Minecraft: 8 Best Ways To Get XP (2024)

XP in Minecraft is almost a necessity. If players are to improve their tools, armor, and general way of life in Minecraft, they will need to garner XP to put Enchantments on their gear. However, XP isn’t the easiest to obtain, and sometimes, it can take far too long just to get a few levels, when the risk of dying and losing them is around every corner or hissing Creeper.

The best ways to get XP in Minecraft involve a plethora of different methods. XP is universal in Minecraft, so builders, explorers, miners, adventurers, and more all have different methods of obtaining it. However, there are only a few truly effective methods to get quick XP in Minecraft.

Updated on August 16, 2024, by Jake Fillery: It's important to get XP fast in Minecraft, as it will allow players to unlock the full potential of their gear and armor through enchantments. However, acquiring easy XP in Minecraft isn't always going to be easy, but there are a fair few sources that make the grind fun and effective, whilst also allowing players to earn a few unique rewards outside of just the experience points that they seek.

20 Complete Raids

A Dangerous Yet Thrilling Battle Against Illager Armies For XP and Emeralds

A raid is an exciting in-game activity in Minecraft that will see waves of Illagers attempt to destroy the innocent Villagers that just want to go about their day-to-day. Raids can be started with Ominous Potions, which are found in Trial Chambers and from Pillager Captains. Raids feature Pillagers, Vindicators, Evokers, Vex, Witches, and Ravagers, and as they spawn in dangerous waves, players will have a fight for the ages, earning XP per kill, potential saddles, potions, weapons, and emeralds, as well as celebrations from surviving villagers.

Whilst players can set up a Raid farm to ensure that all Illagers are killed as soon as they spawn in, it's always fun to do it the old-fashioned way to make sure that XP that drops is gained and feels more rewarding as players head into battle with their armor and sword to lay waste to the dreaded Illager armies.

19 Create a Kelp Farm

An Efficient Automated Farm That Harvests and Cooks Kelp For XP and Fuel

Farms are always a brilliant and inventive way to get XP, as they modernize Redstone works to create effective sources. Kelp farms are one of the easiest XP farms to set up, and one of the fastest, due to how quickly Kelp regrows, and how much XP can be earned from smelting it. Kelp farms do not require many materials to set up, which truly helps for casual gains.

Players can create a Kelp XP farm starting with just three blocks for kelp, and now they can just AFK for a few minutes or even hours as the farm does all the work, using Redstone to smelt the Kelp once it grows a certain height, allowing for plenty of dried kelp and XP.

18 Venture Through Trial Chambers

Regenerating Mob Spawners That Provide Loot and XP

A more recent addition to Minecraft is the Trial Chambers, which feature hidden underground structures that can be found simply by exploring caves or purchasing a Trial Map from a Cartographer Villager. Trial Chambers have the potential to be a lot of fun, and the different waves of difficulty and inclusion of the new Breeze mob make for a fun time, with plenty of XP.

With the trial spawners unable to be destroyed or stopped, players can enjoy a near-infinite amount of mobs, especially from harder ominous trials that are achieved by drinking an Ominous Potion. These trials will see even more enemies, which in turn, means even more XP.

17 Zombie Piglin Farms

Instant Gold and Endless XP For Little Work

When exploring the Nether, some players might look at Zombie Piglins and see them as utterly useless. However, Innovative Minecraft creators like ianxofour have created incredible Zombie Piglin Farms that provide the Zombie Piglins with some use, even if that use involves them being killed. Players need barely any blocks outside of Obsidian, trap doors, any form of stone, and most importantly, a Turtle Egg.

The turtle egg is important because Zombie Piglins are attracted to it. The way the farm works is that by creating a farmed-out area in the Nether, only Piglins and Zombie Piglins can spawn. In this spawn range, Zombie Piglins will be drawn to a Turtle Egg, and that will see them teleported to the overworld, and then back to the Nether so that they are stuck on a block where they cannot move or hurt the player, allowing the player to stand there and take them all out. Thanks to ianxofour, it's not an overly complex farm, and gold is always equally as nice as XP.

16 Go Mining

Mine Resources Like Coal & Diamonds For Quick XP

Grab a pickaxe and head down to the dark and dangerous caves, as mining is one of the most efficient and common sources of XP. For materials that do not need to be smelted, players can earn XP straight away. Chipping away at Coal, Diamonds, Redstone and other materials will provide nice surges of XP.

Mining is essential to survival worlds, as players will need to descend into the depths of their worlds to obtain valued resources to deepen their understanding of creation and explore the Nether and beyond, so mining is always a nice excuse to get out there and earn XP.

