How to Repair Tools in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Combine matching damaged tools in a crafting grid or grindstone for a free repair that removes non-curse enchantments. An anvil preserves compatible enchantments and costs XP. Mending repairs damaged items held or equipped when you collect XP.

What you need

Two damaged tools of the same type (grid/grindstone repair)
Anvil + repair material (diamonds, iron ingots, etc.) or a matching tool
Mending enchanted book (for permanent repair)
XP levels for anvil work

Step by step

Crafting grid: combine two damaged tools of the same type and material. Their remaining durability is added with a 5% bonus, capped at full durability. Non-curse enchantments are removed; curses remain.
Grindstone repair: combine two damaged tools of the same type in a grindstone. Same free repair, and it strips non-curse enchantments, refunding some XP. Useful for clearing bad enchantments.
Anvil repair with material: put the tool in the left slot and its material in the middle (diamonds for diamond tools, iron ingots for iron tools, and so on). Each material item restores 25% durability and enchantments are kept, but it costs XP levels.
Anvil combine: merge two enchanted tools of the same type to add their durabilities together and combine or keep enchantments. The prior-work penalty makes repeated repairs cost more each time.
Mending: apply a Mending enchanted book to your best tools at an anvil. Held or worn items with Mending repair themselves from XP orbs, making them effectively permanent.
Netherite note: netherite tools repair with netherite ingots on an anvil, which is expensive, so Mending is the real answer for endgame gear.

Java vs Bedrock

Repair mechanics are the same in Java and Bedrock: grid combining gives a 5% durability bonus, anvil material repair restores 25% per item, and the anvil prior-work penalty applies in both. Mending works identically in both editions.

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

Frequently asked questions

Why do my enchantments disappear when I repair?

Crafting-grid and grindstone repairs remove non-curse enchantments, but preserve curses. Anvil repairs keep compatible enchantments; Mending repairs without removing enchantments.

What is the cheapest way to repair a diamond pickaxe?

Anvil with diamonds: each diamond restores 25% durability. But the prior-work penalty grows, so for a good pickaxe the cheapest long-term answer is a Mending book and an XP source.

Can you repair tools infinitely?

Mending can keep repairing damaged held or equipped tools if you collect enough XP. Repeated anvil repairs accumulate prior work and eventually become too expensive in Survival. Unenchanted tools can also be combined repeatedly, consuming another matching tool each time.

What material repairs what tool?

Supported tools use their repair material: planks for wood, cobblestone/blackstone/cobbled deepslate for stone, copper ingots for copper, iron ingots for iron, gold ingots for gold, diamonds for diamond and netherite ingots for netherite. Elytra use phantom membranes. Shears do not accept iron-ingot unit repair: combine another pair or use Mending.