossy ruin hidden underground. That is it. For builders who have spent hours designing the perfect base, those options feel painfully limited. The extra portals add-on throws that limitation out the window and lets you construct working portals out of nearly any material you can place in the world.
This mod is available for Minecraft 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.2, and 1.20.1, and it runs on both Forge and Fabric, so most players on modern versions can jump straight in. Whether you are decorating a Nether hub or building a secret laboratory, this add-on turns portal design into a genuine creative tool.
What Does the Extra Portals Mod Actually Do?
At its core, the mod registers new portal frame blocks and ignition rules. Instead of forcing you to mine obsidian for twenty minutes, it recognizes frames built from dozens of different materials. Light the inside with flint and steel, and the familiar swirling portal surface appears. Step through, and you are on your way.
The full material list is enormous. You can build gateways from iron, coal, gold, redstone, diamond, emerald, and even netherite blocks. Wood lovers are covered too, since every log type, plank variant, and stripped log works. Stone builders get stone, cobblestone, deepslate, cobbled deepslate, and tuff. Decorative options include quartz, purpur, prismarine, dark prismarine, prismarine bricks, and amethyst. Even unusual picks like hay bales, bone blocks, pumpkins, farmland, snow, glass, wool, bricks, calcite, glowstone, sand, and concrete all function as valid frames.
Sample Portal Materials
- Ores and mineral blocks: iron, coal, gold, redstone, diamond, emerald, netherite, copper, amethyst
- Wood and plants: all logs, planks, hay, pumpkin, farmland
- Stone family: stone, deepslate, cobbled deepslate, tuff, calcite, obsidian, ancient debris
- Decorative blocks: quartz, purpur, prismarine, dark prismarine, prismarine bricks, glass, wool, concrete, concrete powder
- Utility and oddities: barrier, bone, snow, trapdoor, glowstone, netherrack, bricks, sand
That variety means your portal can match your base perfectly. A rustic cottage gets an oak log frame. A dwarven fortress gets deepslate and ancient debris. A candy-colored modern build gets concrete and glass. The portal stops being an eyesore and becomes part of the architecture.
Why Players Pair It With JEI
Because the material list is so long, the in-game recipe viewer becomes genuinely useful. The mod author recommends downloading JEI alongside it so you can browse every valid frame block without memorizing a wiki page. If you are the type who likes to experiment, JEI turns trial and error into a smooth, searchable process. It is a small quality-of-life addition that makes the whole experience far less frustrating.
If you would rather skip manual file juggling entirely, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install path for extra portals, handling the correct loader and version match automatically so you can get straight to building. It is a convenient shortcut for players who want the add-on running without digging through folders.
How to Install Extra Portals for Minecraft
Installation follows the standard mod workflow, and it only takes a few minutes.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Confirm your Minecraft version. The mod supports 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.2, and 1.20.1.
- Install the matching loader. Both Forge and Fabric builds are available, so pick whichever your other mods use.
- Place the mod file into your mods folder, located inside your Minecraft directory.
- Add JEI to the same folder if you want to browse valid portal frames in game.
- Launch the game, load a world, and test a frame made from any supported block.
If you plan to download extra portals for a server, make sure every client and the server itself run the same mod version. Mismatched builds are the most common cause of portal frames refusing to light.
Tips for Building Better Gateways
Once the basics click, you can get creative. Try embedding a portal inside a wall so only the glowing surface shows, or build a frame from alternating materials to create a patterned border. Trapdoors and barriers open up hidden-door designs that look completely innocent until someone lights them. Netherite frames make a striking statement in a trophy room, while glowstone and amethyst frames give off a magical, luminous vibe that suits enchanted towers.
Remember that frame shape still matters. The mod follows the classic rectangular or square portal geometry, so keep your interior opening at least two blocks tall and wide enough to walk through comfortably. Decorative corners are fine as long as the inner ring stays clear.
Final Thoughts
The extra portals add-on solves a small but persistent annoyance in Minecraft: being forced into one boring frame design forever. By opening up dozens of materials across Forge and Fabric on four major game versions, it hands creative control back to the builder. Whether you want a subtle hidden gateway or a towering netherite monument, the tools are all here. Grab JEI, pick your favorite blocks, and start lighting up frames you never thought possible.