Can You Put Smite on an Axe in Minecraft? Yes

How to add it

The surest way is to combine an enchanted book with the axe on an anvil: Smite V costs 5 levels on a fresh axe.

/give @p netherite_axe[enchantments={smite:5}]

What it does on an axe

A netherite axe deals 10 damage, so Smite V brings it to 22.5 against undead. That kills an unarmored skeleton, with 20 health, in one hit. Smite excludes Sharpness, though. So a Smite axe works best as a second weapon for undead farms and the wither.

Step by step

First, get Smite V as an enchanted book. Sources: a librarian villager (17–64 emeralds for a top-level book), an enchanting table (on a plain book), fishing, chest loot or ominous vaults (trial chambers).
Then put the axe in the left slot of an anvil and the book in the right slot.
Finally, pay the cost shown: 5 levels on a fresh axe, plus any prior work penalty the axe already has.
If the axe is getting more books, plan the order first so no step costs 40 levels or more.

Why it works

Smite lists axe among its supported items. That matters because each enchantment's data file lists the items it supports, and the anvil checks that list. The enchanting table never offers Smite on an axe, so it has to come from a book.

On an axe it rules out Sharpness or Bane of Arthropods, so choose before you buy books.

What it costs on the anvil

First, the base price: on a fresh axe, Smite V costs 5 levels. Java charges the full new level of each book, so upgrading later costs the whole level again. Each anvil use also raises the item's prior work penalty for the next step.

Order matters. Say your axe already has Fortune III, Efficiency V, Unbreaking III and Mending, put on in the cheapest order. That took 3 anvil uses, so adding Smite last costs 12 levels: 7 for the prior work penalty plus 5 for the book. Planning everything from the start costs 32 levels in total, with no step above 11.

Plan your own version in the calculator or follow the axe enchant order. The prior work penalty calculator shows how the penalty grows.

Where Smite goes

Smite goes on sword, axe, spear and mace. The enchanting table offers it on the sword and spear, while the axe and mace need a book. Related questions: Smite on mace.

Commands and creative mode

In creative or with cheats, one command does it: /give @p netherite_axe[enchantments={smite:5}]. Holding the item, /enchant @s smite 5 works too. Creative mode also ignores the anvil's 40-level limit. 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: Java charges the full new level of every book. This page follows Java 26.3.

About Smite

Smite adds a lot of damage against undead mobs: zombies, skeletons, the wither, phantoms, drowned, zombie piglins and more. Each level adds 2.5 damage against them.

Smite has a max level of V. If you need a book, you can get it from the enchanting table, librarian villagers, ominous vaults (trial chambers) and enchanted loot from fishing and chests. A librarian sells a Smite V book for 17 to 64 emeralds. Before you buy, read everything about Smite, including what each level does.

What else an axe can take

Besides Smite, an axe can take Sharpness, Bane of Arthropods, Fortune, Silk Touch, Efficiency, Unbreaking and Mending. Of those, Sharpness and Bane of Arthropods conflict with Smite. Then the best axe enchantments page ranks them and gives the max build.

Questions

Can you put Smite on an axe?

Yes. You can put Smite on an axe in Java 26.3.

What else can Smite go on?

sword, spear and mace.

Is a Smite axe good?

Against undead, yes: Smite V adds 12.5 damage per hit. Against anything else it adds nothing, so keep a Sharpness weapon too.

Can an axe have Smite and Sharpness?

No. Smite, Sharpness and Bane of Arthropods exclude each other.

How many levels does Smite cost on an axe?

Smite V costs 5 levels as a book on a fresh axe. Earlier anvil work adds its prior work penalty on top.