Minecraft Mending Guide

If you've ever watched your favorite pickaxe, sword, or Elytra slowly wear down after hours of adventuring, you know how frustrating equipment durability can be in Minecraft. Fortunately, there's one enchantment that completely changes the game: Mending.

Unlike most enchantments that simply boost damage or improve efficiency, Mending keeps your gear alive by repairing it automatically while you play. Instead of constantly crafting replacement tools or spending valuable resources on an anvil, you simply collect experience points, and your equipment repairs itself.

It's no surprise that many players consider Mending the single best enchantment in Minecraft. Here's everything you need to know about how it works, where to find it, and why every player should prioritize getting it.

What Does Minecraft Mending Do?

Mending is a treasure enchantment, meaning it cannot be obtained through the standard enchanting table. Instead, it must be found through special methods such as trading or discovering enchanted books.

The enchantment has one incredibly useful effect:

• Every 1 XP point restores 2 durability points on a damaged item.

• Repair happens automatically as soon as experience orbs are collected.

• No crafting materials are required.

• No trips to an anvil are needed.

Whether you're defeating hostile mobs, mining valuable ores, smelting resources, fishing, or trading with villagers, every activity that rewards experience can also keep your equipment in perfect condition.

This makes Mending especially valuable during long mining sessions, boss fights, or extended exploration where returning home to repair gear would interrupt your adventure.

How Mending Repairs Your Equipment

The repair process is surprisingly simple once you understand the mechanics.

Whenever you collect an experience orb, Minecraft first checks whether you're holding or wearing any damaged item enchanted with Mending.

Eligible equipment includes:

• Armor currently being worn

• Items in your main hand

• Items in your off-hand

If a damaged Mending item is found, the experience is converted into durability instead of being added to your experience bar.

If several damaged Mending items are equipped simultaneously, Minecraft randomly chooses one of them for each experience orb collected.

Once an item reaches full durability, it is ignored, allowing other damaged items to receive repairs. Only after every equipped Mending item has been fully repaired does your collected XP begin filling your experience bar again.

The Hidden Trade-Off of Using Mending

Although Mending is incredibly powerful, it comes with one small downside.

Since collected XP is used to repair equipment first, you gain experience levels more slowly whenever multiple damaged Mending items are equipped.

For players who are trying to enchant gear, combine books on an anvil, or simply reach higher experience levels, this can reduce leveling efficiency.

Thankfully, there's an easy solution.

When you're specifically farming XP:

• Equip only the item you want to repair.

• Store other damaged Mending gear in your inventory.

• Use fully repaired tools whenever possible.

This lets you repair equipment quickly while still earning experience levels at a much better pace.

Which Items Can Use Mending?

One reason Mending is so popular is that it works on nearly every item that has durability.

Compatible equipment includes:

Tools

• Pickaxes

• Axes

• Shovels

• Hoes

• Fishing rods

• Shears

Weapons

• Swords

• Bows

• Crossbows

• Tridents

Armor

• Helmets

• Chestplates

• Leggings

• Boots

Special Equipment

• Elytra

For many experienced players, their first priorities are usually Netherite tools, Elytra, and frequently used weapons since these items are the most expensive to replace.

Mending vs Infinity

There is one important enchantment conflict every archer should know.

Mending and Infinity cannot exist on the same bow.

This forces players to choose between two excellent abilities.

Infinity offers:

• Unlimited arrow usage

• Only one arrow required in inventory

• Great for frequent combat

Mending offers:

• Automatic durability restoration

• Significantly longer weapon lifespan

• Less need for repairs or replacements

Neither option is objectively better.

Players who rarely worry about crafting arrows often choose Mending for maximum durability. Others who spend lots of time fighting enemies may prefer Infinity's convenience.

The decision ultimately depends on your preferred playstyle.

How to Get Minecraft Mending

Because Mending is a treasure enchantment, finding it requires a little extra effort.

Fortunately, there are several reliable methods.

Trade with Librarian Villagers

This is by far the fastest and most consistent approach.

Any Librarian villager has the potential to sell a Mending enchanted book.

If their trades don't include it:

1. Break their lectern.

2. Place the lectern back down.

3. Check their trades again.

4. Repeat until Mending appears.

Many players build entire trading halls around this strategy because it guarantees access to one of Minecraft's strongest enchantments.

Search Loot Chests

Exploring naturally generated structures can also reward Mending books.

Possible locations include:

• Ancient Cities

• Strongholds

• Desert Pyramids

• Jungle Temples

• Abandoned Mineshafts

Although less reliable than trading, discovering a Mending book during exploration always feels rewarding.

Go Fishing

Fishing has a small chance of pulling treasure items instead of fish.

Among these treasures are enchanted books, including Mending.

Some players use AFK fishing farms to improve efficiency, though the odds remain relatively low compared to villager trading.

Complete Pillager Raids (Bedrock Edition)

Players using Minecraft Bedrock Edition have another option.

Successfully defending a village during a pillager raid can occasionally reward a Mending enchanted book, offering another path for those who enjoy combat-focused gameplay.

Why Every Player Should Prioritize Mending

Very few enchantments provide permanent long-term value quite like Mending.

Instead of repeatedly crafting expensive replacements or spending valuable materials repairing gear, you simply continue playing the game normally while your favorite equipment restores itself.

Whether you're exploring caves, building massive projects, farming mobs, or venturing into the End, Mending quietly works in the background to keep your tools ready for whatever comes next.

Its incredible efficiency is one of the reasons Minecraft has remained one of the world's most beloved sandbox games. And while Minecraft isn't built around blockchain technology, players interested in discovering the next generation of gaming experiences can also explore the latest Blockchain games featuring player-owned assets, Web3 economies, and innovative gameplay mechanics.

Final Thoughts

Mending is widely regarded as Minecraft's most valuable enchantment—and for good reason. By transforming collected XP into automatic durability restoration, it dramatically extends the lifespan of your favorite tools, armor, weapons, and Elytra without requiring additional resources.

If you're looking for the quickest way to obtain it, trading with a Librarian villager remains the most reliable method. Once you've secured a Mending book, prioritize applying it to your most frequently used gear. From there, simply continue playing, collecting XP, and let the enchantment take care of the repairs for you. With Mending on your side, broken equipment becomes a problem of the past.