Minecraft: 12 Best Ways To Farm XP [Early, Mid, And Endgame]

I've spent 100+ hours in Minecraft and here are the secrets of efficient XP farming to level up fast!

In the pixelated realm of Minecraft, pursuing XP is crucial for upgrading your arsenal of tools, weapons, and armor via enchantments. This valuable resource also empowers you to mend items adorned with the Mending enchantment, further amplifying its importance. Delve into the best ways to get xp in Minecraft comprehensive guide, brimming with diverse tactics and techniques to bolster your XP farming efficiency.

Key Takeaways
  • Mob farms in Minecraft provide a consistent XP source through controlled spawning and killing of mobs will get you quick XP early game.
  • Optimize XP gains by setting up an enchanting station, obtaining Lapis Lazuli, prioritizing beneficial enchantments, and using Mending.
  • Breeding animals provides a sustainable method for gaining XP and resources.
  • Build enclosures, collect breeding materials, initiate breeding, manage populations, and harvest resources.
  • To maximize XP gains from mining, focus on high-XP ores.
  • Some of the best ways to acquire XP includes Experience Potions or Bottles o’ Enchanting.

1. Building Effective Mob Farms

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Mob Farm [Image by eXputer]
Mob farms are among the best XP farming methods. By creating a controlled environment where mobs spawn and are killed automatically, you can collect a steady stream of XP without actively engaging in combat.

Here are my tips and ideas for building effective mob farms

  • To maximize efficiency, build your mob farm in an area with high spawn rates.
  • For example, a dark room spawner will be more effective if built in a low-light environment, while an Enderman farm should be constructed.
  • Depending on the type of mob farm, you’ll need to select an appropriate killing method. Examples include fall damage, suffocation, lava, or drowning.
  • Increase the efficiency of your mob farm by removing competing spawn locations in the surrounding area.
  • Automate your mob farm using Redstone components like pistons, dispensers, and observers.

By following my tips and choosing the right design, you can build an effective mob farm.

2. Enchanting And Mending

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Enchanting

Enchanting and Mending are crucial components that can significantly optimize your XP gains and overall gameplay experience.

Here’s how I make the most of these mechanics:

  • To start enchanting, create an Enchanting Table by combining four obsidian blocks, two diamonds, and one book.
  • Place the table in an area with ample space and surround it with bookshelves to access higher-level enchantments.
  • Lapis Lazuli is required for enchanting, so make sure to mine and collect this valuable resource. 
  • Some enchantments, like sword enchantments, are more beneficial.
  • When using Mending-enchanted gear, remember that some of the XP you collect will be used to repair the items.
  • Keep track of your magical items by storing them in labeled chests or using item frames.
  • Use an Anvil to combine similar enchanted items or books to increase the enchantment level and improve their effects.

In my opinion, by mastering enchanting and Mending mechanics, you can significantly improve your gear, increasing your efficiency and XP gains across various activities. This will enable you to level up faster and enhance your overall gameplay experience.

3. Utilizing Furnace-Based XP Farms 

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Furnace

Furnace-based XP farms are efficient and include among the best ways to get xp in Minecraft. These farms use furnaces for smelting large quantities of items, and by collecting the smelted output, players can accumulate XP over time.

Here’s how I set up and optimize the furnace-based XP farm:

  • Choose a resource that is abundant and easy to farm, such as cactus, bamboo, or kelp.
  • Set up an automated farm for your chosen resource to collect materials without manual intervention.
  • Build an array of furnaces connected to a hopper input and output system. The input hoppers should be connected to your farm’s output, ensuring a continuous supply of smeltable resources.
  • Furnaces require fuel, so choose a suitable fuel source like coal, charcoal, or even bamboo.
  • Set up a system to automatically deliver fuel to your furnaces.
  • When items are smelted in a furnace, they generate XP stored within the furnace until the output is collected.
  • To increase your XP gains, expand your furnace-based XP farm by adding more furnaces or automating additional smeltable resources.

