Enchanting

Enchanted Iron Pickaxe — The glint animation applied to an enchanted iron pickaxe.

Enchanting is a mechanic that augments armor, tools, weapons, and books with one or more of a variety of "enchantments" that improve an item's existing abilities or imbue them with additional abilities and uses. A special "glint" animation appears on items that are enchanted.

Enchanting equipment[]

Name	Icon	Usage
Enchanting Table		Used for enchanting items.
Bookshelf		Each bookshelf (up to 15) increases the level of the enchantments given by the enchanting table.
Lapis Lazuli		Required to power the enchanting table.
Anvil		Used to combine enchanted items (tools, armor, weapons, etc), add enchantments from books, or repair an enchanted item while preserving enchantments.
Grindstone		Used to remove all non-curse enchantments on an item, returning a small amount of experience, and optionally repair an item for no experience.
Enchanted Book		Can be combined with another item through an anvil to add certain enchantments to the item.

Enchanting methods[]

Enchanting-Table-Uncluttered — An enchanting table surrounded by chiseled bookshelves.

There are four ways to enchant an item in Survival mode:

Through an enchanting table in exchange for experience points and lapis lazuli. Only unenchanted items may be enchanted this way.
Through an anvil, combining an enchanted book with an item.
Through an anvil, combining two of the same item with different existing enchantments into a single item that has the enchantments of both.
Through a librarian villager, which may enchant books respectively for emeralds instead of lapis lazuli and experience, which instead gives the player experience just like every trade.

A player may also obtain items already enchanted:

Through a villager, who may trade some enchanted items for emeralds.
By fishing, which gives a chance of obtaining enchanted items.
Through a zombie, drowned, husk, piglin, skeleton, stray, wither skeleton, and zombified piglin if they have enchanted items and are killed by a player. They have an 8.5% chance to drop each individual item.
By finding them in treasure chests in locations such as end cities, ancient cities, shipwrecks, mineshafts, dungeons, desert temples, jungle temples, woodland mansions, ocean ruins, strongholds, ruined portals, pillager outposts, and bastion remnants.
Due to bartering with piglins. When given gold, piglins have a small chance to drop an enchanted book or iron boots with the Soul Speed enchantment (random level 1-3).
Through killing pillagers and vindicators in raids on Bedrock Edition.

Server operators and players in singleplayer worlds with cheats enabled can also enchant items using commands such as /enchant. When enchanted with the /give command, the maximum enchantment level is 255 on Java Edition. In Creative mode, items can be enchanted via an anvil and enchanted books, with no experience points required. Enchanted books are available in the Creative mode inventory, with individual book displays for the highest level of each enchantment and other levels available via the "Search" tab.

Enchanting table[]

An item can be enchanted by using an enchanting table and placing the item in the input slots and uses 1–3 lapis lazuli but can hold up to 64 lapis in its dedicated slot. Upon placing the item, three (pseudo)randomized options appear on the right of the GUI. The glyphs(Random galactic alphabet sentances) here do not affect the enchantment, but hovering over a presented enchantment shows one enchantment to be applied (on mobile devices, the player can tap an enchantment before putting in the lapis lazuli or hold the enchantment before release). The only choices available have a level requirement equal to or below the player's current level and a lapis lazuli requirement equal to or below the number of lapis lazuli placed in the table. Each option imbues the item with a randomized set of enchantments that are dependent on the number of experience levels required (e.g. a level 10 enchantment can give a pickaxe the "Efficiency II" enchantment); the actual level cost and the number of lapis lazuli required have no effect.

Although the player must have at least the level requirement to get an enchantment, the number of levels that the player is charged is the same as the lapis lazuli requirement. For example, if the third enchantment listed is a level 30 enchantment, the player must have at least 30 levels, but pay only 3 levels and 3 lapis lazuli.

The level requirement influences the quantity, type, and level of enchantments instilled in the item, with a higher experience level generally resulting in more and/or higher-level enchantments. Nevertheless, there is a significant random factor, and even a level 30 enchantment (the maximum) doesn't guarantee more than one enchantment, or even that enchantments are "maximum strength" — a level 30 enchantment can still yield Fortune II or Efficiency III alone, for example. On the other hand, it is possible for multiple different enchantments to be given from one use of the enchanting table. For example, a level 30 enchantment applied to a pickaxe may yield both Efficiency IV and Unbreaking III.

