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How to Make Lights That Turn on at Night in Minecraft Download Article Craft a daylight sensor for redstone signals with our guide Co-authored by GraySun Builds
Last Updated: January 30, 2026
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Using a Daylight Sensor
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Example Designs
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Video
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Q&A
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Tips
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Warnings
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This article was co-authored by GraySun Builds. GraySun Builds is a Minecraft expert and content creator based in Canada. He shares content on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok focused on unique buildings, tutorials, and educational building videos, with a combined following of over 310k. He specializes in fantasy survival-esque building and utilizes a wide variety of colors in his builds. All of his builds are created with survival mode in mind, with the goal of being accessible and able to inspire anyone playing the game. His builds are also available to download on Patreon. This article has been viewed 297,532 times.
Daylight sensors have been around for a while, but the 1.8 Minecraft update made it easy to transform them into nightlights. This feature is also available on console editions of Minecraft, but not on Minecraft Pocket Edition or the Windows 10 beta edition.[1]XResearch source
Surround it with opaque blocks so it detects night instead of day.
Connect the sensor to a redstone lamp.
Shorten the redstone path to turn on the light earlier.
Lengthen the redstone path to turn on the light later.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Using a Daylight Sensor
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1 Mine nether quartz. The daylight sensor is the easiest way to make a "night light," but you'll need a Nether portal to find the ingredients. Nether quartz ore isn't hard to find once you're in the Nether, but be prepared for difficult combats. Each sensor requires three nether quartz.
2 Craft the daylight sensor. Create a daylight sensor with the following ingredients:
Three glass in the top row
Three nether quartz in the middle row
Three wood slabs (not planks) on the bottom row
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3 Deposit the sensor. Place the sensor anywhere you like. It is a half-height block, with a beige upper surface. By default, this sensor will provide power when sunlight hits it. The brighter the sunlight, the stronger the signal.[2]X Expert Source GraySun BuildsMinecraft ExpertExpert Interview
4 Transform it to detect night instead. There are two ways to change this sensor's behavior:[3]XResearch source
Surround it with opaque blocks to make it a night sensor. This will send a power signal only at night, reaching peak strength at midnight (time 17780–18240).
Or right-click it to make it an inverted sensor (blue surface). This sends out a stronger signal in dark conditions. Unlike the night sensor, this can turn on in the daytime during rainy or stormy weather.
5 Connect it to a redstone lamp. Place a line of redstone from the sensor to a redstone lamp. Depending on which sensor you used, the lamp will either turn on at night, or anytime the sensor is dark.[4]X Expert Source GraySun BuildsMinecraft ExpertExpert Interview
To make a redstone lamp, surround a glowstone block with four redstone dust.
Night sensors (but not inverted sensors) will blink on and off if the lamp they are connected to is exposed to the outside sky or window. Place the lamp in a windowless room to prevent this, or right-click the sensor to invert it.
6 Adjust the timing. These sensors don't just have two states. They will gradually increase and decrease in power over the course of each day/night cycle. To make your lamp turn on earlier in the dusk, shorten the redstone path or insert some redstone repeaters to boost the signal. To make the lamp stay off until later at night, lengthen the redstone path.
To make a redstone repeater, place redstone dust in the center with a redstone torch on either side, all above three stone blocks.
Redstone repeaters have a front and a back. Make sure to place it so the signal goes in the right direction.
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Example Daylight Sensor Designs
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1 Create power lines from a single sensor. You can power any number of redstone lamps from a single daylight sensor. Right-click to invert the sensor, then place a line of redstone dust extending from any side of it. Place short branches of redstone off of this line, with a redstone lamp at the end of each branch. When you reach the limit of the sensor's range (when the redstone is no longer glowing), place a redstone repeater to keep the power line going.
Keep in mind the power signal will decrease as it brightens. If you have a long line, the lamps farthest away from the sensor will go out first as dawn approaches.
2 Build street lamps. Place three or four fence poles on top of each other to make one tall one, and top it with a redstone lamp. Place redstone dust on top of this lamp, then a daylight sensor on top of the redstone.[5]X Expert Source GraySun BuildsMinecraft ExpertExpert Interview Surround the redstone with more redstone lamps for extra light, then right-click the sensor to invert it.
3 Make lamps without redstone dust. You can place a redstone lamp directly next to a night sensor to power it directly, with no need for redstone "wires." Bury the sensor two blocks deep in the floor, wall, or ceiling to make your lamps part of the room itself.