Just like me, you can experience continuous growth while minimizing manual labor by utilizing furnace-based XP farms. This efficient system allows you to focus on other aspects while still gaining XP for enchanting, repairing, or leveling up.

4. Exploit Fishing And Fishing Farms

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Fish Farm

Fishing is a relaxing and rewarding activity that can provide steady XP gains while supplying valuable resources like fish, treasure, and junk items.You can maximize your XP gains with minimal effort by exploiting fishing mechanics and building farms.

Let me teach you how:

  • To start fishing, you’ll need a fishing rod crafted using three sticks and two pieces of string.
  • Enhance your fishing experience by enchanting your fishing rod with useful enchantments such as Lure (faster fish biting), Luck of the Sea (higher chance of treasure), Mending (repairs rod using XP), and Unbreaking (increases rod durability).
  • Fishing manually in any body of water can provide a relaxing way to gain XP.
  • Set up an AFK (Away From Keyboard) fishing farm to automate fishing and collect resources without actively playing.
  • Periodically check your fishing farm to collect your catch and the associated XP. Sort and store your loot in chests or other storage systems for later use.
  • Cooking the fish you’ve caught in a furnace or smoker will provide additional XP and yield a valuable food source for your survival needs.

5. Unlocking XP Through Villagers

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Villagers

Trading with villagers is a powerful way to gain XP and access valuable resources. You can create a thriving economy while earning experience points by unlocking new trades and leveling up villagers.

Here’s how I make the most of trading with villagers for XP gains:

  • Locate a village in your world or transport villagers to your base using boats or minecarts. Alternatively, cure a Zombie Villager to create a new villager.
  • Place appropriate workstations (e.g., Lectern for Librarian, Blast Furnace for Armorer, Composter for Farmer) near the villagers to assign them specific professions.
  • Protect villagers from hostile mobs by building walls, fences, or other barriers around the village.
  • Approach a villager and initiate trading by right-clicking on them (Java Edition) or pressing the trade button (Bedrock Edition).
  • Organize your villagers and their workstations for easy and efficient trading.
  • Increase the number of villagers available for trading by encouraging breeding.
  • Provide villagers with ample food and enough beds to accommodate the growing population.

By harnessing the power of trading with villagers, you can unlock a steady source of XP and acquire valuable items and resources to aid in your adventures.

6. Adventure-Based XP Collection

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Raiding Dungeons

Exploring dungeons and temples is an exciting way to gain XP while discovering valuable loot and unique blocks. These structures are scattered worldwide, each offering unique challenges and rewards.

Here’s my suggestion on making the most of raiding dungeons and temples for XP collection:

  • Ensure you are well-equipped with weapons, armor, food, torches, and other essential supplies before venturing into dangerous locations.
  • Dungeons and temples can be found in various biomes.
  • Dungeons often contain monster spawners, continuously spawning hostile mobs.
  • Some temples, like Jungle Temples and Desert Temples, feature traps and puzzles that must be navigated to access the loot.
  • Structures such as Ocean Monuments and Woodland Mansions contain powerful bosses, like the Elder Guardian and Evoker. Defeating these bosses will grant you substantial XP and unique drops.
  • One of the most challenging and rewarding adventures is the journey to the End dimension, where you must defeat the Ender Dragon.
  • Venture into the Nether to locate structures like Nether Fortresses and Bastions, which offer unique challenges, loot, and XP opportunities.

You can engage in thrilling adventures by raiding dungeons and temples while collecting XP and valuable resources to enhance your experience.

7. Breeding Animals

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Breeding

In my opinion, the breeding animals strategy is an eco-friendly and sustainable way to gain XP while also creating a reliable source of food and resources. Managing and expanding your animal farms can ensure a steady supply of XP and other valuable benefits.

