Converter

XP to Levels

Minecraft's XP-per-level cost grows piecewise quadratically. Java and Bedrock use the same formula. Enter a level or a raw XP total — the other side updates automatically.

Level

What the experience bar number shows. /xp set @p N levels sets exactly this.

Total XP

Cumulative experience points from level 0. Used by /xp add @p N points.

Progress through level 300 / 112 XP

Each level reached has its own XP cost — the next level costs 112 XP.

Example commands

Live-updated as you change the values above. Click to copy.

/xp add — points unit grants raw XP
/xp add — levels unit grants whole levels
/xp set — sets exactly N levels with 0 progress into level N

Quick reference

Common level targets and their cumulative XP cost.

LevelTotal XPIn-game meaning
17First level — roughly one zombie kill.
555Common anvil rename / cheap enchantment combine cost.
10160Low-tier enchanting (most enchantments still available but lower quality).
15315Last level on the gentle 2L+7 curve.
16352Curve transitions to 5L-38 — each subsequent level gets noticeably steeper.
20550Mid-tier enchanting. Worth grinding to here before risky combat.
25910Approaching the enchanting-table tier.
301,395Maximum enchantment cost on an enchanting table. Requires 15 bookshelves to unlock the level-30 tier.
311,507Curve transitions to 9L-158 — past this each level costs 121+ XP.
402,920Anvil work cap — operations costing 40+ levels show 'Too Expensive!' in survival.
505,345Late-game combat tier. ~3.8× the XP of reaching level 30.
7515,345Each additional level now costs 517+ XP — diminishing returns territory.
10030,970Symbolic milestone — over 22× the XP of level 30.

The XP cost curve

  • Levels 0-15 cost 2L + 7 XP each. 7 XP to reach level 1, 9 to reach 2, on up to 37 to reach 16.
  • Levels 16-30 cost 5L - 38 XP each. Step up from 42 (to 16) to 112 (to 31).
  • Levels 31+ cost 9L - 158 XP each. 121 to reach 31, 517 to reach 75, 742 to reach 100.
  • Java and Bedrock Edition use identical XP formulas since the curve was unified in 1.13.

Related commands

FAQ

How much XP do you need to reach level 30 in Minecraft?
1,395 experience points. Level 30 is the cap for enchantment cost on an enchanting table, so it's the most common target. Java and Bedrock Edition both use the same XP formula.
How much XP per level in Minecraft?
The XP needed for each level depends on the current level. Levels 0-15 cost 2L+7 XP each (7, 9, 11, ..., 37). Levels 16-30 cost 5L-38 each (42, 47, 52, ..., 112). Levels 31+ cost 9L-158 each (121, 130, 139, ...). The curve gets noticeably steeper past level 30.
How much XP for level 50?
5,345 total experience points. From level 30 (1,395 XP), reaching level 50 requires another 3,950 XP — almost three times the cost of reaching 30 in the first place. Mining diamond ore and trading with villagers are the fastest ways to grind past 30.
What level gives the best enchantments?
Level 30 is the cap. The enchanting table won't offer enchantments above level 30 even if you have higher levels available — and you need at least 15 bookshelves around the table to reach the level-30 tier. Beyond 30, additional levels only help with combining enchantments at an anvil.
Does /xp add use points or levels?
Both — the unit is specified as the last argument. /xp add @p 100 points adds 100 raw XP points (which is partial progress through whatever level you're on). /xp add @p 5 levels adds 5 whole levels regardless of current progress. The unit defaults to points if you leave it off.
What's the maximum XP level in Minecraft?
In vanilla, you can technically reach level 24,791 before the XP-to-next-level value overflows a 32-bit integer and breaks the game. Practically, there's no soft cap — the game just keeps counting. The Anvil refuses operations that would cost more than 40 levels in survival.