To increase the enchantment level, bookshelves can be placed next to the enchanting table while keeping one block of air between them. To gain access to the previously mentioned level 30 enchantments, a total of 15 bookshelves need to be placed around the enchanting table. See the Enchantment Mechanics page for more detailed information on this.

Enchanting a book produces an enchanted book, which does nothing on its own, but effectively "saves" the enchantment for later application to another item with an anvil.

Unlike with an anvil, using the enchanting table while on Creative still costs experience. However, if the player doesn't have enough experience, then experience reduces to zero and the enchantment still works, even when using the enchanting table while already at level zero.

Affecting offered enchantments[]

Enchanting any item at any enchantment level changes the player's enchantment seed, which changes the possible enchantments for every item at every enchantment level. Thus, if none of the available enchantments for a tool are desired, 1 lapis lazuli and 1 level could be spent to enchant a book or a different tool to refresh the list.

The possible enchantments depend on the player's enchantment seed, the item type, and material, and the enchantment level (1–30). The following actions do not affect the possible enchantments:

removing the item and putting it back in
clicking on the item slot with a different item
using a different item of the same type and material
replacing or moving the table (but keeping the same number of bookshelves)
using a different table with the same number of bookshelves, or
replacing or rearranging the bookshelves without changing their total number.

Changing the enchantment levels offered by adding, removing, or blocking bookshelves alters the enchantments shown, but does not change possible enchantments; using another enchanting table with the previous bookshelf number still shows the previous enchantments. The enchantments for a particular enchantment level (with the same seed and item) do also differ depending on which row they appear in, but they are not "better" or "worse" based on the row despite the different resource costs.

Anvil combinations[]

An anvil can be used to combine the enchantments of two items, sacrificing one of them and repairing the other. The items must be compatible; they must either be the same type and material (such as two iron swords) or an item and an enchanted book with an applicable enchantment (such as a bow and an Infinity enchanted book).

Combining two enchanted items, books or one of each with the same enchantment at the same level produces an item or book with the next higher level of that enchantment up to the maximum allowed in Survival mode; for example, a book with Thorns I and Unbreaking II combined with a book with Unbreaking II produces a book with Thorns I and Unbreaking III.

To combine items, the player places the target item in the anvil's first slot and the sacrifice item in the second slot. If the combination is allowed, the resulting enchanted item appears in the anvil's output slot and an experience level cost, labeled "Enchantment Cost", appears below (green if the player has enough experience levels, red if they don't). To complete the enchanting, the player removes the enchanted item from the anvil's output slot, and their experience level is reduced accordingly.

The experience cost depends on the enchantments, with highly enchanted items costing more. If the target item is also being repaired, that costs more as well. The target item can also be renamed, at additional cost. There is also an accumulating surcharge for prior work done on anvils. In Survival mode, work that costs more than 39 levels of experience is refused although it may still be possible to perform the same work in steps. For example, a damaged enchanted bow may be repaired on an anvil with an ordinary bow, and then another enchanted bow may be used to combine enchantments with the repaired bow.

Enchanted books[]

Enchanted books can be made by enchanting a book in an enchanting table at the cost of experience points. They can also be found in the chests of several structures, purchased with emeralds from a librarian villager, or caught while fishing.

Enchanted books can be applied to tools, weapons, and armor, or combined with other enchanted books in an anvil. In this way, some enchantments that cannot normally be obtained on an item through use of the enchanting table can still be applied to those items, such as applying Thorns to boots.

Although enchanted books can have multiple enchantments of any type, only enchantments appropriate to a given item type are applied to that item when combined in an anvil. For example, an enchanted book may have both the Respiration and Power enchantments, but the Respiration enchantment is lost if the book is applied to anything but a helmet or a turtle shell. Likewise, the Power enchantment is lost if the book is applied to anything but a bow.

In Creative mode, enchanted books can be used to apply any enchantment to any item, such as a stick having Knockback II on Java Edition. However, mutually-exclusive enchantments, such as Infinity and Mending, cannot be applied this way or even via /enchant (though both enchantments function as normal when obtained on a bow through the /give command).