Here’s how to get started:

  • Select the animals you want to breed, such as cows, pigs, chickens, or sheep.
  • Construct fenced or walled enclosures to house and protect your animals from hostile mobs and environmental hazards.
  • Gather the necessary items for each animal type to initiate breeding.
  • Approach your animals while holding the appropriate breeding material and right-click or use the feeding button to give it to them.
  • Regularly breed your animals to maintain a healthy population and maximize XP gains.
  • Periodically shear sheep for wool, collect eggs from chickens, or milk cows with a bucket.
  • To maintain a manageable population and prevent overcrowding, occasionally cull excess animals for meat and other resources.
  • To optimize your animal breeding farm further, consider incorporating redstone contraptions, hoppers, and dispensers to automate the collection of resources like eggs, wool, and meat.

By breeding animals and maintaining sustainable animal farms, you can farm XP responsibly while reaping the benefits of valuable resources and food supplies. 

8. XP Through Mining

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Mining

Mining is a fundamental aspect and provides valuable resources as well. Knowing which ores offer the most XP and employing efficient mining techniques can maximize your gains.

Here’s how you can unearth the most rewarding ores for XP:

  • Equip yourself with a durable axe (preferably iron or diamond), torches, food, and any necessary armor or tools for a successful mining expedition.
  • Focus on mining ores like coal, Redstone, lapis lazuli, nether Quartz, diamonds, and emeralds, as they offer higher XP rewards.
  • Enchant your pickaxe with the Fortune enchantment to increase the drop rate of valuable ores like diamonds, emeralds, Redstone, lapis lazuli, and Nether Quartz.
  • Employ an efficient mining technique like branch mining to increase the chances of discovering high-XP ores.
  • Some ores, like emeralds, are exclusive to specific biomes. 
  • Exploring these natural formations can lead to discovering high-XP ores with minimal mining effort.
  • Some ores, like iron and gold, don’t drop XP when mined. However, smelting these ores in a furnace will grant you XP upon collecting the smelted ingots.

9. Experience Potions

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Bottle o’ Enchanting

Brewing Experience Potions can instantly boost XP to help you level up faster. Although these potions cannot be crafted in survival mode, they can be obtained through other means, such as trading with villagers.

Here’s my recommendation to acquire and use Experience Potions for quicker level-ups:

  • Cleric villagers offer Bottles of Enchanting in exchange for emeralds. Level up a Cleric villager by trading with them, and eventually, they will unlock the trade for Experience Potions.
  • If you’re playing in Creative mode or have cheats enabled in your world, you can obtain Bottles o’ Enchanting directly from the Creative inventory or by using the “/give” command.
  • To use a Bottle o’ Enchanting, right-click or use the throw button to toss the bottle into the air.
  • To make the most of your Experience Potions, stand close to where the bottle breaks to ensure that you collect all the XP orbs.
  • While Experience Potions offer a quick way to gain XP, they may not be the most efficient or sustainable method, especially in survival mode.

By obtaining and using Experience Potions, you can enjoy a fast and convenient way to level up. However, remember that this method should be used alongside other XP-generating activities to ensure a consistent and sustainable supply of experience points.

10. Nether Adventures

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Nether

According to my experience, the Nether is a dangerous dimension that offers unique challenges, resources, and opportunities for substantial XP gains. You can maximize your XP earnings by mastering survival in the Nether and utilizing its resources.

Here’s my way of making the most of the Nether adventures:

  • Nether Quartz is an abundant resource in the Nether, and mining it yields a significant amount of XP.
  • Nether Fortresses, such as Wither Skeletons and Blazes, contain valuable loot, unique resources, and dangerous mobs.
  • Summoning and defeating the Wither boss provides a substantial XP reward and a Nether Star, which can be used to craft a Beacon.
  • Piglins are attracted to gold and will barter with you if you offer them gold ingots.
  • Ghasts are dangerous flying mobs that shoot explosive fireballs. Defeat them for XP and collect their drops, such as ghast tears, which can be used for brewing regeneration potions.
  • Locate and repair Ruined Portals found throughout the Nether to access additional Nether or Overworld locations, providing more opportunities for exploration and XP gains.
  • Mining Ancient Debris for Nephrite doesn’t yield XP directly.

