Can you put Unbreaking on an elytra?

How to add it

The surest way is to combine an enchanted book with the elytra on an anvil: Unbreaking III costs 3 levels on a fresh elytra.

Plan it in the calculator

What it does on an elytra

Unbreaking III makes an elytra last several times as long between repairs. Unbreaking III plus Mending is the standard elytra. Since an elytra can't take anything else useful, those two books are the whole build.

Step by step

1. First, get Unbreaking III as an enchanted book. Sources: a librarian villager, an enchanting table (on a plain book) or fishing, chest loot.
2. Then put the elytra in the left slot of an anvil and the book in the right slot.
3. Finally, pay the cost shown: 3 levels on a fresh elytra, plus any prior work penalty the elytra already has.
4. If the elytra is getting more books, plan the order first so no step costs 40 levels or more.

Why it works

Unbreaking lists elytra among its supported items. That matters because Bedrock checks a built-in list of items for each enchantment. The enchanting table never offers Unbreaking on an elytra, so it has to come from a book.

It conflicts with nothing else an elytra can take, so it fits into any elytra build.

What it costs on the anvil

First, the base price: on a fresh elytra, Unbreaking III costs 3 levels. Bedrock only charges for the levels a book adds, so small upgrades stay cheap. Each anvil use also raises the item's prior work penalty for the next step.

Order matters. Say your elytra already has Mending, put on in the cheapest order. That took 1 anvil use, so adding Unbreaking last costs 4 levels: 1 for the prior work penalty plus 3 for the book. Planning everything from the start costs 6 levels in total, with no step above 3.

Plan your own version in the calculator. The prior work penalty calculator shows how the penalty grows.

Where Unbreaking goes

• Unbreaking goes on helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, elytra, sword, axe, spear, mace, trident, bow, crossbow, pickaxe, shovel, hoe, fishing rod, shears, brush, flint and steel, shield, carrot on a stick and warped fungus on a stick. The enchanting table offers it on the helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, sword, axe, spear, mace, trident, bow, crossbow, pickaxe, shovel, hoe and fishing rod, while the elytra, shears, brush, flint and steel, shield, carrot on a stick and warped fungus on a stick need a book.

Commands and creative mode

With cheats on, hold the elytra and run /enchant @s unbreaking 3. Bedrock's /give can't add enchantments, so /enchant is the way. The command generator writes the right syntax for your edition.

Java and Bedrock

As far as the item list goes, the answer is also the same in Java and Bedrock. The anvil differs, though: Bedrock only charges for the levels a book adds. This page follows Bedrock 26.60.

About Unbreaking

Unbreaking gives items a chance to not lose durability when used. Tools and weapons benefit much more than armor.

Unbreaking has a max level of III. If you need a book, you can get it from the enchanting table, librarian villagers and enchanted loot from fishing and chests. Before you buy, read everything about Unbreaking, including what each level does.

What else an elytra can take

Besides Unbreaking, an elytra can take Mending. Then the best elytra enchantments page ranks them and gives the max build.

Related questions: Mending on elytra, Protection on elytra.

Related

• Best elytra enchantments
• Unbreaking
• Mending on elytra
• Protection on elytra