15 Create An Enderman Farm

Make A Farm In The End To Horde Enderman XP

Enderman farms may be a complex and time-consuming addition, but if players have already reached The End in Minecraft, then there's no harm in creating one. The process may seem a tad intimidating due to the number of building blocks needed, but the fact that players will not need to experiment with Redstone makes this one of the safest mob farms to do, so long as they provide a plethora of lava.

An Enderman farm can help players reach level 33 in just over a minute, providing the fastest XP in Minecraft, as long as they have the time and patience to build the farm itself. Players will earn XP from dead Endermen, as well as plenty of Ender Pearls, providing use in terms of XP and item gain.

14 Create A Blaze Farm

Easily Trap Blazes To Make A Competent XP Farm

Discovering a stronghold in Minecraft is a bounty of reward and danger. They are filled with exciting chests and almost always, a Blaze spawner. This spawner should be kept under lock and key, as it will be essential for a farming spot made out of lava and glass panels. Players can mine out a specific sized area to cause the Blazes to spawn, only to be trapped in the same block, where players can hit them until the Blazes die, and drop that lovely XP and Blaze Rods.

It's one of the best ways to get XP in Minecraft, especially since players will need Blaze Rods for certain potions and exploring The End. It's a late game process that requires a lot of glass, but it's a near infinite resource that can most certainly aid players.

13 Destroy Sculk

Use A Hoe For Quick XP When Destroying Sculk Materials

Down in the depths of Minecraft’s new cave system, players will be able to find the deep dark biome. Within this biome lurks the dangers of the Warden, as well as many interesting blocks. The sculk family blocks consist of Sculk, Sculk Catalyst, Sculk Sensors, and Sculk Shriekers. These blocks are threatening in their own right, but destroying them drops XP.

Players should be cautious of summoning the Warden though, as all that XP will be lost if that hostile and near-unstoppable mob finds the player. However, with a hoe, players can make quick work of these Sculk blocks, and happily build their XP levels.

12 Mob Farms

Locate A Spawner In Caves Then Build A Trap Room To Claim Their XP

Mobs are always an effective way of getting XP. Players not only will be able to attack evil creatures in Minecraft, but they will sometimes obtain their loot. Players can run around in the night looking for mobs, or they can build a mob farm, using tons of materials to trap mobs in a loop of spawning and death.

Players are quite innovative with the mob farms they create, leading to easy access to killing mobs for a near-infinite amount of accessible XP. It’s always an effective method, as long as players have the materials for it or the luck of finding a mob spawner in a cave.

11 Villager Trading

Trade Emeralds & Items With Villagers For XP Per Trade

Villager trading is useful in its own right. Players can make the best villager trades in Minecraft by choosing their roles, and in doing so, the player will be able to trade and sell off items they don’t need or have easy access to, to earn themselves emeralds and XP.

Each trade will grant the player a small amount of XP, but if the Villager they are trading with has their workstation and bed nearby, players can infinitely trade their stock. This means that XP is a great source from villager trades, as Minecraft players may have an infinite supply of vegetables or other assortments to trade with.

10 Use Grindstones

Remove Enchantments From Tools & Armor For XP

Although using a Grindstone may not be the best way to get XP in Minecraft, it’s still pretty effective for players that have unwanted enchantments on their items. Some players may end up farming their Enchantment Tables for the best enchantments in Minecraft for their sword, armor, or other tools, which may leave them with plenty of spare tools.

These spare tools do not have to be discarded through a lava bin, or thrown to eventually despawn. Players can take the item to the Grindstone to disenchant it, and receive experience points for doing so, the amount depends on the modified item level.

9 Mining Nether Quarts

A Common Mining Item In The Nether With Provides Great XP

Mining ores like coal and diamonds will grant the player XP, but the most effective method is Nether Quarts. Sure, it may be a struggle to get to the Nether in the first place, and quite scary in doing so thanks to the plethora of dangerous mobs that lurk in this strange dimension, but it is entirely worth it.

Players will be able to shoot up in XP levels if they mine Nether Quarts. These effective blocks are practically in every direction, left, right, up, and down. The near-infinite arrival of Nether Quarts means players can level up fast in the Nether.

8 Trade With Piglins

Trades With Piglins Need Only Gold & Provide XP Per Trade

The Nether is a dangerous place, and players might want to bring plenty of protection when they venture to the dark and alternate realm. However, if there’s one thing players will need, it’s a piece of gold armor on their person so that they are not attacked by Piglins.

