Minecraft XP Calculator
Figure out how much XP you need to go from where you are now to whatever level you're aiming for. Also handy for working out how much XP you'll lose if you die at your current level (spoiler: usually more than you'd think).
Level ⇄ XP calculator
How XP actually works
Every green orb that pops out of a mob or a mined block is worth 1 to about 12 XP depending on the source. Your XP bar fills up until you hit the next level; then the number above the bar ticks up by 1 and the bar resets.
The catch is that each level costs more than the last. Level 1 needs 7 XP. Level 15 needs 37. Level 31 needs 112. Level 40 needs 193. So going from level 0 to level 30 (1,395 XP total) is actually cheaper than going from level 30 to level 40 (which needs another 1,780 XP on top).
For enchanting, your character LEVEL matters — you need to be at least the level shown in the enchanting slot to see it. Most players aim for level 30 because it unlocks the strongest enchantment slot, then use the anvil for further tweaks.
Also planning your enchanting setup? Check the Bookshelf Planner and the Enchantment Order Optimiser, or browse every SeedLander tool →
XP FAQ
It depends on your current level. From 0 to 16, each level costs a bit more XP than the last (starting at 7 and going up by 2 each level). From 17 to 31, the cost jumps to 42 per level and climbs by 5 each time. From 32 onwards, each level costs 112 XP and climbs by 9 each time. That's why grinding from level 30 to level 40 takes SO much longer than 0 to 10 — you're paying triple.
For quick early XP: kill mobs at a mob farm, mine ores (diamonds, emeralds and iron all give XP), or breed animals. For serious late-game XP (level 30+): trade with villagers (each successful trade drops XP orbs), an enderman farm (a Bedrock silverfish/enderman farm is faster still), or a bottle o' enchanting factory using a cleric villager (buy them for emeralds, throw them for XP).
No — you drop a small number of XP orbs equal to about 7 × your level, capped at 100 orbs. Everything above that is lost forever. That's why most players spend big XP on enchantments before doing anything risky. Keep Inventory (a gamerule) preserves XP if you turn it on.
To reach level 30 from level 0, you need 1,395 total XP. If you're starting from level 27 (roughly what one grave-worth of respawn XP gets you), you need 165 more XP — about the level 30 cap costs you 3 levels to actually cast the enchantment, so budget around 200 XP total per enchant cycle if you're starting from the standard death XP.
XP orbs pull toward you when you're within about 8 blocks. They pass through most blocks (great for building automatic collectors), but they eventually despawn after 5 minutes if nothing picks them up. Most farm designs use hoppers or water streams to bring orbs to a killing area where a player stands the whole time.