The experience costs for using books are considerably less than for combining items with similar enchantments since the books themselves cost levels to create. However, it's still an extra cost, and enchanting items directly has a chance to get multiple enchantments. The advantage of books is that they can be stockpiled for use on an item of choice and allow for controlled combinations. For example, a Silk Touch book can be used on an axe, pickaxe, or shovel, and the player can decide which item receives which enchantment.

Best Enchanting order[]

Use Order Calculator to minimize experience loss when merging two items.

Disenchanting[]

The only way to disenchant items is via the grindstone or by repairing the items via the crafting grid. Using the grindstone removes all enchantments (except Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing, also known as curses) but gives some experience back based on the level of the enchantment(s) and their value.

Summary of enchantments[]

Each enchantment in the table below includes attributes that are possible for the player to acquire legitimately in Survival mode. Other combinations are possible in Creative mode or with cheats, mods, or third-party software.

Max Level: Maximum levels for enchantments vary, but the game can comprehend up to 32-bit integer values (−2³¹ to 2³¹−1). Exceeding this value results in an overflow, and eventually resets itself to 0.
Primary Items: The items that can receive the enchantment legitimately in Survival mode by using an enchanting table. Items of any material can be enchanted (some more easily than others – see Enchantment mechanics).
Secondary Items: Items that, in Survival mode, cannot receive the enchantment from an enchanting table but can from an enchanted book with an anvil.
Weight: Relative probability of the enchantment being offered.

Name	Summary	Treasure^{[note 1]}	Incompatible With	Max Level	Primary Items	Secondary Items	Weight
Aqua Affinity	Increases underwater mining speed.	No		I(1)			2
Bane of Arthropods	Increases damage and applies Slowness IV to arthropod mobs (spiders, cave spiders, silverfish, endermites and bees).	No	Smite, Sharpness, Breach, Density	V(5)	‌^{[BE only]}	‌^{[JE only]}	5
Blast Protection	Reduces explosion damage and knockback.	No	Fire Protection, Protection, Projectile Protection	IV(4)			2
Breach	Bypasses armor	No	Bane of Arthropods, Smite, Density	IV(4)
Channeling	During thunderstorms, trident summons a lightning bolt on the target when hitting it.	No	Riptide	I(1)			1
Cleaving ‌^{[upcoming: JE Combat Tests]}	Increases damage and shield stunning.	Unknown	Sharpness, Bane of Arthropods, Smite	III(3)
Curse of Binding	Items cannot be removed from armor slots.	Yes		I(1)			1
Curse of Vanishing	Item disappears on death.	Yes		I(1)		‌^{[BE only]}	1
Depth Strider	Increases underwater movement speed.	No	Frost Walker	III(3)			2
Density	Heavily increases falling damage	No	Breach, Smite, Bane of Arthropods	V(5)
Efficiency	Increases tool speed, as well as the chance for axes to disable shields.	No		V(5)			10
Feather Falling	Reduces fall damage.	No		IV(4)			5
Fire Aspect	Sets target on fire.	No		II(2)	‌^{[upcoming: JE Combat Tests]}		2
Fire Protection	Reduces fire damage and burn time. Mutually exclusive with other protections.	No	Blast Protection, Protection, Projectile Protection	IV(4)			5
Flame	Arrows shot are ignited and deal fire damage to the target.	No		I(1)			2
Fortune	Increases the amount of block drops.	No	Silk Touch	III(3)			2
Frost Walker	Allows the player to walk on water by freezing the water under their feet.	Yes	Depth Strider	II(2)			2
Impaling	Increases damage against aquatic mobs. In Bedrock Edition, increases damage against mobs in water or rain.	No		V(5)			2
Infinity	Prevents consumption of normal arrows (tipped arrows and spectral arrows are consumed).	No	Mending	I(1)			1
Knockback	Increases knockback.	No		II(2)			5
Looting	Increases mob loot.	No		III(3)			2
Loyalty	Trident returns after being thrown.	No	Riptide	III(3)			5
Luck of the Sea	Increases rate of good loot (enchanting books, etc.).	No		III(3)			2
Lure	Decreases time for bites.	No		III(3)			2
Mending	Repairs the item using experience.	Yes	Infinity	I(1)			2
Multishot	Fires 3 arrows at the same time.	No	Piercing	I(1)			2
Piercing	Arrows pierce entities, allowing for arrows to pierce through stacks of mobs.	No	Multishot	IV(4)			10
Power	Increases arrow damage.	No		V(5)			10
Projectile Protection	Reduces damage from projectiles.	No	Protection, Blast Protection, Fire Protection	IV(4)			5
Protection	Reduces generic damage.	No	Blast Protection, Fire Protection, Projectile Protection	IV(4)			10
Punch	Increases arrow knockback.	No		II(2)			2
Quick Charge	Decreases crossbow charging time.	No		III(3)			5
Respiration	Extends underwater breathing time.	No		III(3)			2
Riptide	Trident launches player with itself when thrown while in water or rain.	No	Channeling, Loyalty	III(3)			2
Sharpness	Increases melee damage.	No	Bane of Arthropods, Smite	V(5)	‌^{[BE only]}	‌^{[JE only]}	10
Silk Touch	Mined blocks drop themselves.	No	Fortune	I(1)		‌^{[BE only]}	1
Smite	Increases damage to the undead.	No	Bane of Arthropods, Sharpness, Breach, Density	V(5)	‌^{[BE only]}	‌^{[JE only]}	5
Soul Speed	Increases movement speed on soul sand and soul soil.	Yes		III(3)			1
Sweeping Edge ‌^{[Java Edition only]}	Increases sweeping attack damage.	No		III(3)			2
Swift Sneak	Increases sneaking speed.	Yes		III(3)			1
Thorns	Taking damage causes the attacker to also take damage.	No		III(3)			1
Unbreaking	Reduces durability damage.	No		III(3)			5

