Infinity is a bow enchantment that lets you shoot unlimited arrows. As long as you have one regular arrow in your inventory, that arrow never gets used up. It only works on bows (not crossbows) and it cannot be combined with Mending.
This guide is current as of Minecraft 26.2 (Chaos Cubed).
Infinity is one of the best Minecraft enchantments for anyone who fights at range. Below we cover exactly how it works, every way to get it, and how to decide between Infinity and Mending.
What Does the Infinity Enchantment Do?
Infinity stops your bow from consuming arrows when you shoot. You still need at least one regular arrow in your inventory, but that single arrow will last forever. You never have to craft or collect arrows again, which saves a lot of flint and feathers over a long game.
There are a few rules to know before you rely on it:
- Infinity only works with regular arrows. Tipped arrows and spectral arrows are still used up normally, even with Infinity on the bow.
- Arrows fired from an Infinity bow cannot be picked back up. The game treats them as free copies, so they disappear instead of landing as collectible arrows.
- Infinity only has one level (Infinity I). You never need to hunt for a higher version.
- Your bow still loses durability with every shot. Infinity gives you unlimited arrows, not an unbreakable bow, so pairing it with Unbreaking III is a smart move.
Infinity Compatibility at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Works on | Bow only |
| Max level | I |
| Conflicts with | Mending |
| Works with tipped arrows? | No, they are still consumed |
| Works with spectral arrows? | No, they are still consumed |
| Works on crossbows? | No |
| Pairs well with | Power, Punch, Flame, Unbreaking |
Every Way to Get the Infinity Enchantment
There are four ways to get Infinity onto a bow: the enchanting table, trading with librarians, fishing, and chest loot. The table is usually the fastest, so we will start there.
Can You Get Infinity From the Enchanting Table?
Yes. Unlike Mending, Infinity is a normal enchantment, so it shows up on the regular enchanting table. It can appear at lower enchant levels, but the odds are small there. Your best bet is to enchant at level 30 with a full set of 15 bookshelves around the table, where Infinity shows up much more often.
If the table is not offering Infinity, you can refresh the options. Enchant a cheap item like a book or a stone tool in the level 1 slot and the whole list of enchantments will reset. Keep doing this until Infinity appears on a bow or a book.
You will need lapis lazuli and XP levels for every attempt, so it helps to have a good XP source ready. Our guide to earning XP fast covers the best ways to keep your levels topped up while you fish for the enchant you want.
Trading With Librarian Villagers
Librarians can sell enchanted books, including Infinity, for emeralds and a regular book. This is the most reliable way to get it on demand. If a librarian is not offering Infinity, you can reroll their trades by breaking and replacing their lectern before you trade with them for the first time. Keep rerolling until Infinity shows up.
Fishing
Enchanted books are a rare treasure catch while fishing. A rod with Luck of the Sea improves your odds, but even then the book you catch might not be Infinity. This is the slowest method, so treat any Infinity book you fish up as a lucky bonus rather than a plan.
Chest Loot
Infinity books can also turn up in dungeon chests and other structure loot around the world. If you are already out exploring, keep an eye on every chest you open.
Applying an Infinity Book With an Anvil
Once you have an Infinity book from any of the methods above, put your bow and the book in an anvil together and you are done. This is the same process used to apply the Mending enchantment, except Mending is treasure-only while Infinity can come straight off the table. That usually makes the table the fastest route for Infinity.
Can You Have Infinity and Mending on the Same Bow?
No. Infinity and Mending are mutually exclusive, so a survival bow can only have one or the other. This is the big decision every bow owner has to make.
For most players, Infinity is the better pick. Bows are cheap to craft (three sticks and three string), so when your Infinity bow finally breaks, you can enchant a new one. Free arrows for the entire life of the bow is worth more than a bow that repairs itself but eats through your arrow supply.
Mending is the better choice in one case: if your bow has a rare combination of enchantments you cannot easily replace, or if you mainly shoot tipped arrows anyway (which Infinity does not help with), a self-repairing bow keeps that investment alive forever.
Does Infinity Work on Crossbows?
No. Infinity cannot be applied to a crossbow in normal survival play. Even if you force it onto a crossbow with commands, the crossbow still consumes arrows, so there is no unlimited-arrow crossbow in vanilla Minecraft. If you want free ammo, the regular bow is your weapon.
Tips
- Keep one arrow in an easy-to-find inventory slot. If you drop or lose your last arrow, the Infinity bow will not fire at all.
- Add Unbreaking III alongside Infinity so the bow lasts as long as possible, since you cannot use Mending to repair it.
- Do not waste tipped arrows in an Infinity bow expecting them to be free. They are consumed like normal.
- Read more on enchanting basics in this guide from Minecraft.net.
