Minecraft Enchanting Table Guide
Quick answer: you need 15 bookshelves for level 30 enchantments. Place them one block away from the table, at the same level or one block higher, with air (no torches, carpet or blocks) in the gap between.
How to use
- Craft an enchanting table (book, 2 diamonds, 4 obsidian).
- Surround it with 15 bookshelves in a ring with a one-block air gap; a 5×5 ring two blocks high has room for more than enough.
- Insert the item and 1–3 lapis lazuli, then pick one of the three offers. The top-right option needs at least 30 levels but only consumes 3 levels.
How the enchanting table works
The table offers three enchantments. The required level of the strongest offer depends on how many bookshelves are in range, up to 15 (level 30). The offers cost 1, 2 or 3 levels and 1, 2 or 3 lapis. You see one enchantment as a hint; you may get extra bonus enchantments. Treasure enchantments (Mending, Frost Walker, Soul Speed, Swift Sneak, Wind Burst, curses) never appear on the table.
Bookshelf placement
Bookshelves count if they sit two blocks horizontally from the table (one block gap), at the table's level or one higher. Anything in the gap blocks that shelf. Breaking or blocking shelves lowers the offers – useful if you want a lower-level enchant.
After the table: the anvil
The table cannot give you a perfect item. Enchant books at the table, then combine them with our anvil enchantment order calculator, check the enchantments list for conflicts, and use the XP calculator to see how much XP level 30 takes (1,395 points). Before merging your table-enchanted books, read how to avoid the anvil Too Expensive limit to plan your combinations.
FAQ
How many bookshelves do you need for level 30?
15 bookshelves, placed with a one-block gap from the enchanting table.
Why is my enchanting table not going up to 30?
Something is blocking the gap between the table and a shelf (torch, carpet, slab), or the shelves are too far or too high.
Does enchanting at level 30 take 30 levels?
No. The top offer requires 30 levels but consumes only 3 levels and 3 lapis lazuli.
Can I get Mending from an enchanting table?
No. Mending is a treasure enchantment found via villager trading, fishing or loot chests.
Last updated: 2026-10-30