Shahrukh Sial is a gaming content writer at Sparked Host. He covers game guides, tips, and updates to help players improve their skills and enjoy a better gaming experience.

7 Best Ways To Get XP In Minecraft

Gaining experience points (XP) in Minecraft is more than just leveling up; it's the foundation for enchanting, repairing gear, cooking food, and using grindstones or anvils. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to earn XP. Some methods are quick and simple, while others require setup but give massive rewards.

If you’re wondering how to level up fast and collect those glowing green orbs, this list has you covered. Whether you're just starting out or deep into endgame, here are the 7 best ways to get XP in Minecraft.

#7: Go Mining

Mining is a classic XP method. It might not be the flashiest or fastest, but it’s reliable, especially early on.

Instead of mining everything in sight, target ores that drop XP orbs immediately:

  • Redstone

  • Coal

  • Lapis Lazuli

  • Diamond

  • Emerald

  • Nether Quartz (more on that later)

Avoid ores like iron and gold unless you're smelting them. They don’t release orbs when mined unless touched with Silk Touch and later processed.

Bonus Tips:

  • Mountain biomes are rich in coal and iron, safe spots post Caves & Cliffs update.

  • Carry a Fortune pickaxe to increase resource and orb drops.

  • Mining helps you collect useful resources while also earning experience.

Mining isn't the fastest way to level up, but it's steady and easy. For new players especially, it’s a great way to earn XP and gather important blocks.

#6: Farm Blazes

If you’re ready for a bit of danger, building a blaze farm in the Nether can seriously boost your XP gains.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Find a blaze spawner inside a Nether Fortress.

  2. Build a cube-shaped mob grinder to trap the blazes.

  3. Funnel them into a kill pit using lava, trapdoors, or pistons.

  4. Kill mobs manually to collect XP and blaze rods.

Each blaze you kill releases a good amount of XP and drops blaze rods, which are vital for potions and Eyes of Ender. This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy, especially in Java Edition, where mob farms are more customizable. With a good setup, you'll turn this fiery mob spawner into a fantastic XP and loot generator.

#5: Trade With Villagers

Trading might not sound exciting, but it’s one of the safest ways to earn XP, and it doesn’t involve fighting any hostile mobs.

Here’s why trading is underrated:

  • Each trade releases orbs, up to 6 XP at a time.

  • You can stockpile enchanted books, weapons, and other items.

  • It's passive once your trading hall is built.

XP Trading Tips:

  • Fletchers are great—turn sticks into emeralds.

  • Librarians offer high-value enchanted books.

  • Use composters, lecterns, and other job site blocks to change villagers professions and find better trades.

Once you unlock enough villagers, trading becomes a consistent way to gain XP and gear up your Minecraft world.

#4: Smelt Items

Here’s a sneaky XP trick: smelting items in a furnace gives you experience, but only when you manually collect the result.

Top items to smelt for XP:

  • Cobblestone → Stone

  • Sand → Glass

  • Kelp → Dried Kelp

  • Cactus → Green Dye

  • Raw Food, like pork chops or cod

Use blast furnaces and smokers for speed, and keep at least one manual furnace to collect the XP directly. This method is perfect for multitasking, cooking food, preparing building blocks, and earning XP without fighting a single mob.

#3: Make a Guardian Farm

Now we’re getting technical. Guardian farms take effort to build, but the XP payout? Massive. Guardians spawn in Ocean Monuments and drop more XP than most hostile mobs. A maxed-out guardian XP farm can generate up to 180,000 XP per hour.

What makes it great:

  • You get prismarine shards, crystals, and raw cod.

  • You don’t need complex redstone, just good water flow and a kill chamber.

  • It’s arguably the best passive XP farm in the game.

You’ll need to drain the monument, build bubble elevators or drop chambers, and maybe even a trident killer to set up one hit kills. If you're looking for a true endgame XP farm, this is it.

#2: Go Mining for Quartz

If you’re comfortable venturing into the Nether, quartz mining is one of the most efficient XP methods available. Quartz drops a whopping 3.5 XP per ore, which is more than any standard overworld block.

Why it’s so good:

  • Found frequently in Nether Wastes.

  • Comes in large clusters.

  • Useful for both building blocks and Redstone contraptions.

Tips:

  • Avoid Crimson and Warped biomes, they’re harder to navigate.

  • Use Fortune tools to increase quartz and XP gains.

  • Always watch your back, hostile mobs like ghasts and piglins spawn often.

Quartz mining is a faster way to level up, especially when you’re prepping for mid-game enchantments or tool repairs.

#1: Make an Enderman Farm

Nothing beats the XP output of a good Enderman farm. Built in The End, this is the ultimate setup for serious XP gain.

Here’s how it works:

  • Look at Endermen to anger them.

  • They run into a trap or drop pit.

  • Use entity cramming or a Sweeping Edge sword for easy kills.

  • Orbs flood in—fast.

Why it’s #1:

  • Ridiculously fast XP—perfect for enchanting.

  • Minimal armor or weapons needed.

  • Drops tons of ender pearls and experience orbs.

Build Tips

  • Build at Y=0 for best spawn rates.

  • Use trapdoors, carpets, and slabs to control the farm.

  • Set up the collection area to make sure the player collects all orbs.

Once you’ve defeated the Ender Dragon, there’s no better way to farm XP and repair items with mending.

Bonus Tips

Use Bottles o’ Enchanting:
You can trade for or find a bottle o enchanting in loot chests. Toss one to release instant orbs. They’re perfect for topping up your experience bar before using an anvil.

Breed Baby Animals:
Feeding cows, sheep, and pigs to make baby animals earns XP. Set up a pen and turn your farm into a passive XP source.

Kill Hostile Mobs at Night:
Roaming at night or building a dark room can give you a steady flow of XP drops. Use enchanted weapons to speed up kills and reduce risk.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're mining quartz, smelting ores, trading sticks for emeralds, or farming blaze spawners and hostile mobs, Minecraft gives you plenty of tools to earn XP and level up.

The key is to stack your methods. Smelt while mining. Trade while farming. Build an XP farm and toss in a few bottles o enchanting when you need a quick boost.

So, sharpen that pickaxe, load your furnace, and get grinding because in this game, orbs mean power.