↑ Treasure enchantments are those that can't be obtained using an enchantment table.

Summary of enchantments by item[]

Enchantments that have multiple levels are shown with their maximum level numbers. Mutually exclusive enchantments can be combined using commands (e.g., /give @s bow{Enchantments:[{id:infinity,lvl:1},{id:mending,lvl:1}]} 1). Also, a player can exceed the maximum levels of enchantments (e.g., /give @s netherite_sword{Enchantments:[{id:fire_aspect,lvl:10}]} 1). However, if that number goes above 10, it looks like this:

Crafting

^[1].

Item	Any combination of	Only one from each column
Helmet	Mending, Unbreaking III, Thorns III, Respiration III, Aqua Affinity	Protection IV, Projectile Protection IV, Fire Protection IV, Blast Protection IV
Turtle Shell
Chestplate	Mending, Unbreaking III, Thorns III
Leggings	Mending, Unbreaking III, Thorns III, Swift Sneak III
Boots	Mending, Unbreaking III, Thorns III, Feather Falling IV, Soul Speed III		Depth Strider III Frost Walker II
Sword	Mending, Unbreaking III, Fire Aspect II, Looting III, Knockback II, Sweeping Edge III‌^{[JE only]}	Sharpness V, Smite V, Bane of Arthropods V
Mace	Mending, Unbreaking III, Fire Aspect II, Wind Burst III	Density V, Breach IV, Bane of Arthropods V, Smite V
Axe	Mending, Unbreaking III, Efficiency V^[2]	Fortune III, Silk Touch	Sharpness V Smite V Bane of Arthropods V Cleaving III‌^{[upcoming: JE Combat Tests]}
Pickaxe
Shovel
Hoe
Bow	Unbreaking III, Power V, Punch II, Flame	Infinity, Mending
Fishing Rod	Mending, Unbreaking III, Lure III, Luck of the Sea III
Trident	Mending, Unbreaking III, Impaling V	Channeling	Loyalty III
Trident	Mending, Unbreaking III, Impaling V	Riptide III ^{[note 1]}
Crossbow	Mending, Unbreaking III, Quick Charge III	Piercing IV, Multishot
Shears	Mending, Unbreaking III, Efficiency V, Silk Touch‌^{[BE only]}
Shield	Mending, Unbreaking III
Elytra
Flint and Steel
Carrot on a Stick
Warped Fungus on a Stick
Brush
Compass	Curse of Vanishing
Recovery Compass‌^{[BE only]}	Curse of Vanishing

↑ Channeling and Loyalty can be used together but neither can be used with Riptide.

The tables below summarize the enchantments that can be obtained on specific items in Bedrock Edition and in Java Edition Survival mode (Any enchantment can be applied to any item in Java Edition Creative mode). Enchantments that can be applied to both hand slot items and armor slot items are listed in both tables.