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Community Q&A
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Question I want to make a nightlight sensor but I can't find an opaque. Where can I find one? Entity303 Community Answer An opaque block is any block you can’t see through. It doesn’t refer to one specific block, but many. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 28
Question Can I just use a red stone lamp and a lever? OviDovi Community Answer You can, but you will need to turn on the lamp every night and turn it off during the day. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 8 Helpful 31
Question Are there any other Minecraft techniques similar to this one? The_Noble_Jedi Community Answer Well, the daylight sensor is the only sure fire way to get a light/door to open at night. You could, however, set a pressure plate inside a one block wide house and spawn a villager outside it. At night he will enter to stay safe and stand on the pressure plate, turning on the light/door. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 20
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Video
Tips
Don't rely entirely on the lighting system. Keep some other lights handy in case a mob destroys your system. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
The same system can be hooked up to any redstone-powered object. Connect a daylight sensor to an iron door to make a gate that automatically closes when monsters are about. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
In Minecraft 1.7 and below, daylight sensors cannot be inverted to turn on at night. Instead, send a redstone dust line to a redstone torch to invert the signal, then place the lamp on the other side of the torch. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 6
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Co-authored by: GraySun Builds Minecraft Expert This article was co-authored by GraySun Builds. GraySun Builds is a Minecraft expert and content creator based in Canada. He shares content on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok focused on unique buildings, tutorials, and educational building videos, with a combined following of over 310k. He specializes in fantasy survival-esque building and utilizes a wide variety of colors in his builds. All of his builds are created with survival mode in mind, with the goal of being accessible and able to inspire anyone playing the game. His builds are also available to download on Patreon. This article has been viewed 297,532 times. 74 votes - 53% Co-authors: 23Updated: January 30, 2026 Views: 297,532 Categories: Minecraft Mechanisms In other languages Spanish Russian Italian French
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Reader Success Stories
Joseph C.
Apr 13, 2016
"It helped me because I was going to make an two story building to store the areas build in Minecraft, and I was not going to use any more torches. Thank you, wikiHow."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: GraySun Builds Minecraft Expert 74 votes - 53% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 23Updated: January 30, 2026 Views: 297,532
Joseph C.
Apr 13, 2016
"It helped me because I was going to make an two story building to store the areas build in Minecraft, and I was not going to use any more torches. Thank you, wikiHow."..." more
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Aug 8, 2016
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Download Article Craft a daylight sensor for redstone signals with our guide Co-authored by GraySun Builds 
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Co-authored by: GraySun Builds Minecraft Expert This article was co-authored by GraySun Builds. GraySun Builds is a Minecraft expert and content creator based in Canada. He shares content on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok focused on unique buildings, tutorials, and educational building videos, with a combined following of over 310k. He specializes in fantasy survival-esque building and utilizes a wide variety of colors in his builds. All of his builds are created with survival mode in mind, with the goal of being accessible and able to inspire anyone playing the game. His builds are also available to download on Patreon. This article has been viewed 297,532 times. 74 votes - 53% Co-authors: 23 Updated: January 30, 2026 Views: 297,532 Categories: Minecraft Mechanisms In other languages Spanish Russian Italian French 
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1 Mine nether quartz. The daylight sensor is the easiest way to make a "night light," but you'll need a Nether portal to find the ingredients. Nether quartz ore isn't hard to find once you're in the Nether, but be prepared for difficult combats. Each sensor requires three nether quartz. 
2 Craft the daylight sensor. Create a daylight sensor with the following ingredients: 
3 Deposit the sensor. Place the sensor anywhere you like. It is a half-height block, with a beige upper surface. By default, this sensor will provide power when sunlight hits it. The brighter the sunlight, the stronger the signal.[2] 
4 Transform it to detect night instead. There are two ways to change this sensor's behavior:[3] 
5 Connect it to a redstone lamp. Place a line of redstone from the sensor to a redstone lamp. Depending on which sensor you used, the lamp will either turn on at night, or anytime the sensor is dark.[4] 
6 Adjust the timing. These sensors don't just have two states. They will gradually increase and decrease in power over the course of each day/night cycle. To make your lamp turn on earlier in the dusk, shorten the redstone path or insert some redstone repeaters to boost the signal. To make the lamp stay off until later at night, lengthen the redstone path. 
1 Create power lines from a single sensor. You can power any number of redstone lamps from a single daylight sensor. Right-click to invert the sensor, then place a line of redstone dust extending from any side of it. Place short branches of redstone off of this line, with a redstone lamp at the end of each branch. When you reach the limit of the sensor's range (when the redstone is no longer glowing), place a redstone repeater to keep the power line going. 
2 Build street lamps. Place three or four fence poles on top of each other to make one tall one, and top it with a redstone lamp. Place redstone dust on top of this lamp, then a daylight sensor on top of the redstone.[5] Surround the redstone with more redstone lamps for extra light, then right-click the sensor to invert it. 
3 Make lamps without redstone dust. You can place a redstone lamp directly next to a night sensor to power it directly, with no need for redstone "wires." Bury the sensor two blocks deep in the floor, wall, or ceiling to make your lamps part of the room itself. Advertisement 
Entity303 Community Answer An opaque block is any block you can’t see through. It doesn’t refer to one specific block, but many. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 28 
OviDovi Community Answer You can, but you will need to turn on the lamp every night and turn it off during the day. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 8 Helpful 31 
The_Noble_Jedi Community Answer Well, the daylight sensor is the only sure fire way to get a light/door to open at night. You could, however, set a pressure plate inside a one block wide house and spawn a villager outside it. At night he will enter to stay safe and stand on the pressure plate, turning on the light/door. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 20 
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