Spyglass

This article is about the item in Minecraft. For the object in Minecraft: The Manga, see Giant Spyglass. For the structure in Minecraft Legends, see Legends:Spyglass Overlook.

Spyglass

Rarity tier	Common
Renewable	Yes
Stackable	No

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 and Bedrock Edition
Spyglass	Abandoned Camp	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

Java Edition

Bedrock Edition:

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Translation key
Spyglass	spyglass	Item	item.minecraft.spyglass

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Translation key
Spyglass	spyglass	660	Item	item.spyglass.name

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							Spyglasses are revealed at Minecraft Live 2020. They were originally named "telescopes" and had an oval vignette.

Java Edition

Java Edition
1.17			20w45a				Added spyglasses.
							The scope texture is currently a circle with glare spots.
			20w46a				The scope texture is now a glass square with a copper border.
			20w48a				The spyglass is now a 3D model instead of a flat sprite.
							The texture of the spyglass has changed.
							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				Spyglasses have a new texture in the inventory. The 3D model is still used in the hand, similar to tridents.
1.17.1			pre1				The texture of the spyglass model has changed.
26.3			snap1				Spyglasses can now generate as part of abandoned camps in chests.

Bedrock Edition

Bedrock Edition
1.17.0 Experiment Caves and Cliffs			beta 1.17.0.50				Added spyglasses.
1.17.0			beta 1.17.0.52				Spyglasses are now available without enabling Experimental Gameplay.
26.40 Experiment Drop 3 of 2026			Preview 26.40.27				Spyglasses can now generate as part of abandoned camps in chests.
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 replace is 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

• 
  Alex using a spyglass
• 
  Steve using a spyglass

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

External links

• "Taking Inventory: Spyglass" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, February 17, 2022.