How to Open a Vault in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Use a trial key on a vault block inside trial chambers: hold the key and interact with the vault to make it eject loot. Each vault gives loot once per player, and ominous vaults need an ominous trial key instead.

What you need

Trial key (from trial spawners)
Ominous trial key (from ominous trial spawners, for ominous vaults)

Step by step

Find a trial chamber underground, usually between layers -20 and -40; explore caves or use a trial explorer map from a journeyman cartographer villager.
Look for vaults: small decorative blocks with a keyhole face, placed around combat chambers and corridors.
Get a trial key by completing trial spawners: defeat every mob a spawner summons and it may eject a trial key as a reward.
Hold the trial key and use it on the vault. The vault opens and ejects loot for you.
Every player can loot the same vault once, so everyone on a server gets their own reward from each vault.
For an ominous vault, use an ominous trial key earned from ominous spawners. Trial Omen is needed to convert spawners, not to open the vault. Ominous vaults are separate generated blocks; a normal vault does not turn ominous.

Java vs Bedrock

Vaults work the same in Java and Bedrock since 1.21: one loot roll per player per vault, ominous vaults gated behind ominous trial keys. Regular vaults can give the bolt armor trim, Density and Breach enchanted books and wind charges; only ominous vaults give the heavy core (for the mace), flow armor trim and Wind Burst enchanted books.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note for differences.

Frequently asked questions

Can you mine or move a vault?

No. Breaking a vault drops nothing in survival, and pistons cannot move it. You have to open it where it stands with a key.

How many times can you open a vault?

For normal play, each player opens each vault once; the spawner's 30-minute cooldown does not reset a vault. A vault stores 128 player identities, not a 128-player participation limit. On very large servers, a 129th distinct opener removes the oldest entry, but this is not a normal solo farming route.

What loot do vaults give?

Regular vaults drop items like emeralds, arrows, wind charges, the bolt armor trim and Density or Breach enchanted books. Ominous vaults drop better loot, including the heavy core, flow armor trim and Wind Burst books.

How do you get an ominous trial key?

Drink an ominous bottle for Bad Omen, approach a non-ominous trial spawner to gain Trial Omen, then complete ominous spawners. Captains killed outside raids drop bottles rather than giving Bad Omen directly.