Enchanted books are one of the best ways to power up your gear in Minecraft. They let you add enchantments to weapons, armor, tools, and other items using an anvil. The easiest way to get enchanted books is right at the enchanting table.
What You Need
To enchant a book, gather these materials:
- 1 Book
- 3 Lapis Lazuli
In Creative mode, you can skip the lapis lazuli. In Survival, you need all three.
How to Enchant a Book
Step 1: Open the Enchanting Table
Right-click on your enchanting table. The enchant menu opens up.
Step 2: Add Your Items
Place the book in the first slot. Put the 3 lapis lazuli in the second slot. That’s it. You’ll see up to three enchantment options appear on the right side.
Step 3: Choose Your Enchantment
Each enchantment shows a level number on the right. That’s the experience level you need to unlock it. Higher numbers mean better enchantments.
Hover over an enchantment to see its name and cost. The cost is how many levels and lapis lazuli you’ll spend. If you don’t have enough experience, kill mobs or use the /xp command to level up.
Click the enchantment you want.
Step 4: You’re Done
The book glows purple and moves to your inventory. You now have an enchanted book. Hover over it to see what power it has.
What to Do With Enchanted Books
Enchanted books don’t do anything on their own. You apply them to other items using an anvil. You can enchant weapons, armor, pickaxes, and more. You can even combine two enchanted books on an anvil to make a single book with both enchantments.
Why Enchant Books Instead of Items?
Enchanting books is more flexible than enchanting items directly. You can save good enchantments and apply them whenever you want. You can combine multiple enchantments on one item. And you get more choices when you enchant books compared to enchanting items directly at the table.
Item ID and Data
Minecraft Java Edition
| Item Name | ID | Stack Size | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Book (minecraft:enchanted_book) | 403 | 1 | 1.8 – 1.12 |
| Enchanted Book (minecraft:enchanted_book) | 403 | 1 | 1.13 – 1.19.3+ |