Gold isn’t exactly rare in the Nether or when mining and players can use the plentiful gold resources they have to trade with Piglins. Trading with Piglins will give players XP and useful items that they can use, bartered from Piglins.

7 Breeding Animals

Create A Greater Food Source & Earn XP In The Process

Not only are animals useful for their cuteness in the Minecraft world, and the meat that they can supply players, but in breeding, animal players will get a reasonable amount of XP. It may not be the quickest or most effective method in gaining levels, but it’s always good to have a solid supply of animals for food sources.

Having a huge amount of, say, cows, will mean that the player has instant access to one of the best food sources in the game, leather, as well as XP every time cows breed and produce another baby. It’s not the fastest XP way, but it sure is peaceful.

6 Smash Bottles O’ Enchanting

A Throwable Potion That Grants XP When Smashed

The throwable potion that grants XP, the Bottle o’ Enchanting will drop anywhere between 3 to 11 XP orbs. If players want to obtain the Bottle o’ Enchanting, they are going to want to either trade with a Master-level cleric villager, or they can be found in chests from Ancient Cities, Pillager Outposts, Shipwrecks, and Buried Treasure stashes.

Bottle o’ Enchanting drops are a great encouragement for exploration. Players will be able to find a grand amount of rewards if they are to venture out into the Minecraft world. Although seeking these rare riches, players might want to bring a sword and some armor.

5 Fishing

Catch Fish Or Items & Earn XP Per Catch

Fishing has been an effective way to level up for years in Minecraft. Each time the fishing rod snags and a player finds something on their line, they will earn XP for whatever they find. Whether it’s a fish, a book, or some rotting flesh, fishing is a great method for XP.

Not only can fishing help players gain quick and peaceful levels, but the fact that some of the loot they can pull up from the water is great enchanting books and bows means that fishing is an effective way to become stronger in Minecraft.

4 Kill The Wither

The Wither Grants A Burst Of XP Upon Its Death

For players that are asking how to get XP fast in Minecraft, a battle with the Wither may be the challenge for them. The best thing about killing the Wither is the fact that players are responsible for this hostile boss in Minecraft. Players can create the Wither by using 4 soul sand in a T shape and placing 3 Wither skeleton heads on top. Be warned, the Wither is a challenge, and it's certainly not an activity to destress.

Players can find 50 experience points from killing the Wither, as well as devastation from the Wither’s hostile arena. Players definitely shouldn’t spawn a Wither in their base. Not only is killing the Wither great for XP, but players will also find the Nether Star drop.

3 Killing The Ender Dragon

The Ender Dragon Explodes With XP When Defeated

Although it is best saved for the late/end-game experience, killing the Ender Dragon grants a ridiculously good amount of XP. Once defeated, the Ender Dragon will explode into a ton of experience orbs for the player to absorb.

Although it’s a fairly easy way to level up depending on the players’ difficulty and experience, the fact that it’s quite a journey to resurrect and fight the Ender Dragon again means that at this point, players might not even need the XP for this end-game content.

2 Make A Mob Grinder

Horde An Infinite Amount Of Enemies For Quick & Safe Kills That Gives Bursts Of XP

One of the fastest ways to get XP in Minecraft is to build a Mob Grinder. Players may enjoy the ease of access from a Mob Spawner, but they might be seeking a building challenge that will truly make an ultimate tower of mob death for a bounty of endless XP that requires no real work outside of just waiting patiently for creepers, skeletons, and zombies to fall into a fiery pit of doom.

There are plenty of guides on how to build a mob grinder in Minecraft. If anything is certain, it’s the amount of materials that are needed to make it. Players can build many different variants of a mob grinder, but they will all consistently provide valuable XP.

1 Smelting Materials

Use Furnaces & Smelters To Cook Materials For XP

Understanding the cooking process in Minecraft will help players earn XP, as smelting down raw ores and other cookable items like raw meats, will allow the smelter to work fast at turning that sweet material into something more usable. Yet, there's another advantage, which is the plethora of XP players can earn just from cooking down their items and claiming them from the smelters and furnaces.

It's a passive way to claim XP, and pretty efficient because if players want to get anywhere further in their survival worlds, they need to smelt, so there's always an excuse to get XP. Another addition is the fact that smelting easily obtainable materials like cacti and kelp can provide decent XP gains for cooked stacks.

Minecraft

Sandbox

Survival

Platform(s)

3DS , Android , iOS , Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Wii U , PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360

Released

November 18, 2011

Developer(s)

Mojang