Mine at the right depth
Since the 1.18 world update, diamond ore becomes more common the deeper you go, peaking around Y = -59 — just above the bedrock floor and the deepslate layers where mining is slowest. A practical sweet spot is Y = -53 to -54: almost the same diamond rate, but no bedrock ceiling getting in the way of your tunnels.
Branch mining beats everything early
Dig a main tunnel and branches off both sides every 2 blocks, each 20–30 blocks long. Two-block-high tunnels expose the most ore faces per block mined. Never dig straight down, and carry a water bucket — unexpected lava is the number one diamond-run killer.
Upgrade before you dig deep
An Iron Pickaxe minimum is required to collect diamond ore (mining it with anything less destroys the drop). A Fortune III pickaxe averages 2–4 diamonds per ore instead of 1, which is why saving your first diamonds for an enchanting table often pays for itself in a single session.
Loot alternatives
Shipwrecks, buried treasure, bastion remnants and end-city chests all contain diamond loot. If you enjoy exploring rather than mining, loot runs across villages and shipwrecks are a legitimate diamond strategy — just bring food and a bed.
