In this Minecraft Guide, we’re going to take a look at the Mending Enchantment. It happens to be one of the most rare, yet unique and sought after enchantments in the game. Below, you can find out what Mending does, how to get it and how to use it. The Enchantment was added with Version 1.9 Java Edition.
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What Does Mending Do in Minecraft?
Mending is one of many Enchantments currently available in Minecraft. It’s considered to be one of the best in-game due to what it offers. When you apply Mending to a tool, weapon or armor piece, any experience orbs gained will go towards repairing the item.
Applying Mending to an item is one of the most efficient ways of repairing it, besides using an Anvil. With the item equipped, it will be repaired at the rate of 2 Durability per experience. If you’re repairing items using experience, then this experience will not go towards your overall level.
Once you own the Mending Enchantment, it can be applied to any Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, Boots, Picaxe, Shovel, Axe, Fishing Rod, Sword, Bow, Hoe, Shears, Flint & Steel, Carrot on a Stick, Shield, Elytra, Trident, Turtle Shell or Crossbow.
How to Get the Mending Enchantment
As previously stated, the Mending Enchantment is likely the rarest of all Minecraft Enchantments. The reason being is that it can’t be obtained from an Enchanting Table. Instead, it’s classed as a ‘Treasure Enchantment’.

Therefor, there are only a few ways of actually obtaining the Enchantment without cheating. Firstly, you could try getting lucky and finding it in Chest Loot (which spawn in locations such as Temples, Mineshafts, Dungeons and Villages).
Otherwise there is a small chance that a Villager may have it up for trade at some point, especially the Librarian Villager who specifically sells Enchanted Books for Emeralds. Finally, it can also be obtained randomly whilst fishing, or during raids.
It should also be noted that there is only one Mending level, and that is 1. Where as other Enchantments go up multiple levels, increasing their efficiency.
How to Use Mending
Firstly, you need to apply the Mending Enchantment Book to any of the compatible items. You can do this using an anvil. If you don’t know how to craft an Anvil, it’s made out of 31 Iron Ingots. Create 3 Iron Blocks along the top row of a crafting table, then an upside down ‘T’ shape using Iron Ingots below.

In an Anvil, you can place your tool, weapon or armor item in the first slot. In my case, I’m applying the enchantment to a Diamond Sword. Then in the second slot, after the ‘+’ symbol, you should place the Enchanted Book. This is a good opportunity to also rename the item if you wish, by using the text box at the top of the window.
There will be an ‘Enchantment Cost’, which might be around 2 Levels or so. Once done, pull the item out and it should have Mending bound to it. Now, whenever you have the item equipped and you pick up experience orbs, it will repair the item automatically.
Apply Mending Using Commands
If you are struggling to find the Mending Enchantment Book and really want to try it out, you can use a command to apply it to any item you are holding. The command is the same across any platform, just input the following:
/enchant @p mending 1
Just make sure that you have cheats enabled. Happen to be playing on a single-player world? Open the settings, open the game to LAN and press the button ‘Enable Cheats’, then you will be able to enter console commands.