There are two note block puzzles in Minecraft Dungeons II. The one most people search for was a secret in the Minecraft Launcher before release: eight note blocks, solved by playing them in the order 1, 3, 7, 6, 5, 2, 4, 8. That event ended in June. The other is in the game: after the Twisted Warden, you collect three note blocks and return them to the Note Block Machine to reopen the ancient portal to the Sift.
Here are both, in order.
The Launcher Note Block Puzzle (Now Over)
Mojang ran an alternate reality game (ARG) around Dungeons II’s reveal, running from March to September 2026. The community Minecraft Wiki documents it in detail. The note block part lived in the Minecraft Launcher’s Dungeons II tab, from about May 29 to June 7:
- The main code: playing the eight note blocks in the order 1, 3, 7, 6, 5, 2, 4, 8 lit a portal with a countdown to the June 7 Xbox Games Showcase.
- The runes: the portal’s runes spelled 1NF3C7ED, or “infected”.
- The second code: the order 6, 5, 2, 7, 8 opened a hidden video, whose decoded title was “A SONG FOR THE LOST”.
After June 7 the note blocks moved to an inactive portal and stopped doing anything, so you can’t redo the puzzle now.
What “Unlock the Path” Means
“UNLOCK THE PATH” was an earlier step in the same ARG: the decoded title of a hidden video. Players reached it through a QR code in the March 21 announcement trailer, and it used a keyword cipher built on “spicewood”, the game’s codename. It’s part of the pre-launch puzzle, not something you do in the game.
The Note Block Machine in the Game
In the game itself, note blocks are a story quest:
- Beat the Twisted Warden in the Deep Dark. Our boss guide lists every boss in order.
- “The Missing Note Blocks” sends you after three note blocks.
- “Returning the Note Blocks” has you bring them back to the Note Block Machine, on the platform in front of the ancient portal in the Deep Dark.
Once all three are back, the game narrates: “With the note blocks returned and the ancient portal reactivated, the gate between the overworld and the sift stands open once more.” Activating the machine unlocks the Note Block Virtuoso achievement.
Where the Note Blocks Are
The community Minecraft Wiki places the green note block in a room behind the Copper Monstrosity, at the top of the Supreme Evoker’s Tower in Rainy Plains. The other two locations aren’t reliably documented yet; the quest markers guide you to each one. There’s no in-game order to play them in: you just return all three.
Why the Portal Matters
The ancient portal is the main way into the Sift, the second world where the second half of the story takes place. You get a brief look at the Sift earlier through a rift, but returning the note blocks is what opens it for good. Our guide to what the Sift is covers what’s waiting there.
For every achievement tied to the story, see our trophy and achievement list. Every guide is on our Minecraft Dungeons II hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the note block code in Minecraft Dungeons II? The launcher puzzle’s main order was 1, 3, 7, 6, 5, 2, 4, 8. It ran before release and ended on June 7.
Can you still do the launcher note block puzzle? No. After June 7 the note blocks stopped working.
What does 1NF3C7ED mean? It’s “infected”, spelled out by the portal’s runes when the launcher puzzle was solved.
Where is the Note Block Machine? On the platform in front of the ancient portal in the Deep Dark, after the Twisted Warden.
How many note blocks do you need? Three, collected during The Missing Note Blocks quest.