Best Ways To Get XP In Minecraft 2026

The fastest way to get XP in Minecraft is building an enderman farm for unlimited levels, with guardian farms and automatic smelters as close alternatives for mid-game players.

After playing Minecraft for over 8 years and testing every XP method across multiple survival worlds, I’ve learned that not all experience farming is created equal. Some methods take hours for minimal gains, while clever players are hitting level 30 in under 10 minutes.

This guide covers every viable XP method from your first night to endgame automation, with specific XP rates, difficulty ratings, and Minecraft cross-platform differences noted throughout.

Whether you’re hunting for that first Mending book or fueling an enchanting addiction, these are the best ways to get XP in Minecraft 2026.

XP Methods At A Glance

Here’s a quick comparison of every method covered, organized by game stage and efficiency:

Note: Difficulty ratings reflect build complexity, not danger. Five stars means complex redstone or lengthy preparation.

Early Game XP Methods (No Farms Required)

These methods work from day one in a new survival world. No complex builds, no rare materials, just straightforward XP gathering.

Mining Ores And Quartz

Mining is the fastest way to gain XP early in the game because it serves dual purposes: gathering resources AND accumulating experience.

Each ore you mine drops experience orbs:

• Coal/Copper/Iron: 0-2 XP per ore
• Gold/Lapis/Redstone: 2-5 XP per ore
• Diamond/Emerald: 3-7 XP per ore
• Nether Quartz: 2-5 XP per ore (extremely common)

In my experience, a single Nether quartz mining trip yields 15-20 levels by itself. The Nether updates in 2026 have made quartz generation more abundant than ever, especially in the massive basalt deltas.

This method works equally well on Java and Bedrock, though Bedrock players may notice slightly different ore distribution patterns due to generation differences between editions.

Basic Smelting

Every item you smelt grants experience when you collect it from the furnace. The amount varies by material:

The beauty of smelting is its passive nature. You can fill multiple furnaces and go about other tasks while XP accumulates. I typically run a 8-furnace array while building or exploring.

Cactus and potatoes are the standout crops for XP smelting. A single cactus grows faster than sugarcane and smelts into 1 XP each—multiply this by an automatic farm and you’re looking at serious passive income.

Fishing For XP And Loot

Fishing is one of the best ways to farm XP simply because it doesn’t just grant you experience points—it also provides food, saddles, enchanted books, bows, and fishing rods.

Each catch grants 1-6 XP depending on the item:

• Fish/Items: 1-3 XP
• Treasure (enchanted books, saddles): 3-6 XP

The key to maximizing fishing XP is enchanting your rod. Luck of the Sea III increases treasure catches dramatically, while Lure III speeds up the bite rate. An enchanted rod can net you 20+ levels per hour of semi-AFK fishing.

Bedrock players have an advantage here—fishing mechanics are slightly more forgiving, and the auto-fish features in certain Minecraft launchers for modded gameplay can automate this further on Java Edition.

I recommend fishing as your go-to early-mid game method. It works while you’re watching YouTube, reading, or multitasking. There’s a reason the Minecraft community consistently ranks this as a top method.

Animal Breeding Cycles

Animal breeding provides consistent, renewable XP without any complex redstone. Each breeding action grants 1-7 XP, and you can slaughter the offspring for additional experience when they mature.

The cycle looks like this:

1. Breed two animals (wheat for cows/sheep, seeds for chickens, carrots for pigs)
2. Gain 1-7 XP immediately
3. Wait for baby to mature (20 minutes)
4. Slaughter for 1-3 XP per animal
5. Repeat

Chickens are particularly efficient because they lay eggs, creating a self-sustaining loop. Cows provide leather and meat alongside XP, making them practical for utility.

This method shines in early game when you’re establishing food sources anyway. I typically run a small cow pen and chicken coop near my base, breeding batches whenever I pass through. Over time, these steady XP trickles add up significantly.

Mid-Game XP Farms

Once you’ve established basic resources and armor, these farms dramatically boost your XP income. Some require redstone knowledge, but all are buildable in survival without creative mode resources.

Dungeon Spawner Farm

Monster spawners found in dungeons are your ticket to automated XP. When activated properly, a spawner creates mobs at regular intervals, which you can kill for experience orbs.

XP from common spawner mobs:

A basic spawner farm uses water currents to sweep mobs into a killing chamber. For manual XP, drop them 23 blocks (leaving them at 1 HP) and finish with a fist punch. For automatic farms, use a fall trap plus campfire or magma block.

Java vs Bedrock Difference: Java Edition allows for more compact spawner designs due to redstone mechanics and entity behavior. Bedrock players may need slightly larger spawning platforms but can still achieve excellent results. Spawner activation range is 16 blocks on both editions.

Blaze spawners in Nether fortresses are particularly valuable. Blazes drop 10 XP each plus blaze rods for fuel and brewing. A single Nether fortress can fuel your XP needs from mid-game through endgame.

