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This post was last updated on March 1, 2026
The efficiency Minecraft enchantment is one of the better buffs out there. Any item powered with efficiency will perform its actions much quicker. Whether this is a pickaxe, axe, shovel, or hoe, powering up items with efficiency will boost their speed – making you more efficient!
This guide explains exactly how the efficiency enchantment works, how you can find it, and how you can power it up…
What Does Efficiency Do in Minecraft?
With each efficiency level, enchanted tools become quicker at performing their action. Whether this is mining, cutting, digging, shearing, or hoeing, efficiency enchanted items will be quicker than their basic counterparts.
No matter what type of block you are harvesting, any actions become quicker. Pickaxes will mine faster, axes will cut with more speed, and shovels will take down dirt and gravel like never before.
We explain the efficiency enchantment speeds and the exact stats for each level in more detail later in this guide.
What tools can be enchanted with efficiency
Any of the following tools can be enhanced with the efficiency enchantment.
- Axes
- Hoes
- Pickaxes
- Shears
- Shovels
How does Efficiency work in Minecraft
You must use the tool on the relevant resource blocks. For instance, an axe with efficiency will cut wooden blocks faster, but won’t have any difference on stone or dirt.
Pickaxes with efficiency will mine stone and ores faster, but won’t break wood or dirt at any different speed.
This enchantment is a great way to collect resources faster.
Axes gain a second bonus from being enchanted with efficiency. Whenever you hit an enemy or player with a shield, axes have a chance to stun the shield. Efficiency increases the chance of causing this stun. This is calculated from the base chance of 25%, with a 5% increase for each level
The following list shows how much efficiency improves an axes’ chance to create the stun effect.
- Level I = +25%
- Level II = +30%
- Level III = +35%
- Level IV = +40%
- Level V= +45%
How to Get the Efficiency Minecraft Enchantment
Items can be enchanted with efficiency either using an enchanting table or an enchanting book. Because efficiency books are quite rare, the enchanting table method is the recommended choice.
To power up items with the efficiency enchantment in Minecraft, simply follow these steps.
- Build an enchanting table (1 book, 4 obsidian, and 2 diamonds).
- Place the enchantment table and right-click it.
- Place your desired item into the enchanting slot.
- Load in some lapis lazuli – 1 for each level of enchanting you want.
- Mouse over the three available enchanting options and choose one that has “Efficiency” in the tooltip.
- Voila! You now have an enchanted tool.
Anvil Method
If you have an efficiency enchanted book, you can power apply it to any tool via an anvil. You can obtain efficiency enchantment books from looting dungeons, and Bastion chests, or if you loot them.
It’s worth noting that for stone and diamond tools, the enchanting table method can only reach the highest level of IV. You can level diamond or stone tools to efficiency V by combining two of the same items with level IV together.
You can find tools with level IV enchantments fairly commonly in chests in Bastion Remnants or an End City.
How many levels of efficiency enchantment are there?
There are five levels of the efficiency Minecraft enchantment, each one increases the action speed by 5%, with efficiency V being the highest level.
efficiency Level i
Increases activity speed by 5%
efficiency Level ii
Increases activity speed by 10%
efficiency Level iii
Increases activity speed by 15%
efficiency Level iv
Increases activity speed by 20%
efficiency Level V
Increases activity speed by 25% This is the maximum level of efficiency
How does the Efficiency Enchantment Effect Mining Speed?
Efficiency increases mining speed by 5% per level of enchanting. So the maximum boost to mining speed will be 25%. So if you mine a block that would take 1 second, it would only take 0.75 seconds when using efficiency V.
Enjoy your new mining speed!
FAQs
Is Efficiency IV the best?
Efficiency IV is not the best level of this enchantment. You can actually enchant items up to level V efficiency, although you can’t do this simply from an enchanting table.
How fast is Efficiency 5?
Efficiency 5 will give a 25% speed boost to any activity – provided you are trying to break the right block. For example, a diamond axe cutting a wood block that would take 1 second, would only take 0.75s if it was buffed with efficiency 5.
Can you get Efficiency 5 on a diamond tool?
Getting diamond or stone tools to efficiency level V isn’t as simple as using an enchanting table. You’ll either need to use an efficiency level 5 book or combine two of the same item with efficiency IV.
Does Minecraft have Efficiency 5?
Minecraft does have efficiency 5, although stone and diamond tools can’t get this buff directly from an enchanting table. To obtain level 5 in the game on diamond tools, you’re going to need to combine two level IV items.
