How to Use an Enchanted Book in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Place the item and the enchanted book in an anvil: the item goes in the left slot, the book in the middle, and you pay the XP level cost shown on the right. Books can also combine with other books to stack enchantments or raise their level.

What you need

Anvil (3 iron blocks + 4 iron ingots)
Enchanted book
The tool, weapon or armor to enchant
XP levels (cost shown on the anvil)

Step by step

Craft or find an anvil: 3 iron blocks + 4 iron ingots (31 iron total). Enchanted books come from fishing, chest loot, raid drops in Bedrock, bartering with piglins (Soul Speed), or librarian villager trades.
Place the anvil and right-click it. Put the item you want to enchant in the left slot.
Put the enchanted book in the middle slot. The right slot shows the result and its XP level cost; survival mode caps costs at 39 levels ('Too Expensive!' beyond that).
Combine books and gear in a balanced order, pairing items with similar prior-work penalties where possible. Compare the displayed costs, including swapping the two slots when both orders are valid. One giant combined book is not always cheapest.
Combine books: two Protection I books give Protection II. Matching enchantments at the same level rise by one only below their normal maximum; two Protection IV books do not give Protection V. Different compatible enchantments can merge.
Respect incompatibilities: Sharpness, Smite and Bane of Arthropods exclude each other; the four Protection types exclude each other; Fortune and Silk Touch exclude each other; Mending and Infinity exclude each other.

Java vs Bedrock

Both editions limit ordinary Survival anvil work to 39 levels, but enchantment costs can differ. Renaming alone does not increase the prior-work penalty. Treasure enchantments such as Mending cannot be obtained at the enchanting table.

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

Frequently asked questions

Why does my anvil say Too Expensive?

The displayed total would be 40 or more levels for ordinary Survival anvil work. Both inputs can contribute prior-work penalties, and repair/enchantment costs are added. Use balanced combinations and compare costs before taking the result.

How do you get Mending on an item?

Mending is a treasure enchantment: it never comes from the enchanting table. Get a Mending book from librarian villagers, fishing, or chest loot, then apply it on an anvil.

Can you combine two different enchanted books?

Yes. Compatible enchantments can merge, and matching levels rise by one only below the enchantment's maximum: two Unbreaking II give III, but two III stay III.

Do enchanted books work on any item?

Only on items that accept that enchantment. You cannot put Sharpness on a pickaxe through an anvil, and Silk Touch will not go on a sword.