How to use enchanted books in Minecraft (2023)

Minecraft's various enchantments are typically applied through the use of an enchanting table. However, that isn't the only viable method to enchant a player's gear. If players create or loot enchanted books, they can also use the nifty portable items to apply enchantments to gear using an anvil. Doing so is cheaper than using an enchanting table, and some enchantments can only be found within books.

Since enchanting tables can be pricey to assemble, given the fact that they require obsidian and diamonds, players can save some resources by applying enchanted books via an anvil instead. It's a great way to apply enchantments early on in Minecraft, especially when players don't have the resources to make an enchanting table.

If Minecraft players are curious about using enchanted books, it doesn't hurt to take a look at how they're applied.

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Players need three things to start enchanting using enchanted books in Minecraft 1.19

Minecraft players will need three things to start enchanting using enchanted books: an anvil, an enchanted book, and a piece of gear that is compatible with the enchantment that they want to apply. They will also need experience levels to apply enchantments, much as they would at a table, albeit using enchanted books has a lower application cost.

For example, players can use an enchanted book to apply the Frost Walker enchantment, but only on a pair of boots since they are the only pieces of armor that are compatible with that enchantment.

As previously stated, players can create enchanted books by enchanting a regular book at an enchanting table, but they can sometimes find rare enchanted books within generated structures.

Here's how to enchant gear with an enchanted book in Minecraft:

1. Create and place an anvil block wherever you'd like. To create one, you'll need to combine three iron blocks and four iron ingots in a crafting table.
2. Once you've got your anvil set down, interact with it to open the block's UI.
3. In the left slot of the UI, place the piece of gear you'd like to enchant. Follow up by placing your enchanted book in the center slot of the UI. The anvil will then inform you of how many experience levels you need to apply the enchantment. If you're happy with the cost and have the experience levels available to spend, the enchanted gear piece should appear in the right slot of the UI. You can now remove the enchanted gear and place it in your inventory.

That's all there is to it! As long as the Minecraft player's anvil is in good condition, they have an enchanted book, and some experience levels to burn, players can apply enchantments from books quickly and easily.

Additionally, if players want to remove their enchantment from the gear piece (or the book itself) at a later date, they can place them in a grindstone block. This will strip the enchantment from the item and refund their part of the experience cost that was required to apply the enchantment.