How To Make An Iron Golem Farm in Minecraft 1.21 (Updated 2025)

Iron is super important in Minecraft. You need it for crafting tools, armor, buckets, anvils, compasses, minecarts, and even some fancy redstone stuff. Even with copper tools and armor added in 2025, iron stays key since copper can’t mine stuff like redstone or diamonds. The best way to get tons of iron is by building an Iron Golem Farm, which uses village mechanics to keep the iron ingots coming.

This guide will walk you through setting up an Iron Golem Farm for Minecraft 1.21.5 (Java Edition) and 1.21.100 (Bedrock Edition), updated for 2025.

1. Iron Golem Spawn Requirements

Iron golem farms depend on how villages work to spawn golems, but the rules are different between Java and Bedrock Editions. Here’s what you need to know for 2025.

Java Edition (1.21.5 - Spring to Life Update)

• Gossip or Panic: Villagers spawn iron golems when they gossip (like after trading, curing, or getting attacked) or panic (when they spot mobs like zombies or pillagers).
  • Gossip needs at least 5 villagers, with one having gossiped recently.
  • Panic needs at least 3 villagers seeing a hostile mob, which is usually faster and more reliable.
• Conditions:
  • Villagers need to have slept in the last 20 minutes (usually at night).
  • No iron golems can be alive within 16 blocks of a villager for at least 30 seconds.
  • Villagers must be within 10 blocks of each other to work together on spawning.
  • The spawn area needs a solid block with 3 empty blocks (air or water) above it. Golems might seem to spawn on slabs or carpets if a valid spot is nearby.
• Spawn Rate: There’s a 1/700 chance every game tick (about every 35 seconds) for a spawn attempt, with a 98.3% success rate if everything’s set up right.
• Note: The Spring to Life Update didn’t change villager or golem spawning, so older designs still work. You can spruce things up with new blocks like wildflowers or firefly bushes.

Bedrock Edition (1.21.100 - Drop 3 2025)

• Requirements: Bedrock is pickier about spawning golems. You need:
  • At least 20 beds in the village.
  • At least 10 villagers, all linked to a bed.
  • At least 75% of villagers must have worked at their job stations the day before.
  • A player needs to be within 80 blocks horizontally and 44 blocks vertically of the village center.
  • The village must be in simulation distance.
• Golem Cap: Only one golem spawns per 10 villagers (e.g., 2 golems for 20 villagers). You need to kill or move golems out of the village to keep spawns going.
• Spawn Area: Golems spawn in a 17×13×17 area (±8 blocks horizontally, ±6 blocks vertically) around the village center, usually a bed pillow or bell. The spawn spot must be a solid block with nothing blocking the space above.
• Note: Villagers don’t need a hostile mob to spawn golems, but keeping a zombie nearby can speed things up a bit. The 2025 Drop 3 update added copper golems, which don’t affect iron golem spawning but can help sort items near your farm.

2. How to Make an Iron Golem Farm

Here’s a straightforward guide to build a farm that works for both Java and Bedrock, with notes on what’s different between them.

Gather Materials

• Stuff You’ll Need:
  • 1 water bucket
  • 1 lava bucket
  • 1 hopper
  • 1 chest
  • 3 stacks of torches (or firefly bushes from 1.21.5/1.21.100 for lighting)
  • A few stone or copper pickaxes (copper’s a solid early-game choice now)
  • Wood, wool, and cobblestone (or other solid blocks)
  • 20 beds (Bedrock needs at least 20; Java can use fewer but 20 works best)
  • 10–20 villagers (10 minimum for Bedrock; 3–5 for Java with panic method)
  • 10 workstations (like lecterns or composters) for Bedrock; optional for Java
  • Optional: 1 zombie (for Java’s panic method or to boost Bedrock rates)

Preparation

• Pick a Spot: Find a flat area at least 80 blocks from other villages to avoid mix-ups. Build the farm high up (like 150 blocks above ground) to stop golems from spawning in caves.
• Secure It: Put up fences or walls and light the place with torches or firefly bushes to keep out hostile mobs.
• Set Up Villagers: For Bedrock, make sure every villager is linked to a bed and workstation. For Java, focus on letting villagers see a zombie (if using panic) or ensuring they’ve gossiped.
• Village Layout: Build an L-shaped village, with beds and workstations in the corner of the “L” so villagers can easily find them.

