How to Get Nautilus Armor in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Nautilus armor can't be crafted: copper, iron, golden and diamond tiers are chest loot in shipwrecks, ocean ruins and buried treasure. Upgrade diamond to netherite (19 armor) on a smithing table with a netherite upgrade template and a netherite ingot.

What you need

Shipwreck / ocean ruins / buried treasure access (boat, door or water breathing)
Diamond nautilus armor + netherite ingot + netherite upgrade template (for netherite)
Smithing table (for netherite)
Shears (to remove armor)

Step by step

Know the tiers: copper (4 armor), iron (5), golden (7) and diamond (11 armor, 2 toughness) come from loot; netherite (19 armor, 3 toughness, 1 knockback resistance) is smithed, never found.
Hunt shipwrecks first: every chest type in a wreck - supply, map and treasure - can hold nautilus armor. Chances per chest: copper ~10.8%, iron ~5.4%, golden ~2.7%, diamond ~1.1%.
Check ocean ruins and buried treasure too: both big and small ruins chests and buried treasure chests roll the same tiers (buried treasure matches shipwreck odds, ruins are slightly lower).
Bring a door or water breathing: ruins and wrecks are underwater, so prep for drowning, drowned mobs and mining fatigue from elder guardians near ocean monuments.
Upgrade to netherite: on a smithing table combine a netherite upgrade smithing template + diamond nautilus armor + 1 netherite ingot.
Equip it on a tamed adult nautilus or zombie nautilus with the use button. Babies can't wear it.
Remove it anytime with shears; the armor also drops when the nautilus dies. It has no durability, so it never breaks.
Salvage spare tiers: smelt copper, iron or golden nautilus armor in a furnace or blast furnace for one nugget of its metal. Piglins love the golden one - don't flash it in the Nether.
Skip the enchanting table: nautilus armor can't be enchanted in Survival; only Creative anvils apply protection-style enchants to it.

Java vs Bedrock

Loot sources, tiers and smithing are identical in Java and Bedrock. Bedrock quirk: due to a bug, zombies, husks, zombie villagers and drowned can pick up and wear nautilus armor.

Versions: Revealed at Minecraft LIVE September 2025 and added in 1.21.11 (Java snapshot 25w41a) and Bedrock 1.21.130 (Preview 1.21.130.20). Copper, iron and golden armor became blast-furnace smeltable in 25w42a.

Frequently asked questions

Can you craft nautilus armor?

No. Copper, iron, golden and diamond nautilus armor only generate as chest loot in shipwrecks, ocean ruins and buried treasure. Netherite nautilus armor is made by smithing the diamond tier with a netherite ingot and upgrade template.

Where do you find nautilus armor?

In shipwreck chests (supply, map and treasure), ocean ruins chests and buried treasure. Copper is the most common at about 11% per chest, then iron (~5%), golden (~3%) and diamond (~1%).

How much protection does nautilus armor give?

Copper 4, iron 5, golden 7, diamond 11 armor points (plus 2 toughness), and netherite 19 armor with 3 toughness and 1 knockback resistance. Like horse armor it has no durability and never breaks.