11. End Game XP

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Elytra

End Cities and Elytra hunting are high-level end-game activities providing unique loot, equipment, and significant XP rewards. By conquering End Cities and obtaining the coveted Elytra, you can unlock new dimensions of gameplay and maximize your XP gains.

Here’s how to make the most of these end-game challenges:

  • Feather Falling enchantment on your boots and slow-falling potions can be especially helpful to mitigate fall damage.
  • To access End Cities, you first must defeat the Ender Dragon in the End dimension.
  • Navigate the outer end islands using Ender Pearls, bridge with blocks, or fly with an Elytra (if you already have one).
  • End Cities are guarded by Shulkers, unique mobs that shoot homing projectiles causing levitation.
  • The primary goal of Elytra hunting is to locate and conquer End Ships, which spawn near some End Cities.
  • End Ships also contain a unique decorative item, the Dragon Head, on the ship. Carefully mine the Dragon Head to add it to your collection.
  • To safely return to the Overworld, locate an End Gateway Portal or travel back to the central End island and use the End Portal.

By mastering these activities, you can unlock new dimensions of gameplay and further enhance your adventures.

12. Multiplayer Strategies

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Mining Expedition

Playing with friends or on a multiplayer server offers unique opportunities for collaborative XP farming. If done right, they are among the best ways to get xp. By working together, players can achieve greater efficiency, optimize resource sharing, and maximize XP gains for the entire group.

Here are my strategies for collaborative XP farming in multiplayer:

  • Assign different tasks and roles to each player based on their strengths and preferences.
  • Construct large, efficient mob farms that simultaneously accommodate multiple players.
  • Organize group mining trips to explore caves, ravines, and underground structures together.
  • Establish a communal trading area where players can exchange resources with each other or with villagers.
  • Team up to defeat bosses like the Ender Dragon, the Wither, or ElderGuardians.
  • Set up communal areas for all players, which encourages cooperation and helps players pool their resources to create more powerful enchantments and potions, indirectly contributing to XP gains.
  • Work together on large-scale projects, like constructing elaborate mob farms, automated farms, or massive structures.
  • Encourage players to share their knowledge, tips, and tricks.

These strategies enhance unique gameplay and foster community and teamwork within the server or group of friends.

Best Methods For Multiplying XP Gains

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Automated Spider Farm

You can combine the best ways to get xp in Minecraft into a comprehensive farming system to maximize your XP gains. This allows you to use multiple XP sources and optimize your gameplay efficiency.

Here are some best practices for creating your ultimate XP farm:

  1. Design a mob farm that can be integrated with automated crop, animal, or furnace-based farms.
  2. Before building, evaluate your current resources, available space, and specific needs.
  3. Set up trading areas with villagers, enchanting tables, and anvils near your XP farm.
  4. To maximize efficiency, create a central hub to access all your XP sources easily.
  5. If you’re playing on a multiplayer server, design your XP farm to accommodate multiple players simultaneously.
  6. Expand and upgrade your XP farm to accommodate your growing needs as you progress through the title.

My Take On Best XP Farming Methods

Farming XP is one of the crucial steps to progress rapidly in Minecraft. By combining my various XP farming methods and following best practices, you can create an ultimate XP farm. This approach to XP farming will enable you to progress faster. My comprehensive guide to efficient XP farming has provided you with the best ways to get XP. By understanding the various methods available, you can create a powerful and highly efficient XP farm!

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Daniyal is a Guides Writer and Editor at eXputer with over one year of experience in content writing. He's had a passion for tech and gaming for more than 15 years. Ever since his first console, the PS2, he's constantly branching off to different genres, and his go-to at the moment is the Souls experience pioneered by FromSoftware, which is evident by his 1,500+ hours of game time on Elden Ring. You can learn some more about Daniyal's gaming journey on his Steam & Xbox profiles.

Experience: 1+ Years || Mainly Covers Guides || Education: Bachelors in Computer Sciences.

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