Anvils in Minecraft are more than just decorative blocks; they are essential tools for any player looking to enhance their gameplay. These robust crafting stations allow you to repair damaged equipment, rename your favorite items, and even combine enchantments to create powerful gear. Mastering the anvil is key to progression in Minecraft, whether you’re battling the Ender Dragon or building your dream base.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about crafting an anvil in Minecraft, from gathering the necessary materials to understanding its versatile uses. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting your Minecraft adventure, learning to make and utilize an anvil will significantly improve your gameplay experience.
What is an Anvil and Why Do You Need One?
An anvil in Minecraft serves three primary functions, each crucial for maintaining and improving your items:
- Repairing Items: Over time, your weapons, tools, and armor will lose durability. Anvils allow you to repair these items using the same material they are made from. This is a cost-effective way to keep your favorite gear in top condition without completely replacing them.
- Renaming Items: Want to give your sword a cool name like “Dragon Slayer” or personalize your pet’s name tag? Anvils let you rename any item in the game. This is purely cosmetic but adds a personal touch to your Minecraft world.
- Combining Enchantments: Anvils are unique in their ability to combine enchantments from two different items of the same type, or from enchanted books onto items. This allows you to create incredibly powerful tools and weapons by stacking beneficial enchantments that you might not find on a single enchanted item.
Understanding these uses highlights why an anvil is not just a crafting recipe to learn, but a fundamental tool to master for any serious Minecraft player.
Platforms Where Anvils are Available
Anvils are a standard feature in Minecraft and are available across nearly all platforms where the game is playable. You can craft and use anvils in the following versions of Minecraft:
- Java Edition (PC/Mac): Available since version 1.4.2.
- Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition (including Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Windows 10 Edition, and Mobile): Available since version 0.12.1 (PE).
- Xbox 360 Edition: Available since Title Update 14.
- PlayStation 3 Edition: Available since version 1.04.
- Wii U Edition
- Education Edition
No matter which platform you prefer to play on, you’ll have access to the anvil and its crafting recipe.
Finding Anvils in Creative Mode
If you’re playing in Creative Mode and need an anvil instantly, you can easily find it within the creative inventory. The location varies slightly depending on your Minecraft version:
For Java Edition (PC/Mac):
- Versions 1.8 – 1.19: Find anvils in the “Decoration Blocks” tab.
- Versions 1.19.3 – 1.21.1 and later: Anvils are located in the “Functional Blocks” tab.
For Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition:
- Versions 0.14.1 – 1.1.3: Look for anvils in the “Decorations” tab.
- Versions 1.2 – 1.21.0 and later: Anvils can be found in the “Items” tab.
For Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Windows 10, and Education Editions: The location is generally within “Miscellaneous” or “Items” tabs depending on the specific version. Refer to the provided tables in the original article for precise version-specific locations if needed.
These creative inventory locations allow for quick access to anvils without crafting, ideal for building and testing in Creative Mode.
Gathering Materials for an Anvil
To craft an anvil in Survival Mode, you will need the following materials:
- 3 Blocks of Iron: Each block of iron is crafted from 9 iron ingots, meaning you’ll need a total of 27 iron ingots for the iron blocks.
- 4 Iron Ingots: You’ll need an additional 4 iron ingots besides those used for the iron blocks.
A Minecraft Iron Ingot, a key component in crafting an anvil.
In total, crafting one anvil requires 31 iron ingots. Iron is obtained by mining iron ore, which is commonly found in caves and underground. You will need to smelt the iron ore in a furnace to get iron ingots. Iron blocks are then crafted from iron ingots at a crafting table.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting an Anvil in Survival Mode
Once you have gathered all the necessary iron, follow these steps to craft your anvil:
Step 1: Open the Crafting Table
First, you need to access a crafting table. If you don’t have one yet, you can craft a crafting table using wooden planks. Place the crafting table in your desired location and interact with it to open the 3×3 crafting grid.
The 3×3 crafting grid interface in Minecraft, ready for crafting recipes.
Step 2: Arrange Materials in the Crafting Grid
In the crafting table interface, place the iron blocks and iron ingots in the correct pattern to craft an anvil. The recipe is specific and must be followed precisely:
- Top Row: Place 3 blocks of iron in all three slots.
- Middle Row: Leave the first and third slots empty, and place 1 iron ingot in the center slot.
- Bottom Row: Place 3 iron ingots in all three slots.
The precise crafting recipe for an anvil in Minecraft, using iron blocks and ingots.
Ensure that you arrange the materials exactly as shown in the image. Incorrect placement will not result in an anvil.
Step 3: Move the Anvil to Your Inventory
After correctly placing the iron blocks and iron ingots in the crafting grid, the anvil will appear in the result slot on the right side of the crafting interface. Click and drag the anvil to your inventory to complete the crafting process.
A freshly crafted anvil, ready to be moved from the crafting table to the player’s inventory.
Congratulations! You have successfully crafted an anvil in Minecraft. You can now place it in your world and start using it for repairing, renaming, and enchanting your items.
Anvil Item ID and Block States
For players who are interested in Minecraft commands or technical details, here is some information about the anvil’s Item ID and Block States:
Item ID: minecraft:anvil
This ID is consistent across Java Edition and Bedrock Edition for recent versions. In older versions, it might have been simply anvil without the minecraft: namespace.
Block States:
Anvil block states determine its orientation and damage level. While damage states are more relevant to gameplay (as anvils can take damage and break from use or falling), understanding direction can be useful for map makers or advanced builders.
For Java Edition (PC/Mac):
- facing: Indicates the direction the anvil is facing. Possible values are
north,south,east,west.
For Pocket Edition (PE) / Bedrock Edition, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Windows 10, and Education Editions:
- damage: Indicates the damage level of the anvil. Possible values include
undamaged, and potentially damaged stages if using commands to modify anvils. - direction: Indicates the direction the anvil is facing, represented numerically:
0: West1: North2: East3: South
This technical information is generally used in commands such as /give, /setblock, or /fill for precise control over item spawning and block placement.
Give Command for Anvils
For quick access to anvils using commands, especially useful for testing or in creative environments, you can use the /give command.
In Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac) (Versions 1.13 and later):
/give @p anvil 1In Minecraft Java Edition (PC/Mac) (Versions 1.8 – 1.12) and Bedrock Edition (All recent versions):
/give @p anvil 1 0These commands will give one anvil to the nearest player (@p). The 0 in the older Java command and Bedrock command specifies the Data Value, which is 0 for an undamaged anvil.
Beyond Crafting: Unlocking Minecraft Potential with Anvils
Crafting an anvil is just the first step. Once you have your anvil, you unlock a range of possibilities to enhance your Minecraft experience:
- Repairing your favorite Diamond Sword: Instead of crafting a new sword when your diamond sword loses durability, repair it at the anvil with some diamonds, saving valuable resources.
- Creating uniquely named tools: Rename your pickaxe “The Vein Miner” or your shovel “Earth Mover” for a personalized touch and better organization of your tools.
- Combining enchantments for ultimate gear: Take two enchanted diamond pickaxes with different but complementary enchantments and combine them on the anvil to create a single pickaxe with both sets of enchantments. Or, use enchanted books to add or combine enchantments on your equipment.
By utilizing your anvil effectively, you can maintain your gear, personalize your items, and create powerful enchanted tools and weapons that will aid you in all your Minecraft adventures. Now that you know how to make an anvil, go forth and forge your path to Minecraft mastery!