An enchanting table indicates the item can receive the enchantment from an enchanting table.
An anvil indicates the item cannot receive the enchantment from an enchanting table (an enchanting table never offers the enchantment for the item), but can receive the enchantment by another method (for example, using an anvil to combine the item with an enchanted book or another enchanted item; note the enchanting table could still apply the enchantment to the item as a random additional enchantment).

Enchantments for hand slot items
Enchantment (Max)		‌^{[JE only]}	‌^{[BE only]}								‌^{[BE only]}
Bane of Arthropods (V)
Channeling (I)
Cleaving (III) ‌^{[upcoming: JE Combat Tests]}
Curse of Vanishing (I)
Efficiency (V)
Fire Aspect (II)
Flame (I)
Fortune (III)
Impaling (V)
Infinity (I)
Knockback (II)
Looting (III)
Loyalty (III)
Luck of the Sea (III)
Lure (III)
Mending (I)
Multishot (I)
Piercing (IV)
Power (V)
Punch (II)
Quick Charge (III)
Riptide (III)
Sharpness (V)
Silk Touch (I)					‌^{[BE only]}
Smite (V)
Sweeping Edge (III)
Unbreaking (III)

Enchantments for armor slot items
Enchantment (Max)
Aqua Affinity (I)
Blast Protection (IV)
Curse of Binding (I)
Curse of Vanishing (I)
Depth Strider (III)
Feather Falling (IV)
Fire Protection (IV)
Frost Walker (II)
Mending (I)
Projectile Protection (IV)
Protection (IV)
Respiration (III)
Soul Speed (III)
Swift Sneak (III)
Thorns (III)
Unbreaking (III)

Maximum effective values for enchantments[]

This section is missing information about a better lead section with a better summary.

Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.

A table shows the effective limits for enchantments (found also here).

Enchantment	Stackable	Effective min	Effective max	Notes
Aqua Affinity	Largest on first in armor	1	1
Bane of Arthropods	Adds	Single: -2147483648 Stacked: -52241757371157708	Single: 2147483647 Stacked: 52241757371157708	Adds `2.5 * level` damage Affects arthropods with slowness amplifier 3 for `1 + random(0, level / 2)` seconds
Blast Protection	Adds	1	255	Reduces damage by a factor of `min(20, level * 2) / 25` Reduces explosion knockback by a factor of `level * 0.15` Higher levels are treated as 255
Channeling	First	1	1
Curse of Binding	First	1	1
Curse of Vanishing	First	1	1
Depth Strider	Largest on first in armor	1	3	Higher levels are treated as 3
Efficiency	First	1	255	Increases mine speed by `level² + 1` Higher levels are treated as 255
Feather Falling	Adds	1	7	Reduces damage by a factor of `min(20, level * 3) / 25`
Fire Aspect	First	1	255	Sets mobs on fire for `level * 4` seconds Higher levels are treated as 255
Fire Protection	Adds for damage reduction Largest of first in armor for duration reduction	1	10	Reduces damage by a factor of `min(20, level * 2) / 25` Reduces fire duration by a factor of `level * 0.15`
Flame	First	1	1
Fortune	First	1	255	Anything that uses the `apply_bonus` loot table function works like this Higher levels are treated as 255
Frost Walker	First	1	14	Higher levels are treated as 14
Impaling	Adds	Single: -2147483648 Stacked: -52241757371157708	Single: 2147483647 Stacked: 52241757371157708	Adds `2.5 * level` damage
Infinity	First	1	1
Knockback	First	1	255	Adds `level` knockback strength Higher levels are treated as 255
Looting	First	1	255	Higher levels are treated as 255
Loyalty	First	1	127	Increases return speed by `0.05 * level` Higher levels are treated as 0
Luck of the Sea	First	1	255	Adds `level` luck Higher levels are treated as 255
Lure	First	1	5	Reduces lure time by `5 * level` seconds Higher levels prevent fish from appearing
Mending	First	1	1
Multishot	First	1	1
Piercing	First	1	127	Higher levels are treated as 0
Power	First	1	255	Increases damage by `0.5 * level + 0.5` Higher levels are treated as 255
Projectile Protection	Adds	1	10	Reduces damage by a factor of `min(20, level * 2) / 25`
Protection	Adds	1	20	Reduces damage by a factor of `min(20, level) / 25`
Punch	First	1	255	Adds `level * 0.6` knockback strength Higher levels are treated as 255
Quick Charge	First	1	5	Reduces draw time by `0.25 * level` seconds Higher levels prevent charging of crossbow
Respiration	Largest of first in armor	1	255	Causes a `level / (level + 1)` chance not to decrease air level Higher levels are treated as 255
Riptide	First	1	1
Sharpness	Adds	0	Single: 2147483647 Stacked: 36028799149670399	Adds `0.5 * max(0, level - 1) + 1` damage
Silk Touch	First	1	1
Smite	Adds	Single: -2147483648 Stacked: -52241757371157708	Single: 2147483647 Stacked: 52241757371157708	Adds `2.5 * level` damage
Soul Speed	First	1	255	Increases speed by `0.03 + (level * 0.0105)` Higher levels are treated as 255
Sweeping Edge	First	1	255	Increases sweeping damage by a factor of `level / (level + 1)` times the hit's damage Higher levels are treated as 255
Swift Sneak	Adds	1	5	Increases walking speed while sneaking by `level * 50%` Higher levels are treated as 5
Thorns	Individual Procs	1	2147483647	Chance of hitting is `0.15 * level` Deals `level - 10` damage if `level` is 11 or greater, otherwise deals `random(0, 3) + 1`
Unbreaking	First	1	255	Items only have a 1 in `level + 1` chance to take damage. Armor has a `0.6` chance to take damage even if it would otherwise skip it. Higher levels are treated as 255