Locate the Village Center

• What It Is: The village center is the northwest corner of a point-of-interest block, like a bed pillow or bell. Java prioritizes bells; Bedrock focuses on beds.
• Why It Matters: Golems spawn around this center, so you need to place beds and workstations carefully to keep the spawning platform in the right 16×6×16 (Java) or 17×13×17 (Bedrock) area.

Construction

1. Sleeping Bunker:
   • Build a two-floor bunker with 10 beds per floor (20 total for Bedrock; Java can use 5–10 for smaller farms).
   • Add a stairway to connect the floors for villager access.
   • Make sure all villagers are linked to beds in Bedrock.
2. Workstations (Bedrock): Place 10 workstations near the beds so 75% of villagers can work daily. Java panic farms don’t need these.
3. Optional Zombie Trap (Java): Make a small room with a trapdoor to hold a zombie where villagers can see it. This makes them panic and spawn golems faster. Bedrock can use this too for a slight boost.
4. Spawning Platform:
   • Build a 7×8 block platform (or 10×10 for Bedrock) one block above or below the bunker’s lowest floor.
   • Keep it within the spawn area (16×6×16 for Java, 17×13×17 for Bedrock).
   • Use solid blocks; avoid slabs or stairs that golems might wander onto.
5. Killing Setup:
   • Use water to push golems into a killing spot.
   • Set up a lava blade (lava held by signs or open fence gates) to kill golems instantly.
   • Place a hopper under the killing spot to collect iron ingots and poppies into a chest.
6. Containment: Put walls or fences around the platform to keep golems in. For Bedrock, use fences since golems can act differently and might escape solid blocks.

3. How to Maximize Farming Rates

To get the most iron (up to 400 ingots per hour in Java, 300–350 in Bedrock), focus on these key factors:

Number of Villagers

• Java: 3–5 villagers work for panic-based farms, but 10–20 make spawns more consistent. 20 is the sweet spot.
• Bedrock: Start with 10 villagers, but 20 is better to allow two golems at once, boosting rates by about 33%.

Number of Spawnable Blocks

• Make the spawning platform as big as possible within the spawn area (7×8 for Java, 10×10 or bigger for Bedrock).
• Clear out anything like buttons or pressure plates that could block spawns. Golems might seem to spawn on slabs if a valid spot’s nearby, so keep 3 blocks of space above the platform.
• Place beds close to the village center to focus the spawn area on your platform.

Average Lifetime of Iron Golems

• Get golems to the killing spot fast with water streams to free up the spawn cap.
• Use a chute or Nether portal to clear the mob cap quickly; chutes are more reliable.
• In Java, keep the zombie visible to villagers for constant panic. In Bedrock, make sure villagers work daily to hit the 75% requirement.

Extra Tips

• Java: The panic method with a zombie is way more efficient than gossiping. Check for nearby villages within 80 blocks that could mess things up.
• Bedrock: Double-check that all villagers are linked to beds and workstations. If golems spawn outside your trap, make the platform bigger or check for caves below.
• Automation: Hoppers collect drops automatically, so Java farms can run without you nearby. In Bedrock, stay within simulation distance.
• Fancy Touches: Add wildflowers or firefly bushes from 1.21.5/1.21.100 to make the farm look nice without breaking it.

Notes on Copper Golems

The 2025 Drop 3 update brought copper golems to Bedrock (coming to Java later). They don’t mess with iron golem farms but can sort iron ingots and poppies into copper chests, making inventory management easier.