How to customize armor in Minecraft 1.20 update snapshot

During Minecraft Live 2022, a few features planned to be introduced with the next major update were unveiled. However, this time, not all features of the update were showcased.

One of the most exciting features announced was how players could get customized armor. Even though it has been the same for a long time and every player uses it, no one expected them to get an update.

Netherite equipment has also been made slightly harder to obtain, as players will need more additional items to create them. New armor features are available in Minecraft Java snapshot 23w04a.

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Armor trimming feature in Minecraft snapshot

Snapshots, for those unaware, are test versions of the game for Java Edition that contain some or all upcoming features. Players can read more about the latest snapshot here.

A recent Minecraft snapshot introduced an unexpected armor feature that allows the player to create unique armor designs. Since this is an experimental feature, players must enable it while creating a new world in the snapshot to try armor trimming.

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Smithing template and material for armor trim

Structures such as bastions may have templates (Image via Mojang)

The armor trim smithing template is a new item that can be obtained from various structures and used to create patterns on the player's armor.

Here are all the armor trim smithing templates in the latest Minecraft snapshot and where they can be found:

• Pillager Outpost: Sentry Armor Trim
• Desert Pyramid: Dune Armor Trim
• Shipwreck: Coast Armor Trim
• Jungle Temple: Wild Armor Trim
• Ocean Monument: Tide Armor Trim
• Ancient City: Ward Armor Trim
• Woodland Mansion: Vex Armor Trim
• Nether Fortress: Rib Armor Trim
• Bastion Remnant: Snout Armor Trim
• Stronghold: Eye Armor Trim
• End City: Spire Armor Trim

Except for ocean monuments, all these structures will have templates in their loot chests. Players must kill elder guardians to get the tide armor trim smithing template. With eleven options to choose from, players can have numerous armor designs for all wearable armor items.

Along with the template, the material required for trimming will also represent the color of the trim.

Here are all the materials that can be used for armor trimming:

• Amethyst Shard
• Copper Ingot
• Diamond
• Emerald
• Gold Ingot
• Iron Ingot
• Lapis Lazuli
• Nether Quartz
• Netherite Ingot
• Redstone Dust

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How to customize armor

Customizing a netherite chestplate on the smithing table (Image via Mojang)

Players must place their items in their slots on the smithing table. The smithing template is in the first slot, the armor item in the second, and the material in the third slot. The customized armor item can then be collected from there.

It is worth noting that leather armor cannot be customized; unfortunately, customizing armor will not give the player any advantage.

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Duplicating trims

Duplicating a tide armor trim in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Armor trim smithing templates are unarguably hard to acquire. Luckily, this can be duplicated as many times as the player wants. However, doing so is quite expensive; players will need seven diamonds for a single trim.

Along with diamonds, players will also need a block of the material from which the template is made and the template itself. The template can be duplicated by placing these items on the crafting table, as shown in the above image.