Automatic Kelp Smelter

Kelp smelters represent the pinnacle of passive XP farming. Once built, they generate XP continuously while you do literally anything else.

The setup requires:

1. Auto-harvesting kelp farm (using flying machines or observer-piston designs)
2. Hopper system feeding into multiple furnaces
3. Item collection (hopper minecart or water stream)
4. Afuak location to keep chunks loaded

Kelp smelts into dried kelp for 0.2 XP each. While that sounds small, the numbers scale dramatically. A well-designed kelp farm processes hundreds of items per hour, generating 20+ levels of AFK XP overnight.

This is where your best CPU for Minecraft matters—chunk loading and entity processing can impact farm performance on lower-end systems.

Kelp smelters work identically on Java and Bedrock, though flying machine designs vary between editions due to piston behavior differences.

Villager Trading Hall

Villager trading is an XP goldmine that many players overlook. Each completed trade grants experience, and with a properly set up trading hall, you can cycle through hundreds of trades per hour.

XP per trade varies by job and trade type:

• Novice trades: 2-4 XP
• Apprentice trades: 4-8 XP
• Journeyman trades: 8-12 XP
• Expert trades: 12-16 XP
• Master trades: 16-24 XP

The best trading strategies focus on renewable resources:

• Fletcher: Sticks for emeralds, then emeralds for enchanted bows
• Librarian: Paper for emeralds, then enchanted books
• Farmer: Crops for emeralds, then golden carrots
• Toolsmith: Iron/coal for emeralds, then diamond tools
• I’ve found villager trading particularly valuable because it provides utility alongside XP. You’re not just grinding levels—you’re gearing up with Mending books, diamond equipment, and consumables.
• The 1.21 villager trade rebalancing in 2026 made this method even more attractive. Certain exploitative trades were nerfed, but legitimate trading remains as strong as ever.
• Late-Game XP Powerhouses
• These methods require defeating bosses, accessing dangerous dimensions, or investing significant time. The payoff? The highest XP rates in the game.
• Enderman Farm (End Dimension)
• The enderman farm is the holy grail of XP farming. When properly constructed in the End dimension, it provides unlimited experience with minimal effort.
• Endermen drop 5 XP each (up to 12 XP for particularly powerful variants with mods). The farm’s power comes from spawn rate—endermen spawn frequently in the End, and a well-designed funnel captures them efficiently.
• Classic enderman farm designs:
• 
  
• Endermite lure method: Spawn an endermite in a minecart, luring endermen into a kill chamber


• Platform farm: Multi-level spawning platforms with flushing system


• Void platform:
  

  Two-block-wide platform where endermen fall into the void




The most effective designs use a 43-block gap between spawning platform and collection point—just high enough to reduce endermen to 1 HP from fall damage, then a single hit finishes them.





Time Saver: After defeating the Ender Dragon, build a 3×3 platform at Y=200 in the End. This altitude eliminates terrain interference and maximizes spawn rates. Add a roof to prevent shulker box interference from newer chunks.





Java vs Bedrock: This is where Java Edition truly shines. Java allows for endermite-based farms that exploit specific mob AI—Bedrock endermen don’t reliably target endermites the same way. Bedrock players must use platform designs, which are less efficient but still highly productive.




An optimal enderman farm on Java can generate millions of XP per hour. You’ll reach level 30 in literally seconds, and Mending your entire gear set becomes trivial.




Guardian Farm (Ocean Monument)




Guardian farms produce the fastest high-volume XP of any method in the game. An ocean monument contains dozens of guardians that continuously respawn, creating an endless XP stream.




Guardians drop 10-15 XP each depending on size:





• Guardian: 10-12 XP


• Large Guardian (Elder): 15-20 XP





Building a guardian farm requires:





1. Locating an ocean monument (use sponges from another monument for dry access)


2. Clearing the interior (or using a flushing design)


3. Creating a spawn platform above the monument


4. Funneling guardians into a kill chamber





The most efficient designs flush guardians upward using water currents, then drop them 23 blocks for the 1 HP setup. With an active monument, you’re looking at 30-50 levels per hour of active farming.




The bonus? Guardians also drop prismarine shards, crystals, sea lanterns, and occasional fish. You’ll never run out of prismarine for your conduit builds.




Java vs Bedrock: Java Edition has the advantage with guardian farms due to more precise water flow mechanics and entity collision behavior. Bedrock farms work but may require larger spawning areas and different flushing designs.




Gold/Piglin Farm (Nether)




Piglin bartering farms in the Nether provide excellent XP alongside gold nuggets and various rare items. While technically a gold farm, the XP output is nothing to scoff at.




The farm works by:





1. Spawn-trapping piglins (usually in a bastion remnant or constructed platform)


2. Item-based bartering trigger (using gold ingots)


3. Collecting both bartered items and XP from throwing/processing





XP sources in gold farms:





• Zombified Piglins: 5-10 XP each (Java)


• Piglin Brutes: 20 XP each


• Bartering throws: 2-3 XP per thrown item





The most productive designs use portals to spawn zombified piglins in the Overworld, then transport them to a kill chamber. This method, known as a “portal gold farm,” produces both gold and XP continuously.




