How to Enchant a Shield in Minecraft (Bedrock and Java)

Once you’ve gotten to the midgame of Minecraft, some different priorities come into play. You likely have some sort of base at this point and some solid tools/armor, and are now looking to improve that gear in various ways. You’re also looking for a stronghold, in hopes of finding the end portal and putting an end to the Ender Dragon. Before you can though, you’ll want to enchant all of your gear to help you survive. Here’s how to enchant a shield in Minecraft (on both Bedrock and Java).

Can You Enchant a Shield in Minecraft?

Thankfully in our case, enchanting a shield works exactly the same in Minecraft Java as it does in Bedrock. With that being said, there are some heavy restrictions to how you can enchant said shield. Unlike other tools, you can’t just throw it into an Enchanting Table, select the level 30 enchantment, and go about your day. Shields can only be enchanted with three different enchantments, and each of them must be applied using an Anvil and Enchanted Books.

Two of the enchantments you can apply are useful, while the other enchantment actually harms you. As far as the beneficial enchantments go, you can apply both Mending and Unbreaking (up to III) onto the shield. Mending will repair the durability of your shield when picking up experience from any source, while Unbreaking will make your shield’s durability drop more slowly. As for the harmful enchantment, Curse of Vanishing, this will cause the shield to be deleted rather than drop on death when your character dies. Naturally, you don’t want that.

Related: When Was Minecraft Made? – Answered

While shield enchantments are quite limited in Minecraft, it’s highly suggested you apply Unbreaking and Mending to yours. It’ll save you from having to remake a million shields in the long run, even if getting those books can be somewhat challenging. If you’re on the hunt for these books yourself, here’s our guide on all villagers and everything they can trade.