Use an anvil to apply an enchanted book: place the item and book in its two input slots, check the output and experience cost, then take the result if it is the enchantment you want. The item must be compatible with the enchantment.
Apply an enchanted book to an item
- Check compatibility. Confirm that the enchantment can be applied to your target item. Minecraft’s official enchantment reference groups enchantments by gear type and notes that availability can differ by edition.
- Open an anvil. Place the item you want to enchant in one input slot and the enchanted book in the other. See Minecraft’s anvil guide.
- Inspect the output. Check that the result shows the intended enchantment. If no suitable result appears, the book may not be compatible with that item.
- Check the experience cost. The anvil displays the cost for the operation. It varies with the enchantment and its level, so there is no single cost that applies to every book and item. Minecraft’s anvil guide says applying a book costs less XP than combining two enchanted tools.
- Take the result if the enchantment and displayed cost work for you.
Combine enchanted books to reach higher levels
You can also use an anvil to combine enchanted books. When the inputs have matching enchantments, combining them can produce a higher level, up to that enchantment’s maximum. The result depends on the enchantment and the books you use; check the anvil output before taking it.
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Where enchanted books come from
Loot is one documented source: the Java Edition 1.21 notes mention random loot chests for some enchanted books and Ominous Vaults for Wind Burst I. These examples are not a complete list of ways to find books across Java and Bedrock, or for every enchantment.
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What can vary between editions and versions
The cited official material covers Minecraft’s general enchantment and anvil guides, plus Java Edition 1.21 notes. It does not establish that every interface detail, cost, or book source is identical in the latest Java and Bedrock releases. Follow the anvil output in your game and use edition-specific examples only for the version they describe.
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