Item data[]

tag: The item's main tag.

- Enchantments: Contains enchantments on this item that affect the way the item works.
  - : A single enchantment.
    - id: The name of the enchantment.
    - lvl: The level of the enchantment, where 1 is level 1. Values are clamped between 0 and 255 when reading.
- StoredEnchantments: Contains enchantments for enchanted books.
  - : A stored enchantment, identical structure to each enchantment in Enchantments.
- RepairCost: Number of experience levels to add to the base level cost when repairing, combining, or renaming this item with an Anvil.

Sounds[]

Java Edition:

Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Enchanting Table used	Blocks	When an item is enchanted	`block.enchantment_table.use`^{[sound 1]}	`subtitles.block.enchantment_table.use`^{[sound 1]}	1.0	0.9-1.0	16

↑ ^a ^b MC-218109

Bedrock Edition:

Sound	Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
	Blocks	When an item is enchanted	`block.enchanting_table.use`	1.0	1.0

Videos[]

History[]

Java Edition
October 1, 2011					The first images of the enchantment screen are revealed, with enchantments written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet. The first enchantment translates into "Well Played Internets You Are Good", the second translates into "These Names Will Be Random And Confusing", and the third translates to "Each Spell Costs Experience Levels". The Standard Galactic Alphabet or SGA was originally created by Tom Hall for use in the Commander Keen series of computer games.
October 3, 2011					The first images of a player wearing enchanted armor are revealed.
1.0.0		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 3			The basics of enchanting have been added.
					Enchantment tables do not require bookshelves to get maximum enchantments.
					Enchantments are to be labeled in the enchantment table as random words written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet.
		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 4			A bug where all enchantments would show up as Feather Falling I has been fixed.
		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 4			Enchanting has been now properly enabled in multiplayer. Previously, if a player attempted to enchant an item, it appeared enchanted for the client, but updated with the un-enchanted status once the player logged out and then back in again.
1.2.1		12w05a			Enchanting no longer requires experience in Creative mode.
1.2.1		12w06a			Bows and golden swords now have a small chance of being already enchanted when dropped by their respective mobs.
?					Enchanting always gives the highest level available for the 3rd enchant, instead of randomly choosing a level (requiring clicking the item in and out (or attempting to insert a non-enchantable item over the item to be enchanted) many times to get level 50 enchants)
1.3.1		12w22a			The maximum enchantment power has been lowered from 50 to 30.
		12w22a			Experience is now collectable with mining and smelting in a furnace.
		12w23a			Glint (animated glow effect) on enchanted tools and armor is now visible on multiplayer.
1.4.2		12w41a			Enchantments can be combined using anvils, allowing some high level enchantments to be applied where they were not previously possible.
1.4.4		pre			Enchantments can be applied using `/enchant`. However, Protection is unavailable due to a bug.
1.4.6		12w49a			`/enchant` now works with ID 0, meaning it can be used to apply Protection.
1.4.6		12w49a			The player can now enchant books to then be used to enchant a tool.
1.7.2		13w36a			The fishing rod can be enchanted without the use of books.
1.8		14w02a			Enchanting has received a major overhaul where there is now a secondary cost, which is lapis lazuli.
					When enchanting an item, one enchantment now appears in the tooltip when selecting an enchantment (e.g Looting III?...).