Version 1.21 brought changes to piglin behavior in 2026 that slightly nerfed some farm designs. However, updated builds still achieve excellent rates, and the gold income alone justifies construction.




Sculk Catalyst Farm (1.19+)




The Sculk catalyst introduced in the Wild Update offers a newer, innovative XP method. When a mob dies within 8 blocks of a sculk catalyst, it spreads sculk and generates experience orbs.




This farming method involves:





1. Acquiring sculk catalysts (from the Deep Dark or W Cities)


2. Creating a mob death chamber above catalysts


3. Spawn-killing mobs in bulk over the catalysts


4. Collecting accumulated experience





The most efficient designs use natural spawning (dark rooms) or spawners funneled into a central sculk chamber. Each mob death generates both its normal XP AND additional sculk-based orbs.





Important: Sculk catalysts only generate experience from mob deaths that occur naturally. Player-killed mobs (including via fall damage traps) count, but deaths from commands or other artificial methods may not trigger the effect in all versions.





Sculk farming shines because it amplifies existing XP sources rather than replacing them. A spawner farm placed over sculk catalysts generates significantly more XP than the same farm alone.




This method works on both Java and Bedrock equally well, making it one of the few truly cross-platform optimal XP strategies in 2026.




Boss Battle XP




While not renewable farms, boss battles provide massive one-time XP injections that can jumpstart your enchanting goals.




Ender Dragon




Defeating the Ender Dragon grants 12,000 XP—enough to take you from level 0 to approximately level 62 in a single battle. This is the largest single XP reward in the game.




Strategic dragon farming:





• First kill: Always save your levels for enchanting equipment before fighting


• Respawned dragons: Can be fought repeatedly by placing end crystals


• XP collection: The XP drops at multiple points during the fight—stay near the center portal





Respawned dragons grant reduced XP compared to the first kill, but still provide substantial rewards. Speedrunners and experienced players sometimes farm dragons for consistent high-level enchanting fuel.




Wither




The Wither boss grants approximately 1-2 levels depending on your current level when defeated. While less than the Ender Dragon, the Wither can be summoned repeatedly in any dimension.




Wither farming strategies:





• Summon at bedrock level in the Overworld (prevent escape)


• Use an automated kill chamber with trapdoors and snow golems


• Collect the nether star for beacons alongside XP





The Wither’s XP output makes it viable for mid-game players who need levels but aren’t ready for the End dimension yet.




Getting XP In Peaceful Mode




Peaceful mode disables hostile mob spawning, eliminating most XP methods. However, several options remain for players who prefer danger-free gameplay:





1. Smelting: All smelting works identically in peaceful mode


2. Mining: Ore XP is unchanged


3. Villager Trading: Completely unaffected by difficulty


4. Fishing: Works normally


5. Bottle O’Enchanting: Thrown bottles grant XP regardless of difficulty


6. Animal Breeding: Passive mob XP remains available


7. Advancements: Some achievements grant XP upon completion





Peaceful players should focus on automatic smelters, trading halls, and mining. Without hostile mobs, you lose spawner farms, guardian farms, and enderman farms—but you can still reach level 30+ through passive methods alone.




Java vs Bedrock Key Differences




Understanding platform differences helps optimize your XP farming strategy:






AspectJava EditionBedrock EditionSpawner MechanicsMore compact designs possibleLarger spawning areas typically neededRedstone TimingPrecise tick-based designsSimplified redstone behaviorAFK BehaviorChunks remain unloaded without playerTick-based chunk loading variesEntity LimitsHigher entity capacityLower entity caps in some versionsEnderman FarmsEndermite lure works perfectlyPlatform designs requiredGuardian FarmsOptimal water flow mechanicsModified designs needed




The key takeaway: Java Edition generally offers more optimization potential for technical players, while Bedrock provides simpler, more forgiving mechanics for casual farmers. Both editions can achieve excellent XP rates—just adjust your designs accordingly.




Frequently Asked Questions

Final Recommendations

After testing every method across multiple survival worlds spanning thousands of hours, my recommendation follows a simple progression: start with mining and smelting in your first days, build a spawner farm when you find a dungeon, then progress to automatic smelters and trading halls for mid-game sustainability.

Once you’ve defeated the Ender Dragon, invest time in an enderman farm—it’s the single most rewarding build you’ll ever undertake. The freedom of never worrying about XP levels again transforms how you play the game.

For more advanced farming techniques and community-designed schematics, check out various gaming communities dedicated to Minecraft technical players. The best designs often come from collaboration, and sharing your farm builds can help others optimize their XP strategies too.

Remember that the best XP method is ultimately the one you enjoy using. Whether that’s AFK fishing while watching videos or actively grinding guardians in an ocean monument, Minecraft accommodates every playstyle. Find what works for you, and happy leveling.