					Levels are now hard to obtain again (like pre-1.3 settings.)
					Level 5 enchants (Sharpness, Power, Smite and Bane of Arthropods) can be applied without the use of an anvil.
					Villager trading has been revamped: clerics no longer enchant items, while blacksmiths trade enchanted items.
					Experience cost was reduced from a cost equal to the enchant level to a flat 1, 2, or 3
1.9		15w42a			Enchantments with max 1 level no longer displays the level, e.g. "Infinity" rather than "Infinity I".
		15w47b			Shears can no longer be enchanted with Silk Touch.
		15w47c			Shears now harvest cobweb without requiring Silk Touch.
1.11.1					Anvils no longer allow enchanted books to apply to items, if no change in enchantments would take effect. This can occur if all enchantments on the book are incompatible with existing enchantments on the item – or if the enchanted book has no enchantments.
1.13		17w47a			Hoes can be enchanted.
1.15		19w39a			Due to a rewrite of the rendering engine, the enchanting animation was changed.
1.15		19w42a			Enchanted items now glow in the dark.
1.16		20w10a‎			Hoes can be enchanted with Efficiency, Fortune and Silk Touch.
1.17.1		Pre-release 1			The maximum enchantment level that can be read has been changed to 255.^[3]
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.12.1		build 1			Added the enchanting system.
Bedrock Edition
1.4.0		beta 1.2.13.11			When Experimental Gameplay is enabled, tridents can be enchanted.
1.16.0		beta 1.16.0.57‎			Hoes can be enchanted with Efficiency, Fortune and Silk Touch.
Legacy Console Edition
TU7	CU1	1.0	Patch 1	1.0.1	Added the enchanting system.
TU31	CU19	1.22	Patch 3		Enchanting now consumes lapis lazuli.
					Enchanting has been re-balanced.
					Enchanted books can now receive multiple enchantments at once.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0					Added enchantments.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Enchanting" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Gallery[]

Screenshots[]

A sword with 4 enchantments on it.
A diamond pickaxe with multiple high-level enchantments, right after enchanting.
Place 15 bookshelves around an enchanting table to get the highest level enchantments.
A bow that has four enchantments.
Table of enchantment probabilities for books.
The GUI of the enchantment table in Pocket Edition while the Pocket UI Profile is activated (top = no item, bottom = with item hovering on the second line).
Underwater, with and without the Respiration enchantment comparison. (Removed in 1.13)

Development images[]

Enchant screen. Posted by Notch.
Some enchantments. Posted by Jeb.
Updated enchant screen. Note that gold ingots was required.
First image of enchanting in the pocket edition.

References[]

↑ MC-248616
↑ Tools of any material except stone and diamond can receive up to Efficiency V through the enchantment table. Stone tools can receive up to level IV through the enchantment table, but can be given Efficiency V by combining 2 items with Efficiency IV in an anvil. Diamond tools with efficiency V can also be found in end city and bastion remnant chests.
↑ MC-231508 — "Enchantments are capped at level 255" — resolved as "Works As Intended".

Gameplay

[treasure-1] Treasure enchantments are those that can't be obtained using an enchantment table.

[4] Channeling and Loyalty can be used together but neither can be used with Riptide.

[unflattened-5] MC-218109

[2] MC-248616

[3] Tools of any material except stone and diamond can receive up to Efficiency V through the enchantment table. Stone tools can receive up to level IV through the enchantment table, but can be given Efficiency V by combining 2 items with Efficiency IV in an anvil. Diamond tools with efficiency V can also be found in end city and bastion remnant chests.

[6] MC-231508 — "Enchantments are capped at level 255" — resolved as "Works As Intended".

[note 1]