Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Godlike.Host offers hosted Minecraft Java servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
A modern Minecraft smithing table needs three inputs: a smithing template, a compatible base item, and an allowed addition material. To upgrade diamond equipment, place a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template, the diamond item, and one Netherite ingot into those slots. To decorate armor, use an armor-trim template, a helmet, chestplate, leggings, or boots, and one trim material.
The upgrade changes equipment to Netherite; an armor trim changes only its appearance. Templates are consumed when used, but you can duplicate one with seven diamonds, one block of the template’s material, and the template itself.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →What a smithing table does
Mojang describes the smithing table as a workstation for “physical equipment upgrades and modifications.” In current Minecraft mechanics, it is not a general crafting grid: the template controls the operation, the base slot holds the item being changed, and the addition slot holds the material that completes the recipe.
A recipe appears only when all three inputs are compatible. A diamond pickaxe paired with a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template and a Netherite ingot can become a Netherite pickaxe. A helmet paired with an armor-trim template and a valid trim material receives a visual pattern. An unrelated template, the wrong base item, or an invalid addition leaves the output slot empty.
#1 Best Overall
- MINECRAFT TOY FOR KIDS – LEGO Minecraft Zombie Dungeon (21587) building toy for boys and girls ages 8 years old and up
- 5 LEGO FIGURES – Builders can cast a Wastelands Wanderer minifigure, a slime and 3 zombies (including one with enchanted leggings and gold sword and one with diamond helmet) in their pretend play adventure stories
- GAMING-INSPIRED FUNCTIONS – Set in the Minecraft desert biome, this zombie dungeon features a rotating, zombie-spawning chamber and a sliding piece that triggers a rockfall
- INSPIRE CREATIVE STORYTELLING – The Wastelands Wanderer, equipped with a diamond pickaxe, mace and netherite armor, takes on a slime and 3 zombies in the desert biome dungeon
- ACCESSORIES FOR PRETEND PLAY – Features netherite armor, a mace, diamond pickaxe, gold sword, diamond helmet, crafting table, torch and a chest containing bread, bone and rotten flesh
The three slots
| Slot | What goes there | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Template | The smithing operation to perform | Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template; Sentry Armor Trim |
| Base | The compatible item being upgraded or decorated | Diamond tools, weapons, armor, or a compatible armor piece |
| Addition | The material required by that template | Netherite ingot for an upgrade; iron, copper, gold, lapis, emerald, diamond, Netherite, redstone, amethyst, or quartz for a trim |
The smithing table does not replace the anvil. The table performs template-defined transformations and trims; an anvil remains the appropriate block for many repairs, renaming operations, and enchantment combinations.
How to use a smithing table
- Place a smithing table and open its interface.
- Put the required smithing template in the template slot.
- Put the item to transform or decorate in the base slot.
- Put the template’s allowed material in the addition slot.
- Check the preview in the result slot, then take the result. The template is consumed during a successful operation.
If no preview appears, check the template first. A Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template accepts a compatible diamond item, while an armor-trim template accepts a compatible armor piece. The addition material must also match the recipe type: a Netherite ingot is used for a Netherite upgrade, whereas a trim accepts one of the listed trim materials.
Recommended Free Tools
Upgrade diamond equipment to Netherite
A Netherite upgrade uses exactly one Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template, one compatible diamond item, and one Netherite ingot. The result is the corresponding Netherite item. Microsoft’s Bedrock recipe documentation expresses the same transform as a template plus a diamond axe plus a Netherite ingot producing a Netherite axe.
Step-by-step Netherite upgrade
- Obtain a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template.
- Open the smithing table.
- Insert the Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template into the template slot.
- Insert the diamond equipment piece into the base slot. Use the diamond version of the item you want to upgrade, such as a tool, weapon, or armor piece that the recipe accepts.
- Insert one Netherite ingot into the addition slot.
- Confirm the Netherite preview and collect the result.
The template determines that this is a tier upgrade; the Netherite ingot supplies the required material. The operation is not a cosmetic recolor and does not work by placing a Netherite ingot beside an item without the template.
Where to find the Netherite Upgrade template
Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates generate in Bastion Remnant chests. The chance of finding one depends on the chest you open, but Mojang’s feature documentation states that every Treasure Room Bastion Remnant guarantees two Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates.
Rank #2
- BUILD THE DREADED CREEPER – Young explorers, ages 10 and up, build a large poseable version of the iconic Minecraft mob
- MINECRAFT ACTION FIGURE – Kids construct every detail of the Creeper, from its 4 poseable legs to its detachable head
- HIDDEN SURPRISE INSIDE – Builders can remove the Creeper's head to reveal a compartment that hides a first-version Creeper minifigure and TNT element
- POSEABLE ROOM DECOR – After building, kids can put their creation on display in the bedroom or playroom
- GIFT IDEA FOR KIDS – Makes a wonderful birthday or any-time gift idea for boys and girls
A Bastion Remnant is a dangerous Nether structure occupied by piglins and, in many areas, piglin brutes. Prepare fire resistance, strong armor, blocks for emergency cover, food, and a route back to a portal before searching. Locate the Treasure Room section rather than assuming that any bastion chest has the guaranteed pair.
What happens to your template
A template is consumed each time a smithing operation succeeds. If you have one template and several diamond items, you must either find additional templates or duplicate the one you have before upgrading everything. The same consumption rule applies to armor trims.
Apply an armor trim
Armor trims are cosmetic modifications. Mojang states that they are “purely visual with no gameplay benefits.” They do not add armor points, toughness, protection, durability, movement speed, or special abilities.
Armor-trim procedure
- Find an armor-trim smithing template.
- Open a smithing table and put the template in the template slot.
- Put a compatible helmet, chestplate, leggings, or boots in the base slot.
- Put one valid trim material in the addition slot.
- Review the preview and take the decorated armor. The template is consumed.
The template selects the pattern, while the addition material selects the trim color. For example, changing the template changes the design, while changing gold to redstone changes the visible color treatment of that same design. The armor’s underlying material remains whatever you placed in the base slot.
Armor-trim template locations
The following structure-to-template mapping comes from Mojang’s official feature documentation. Templates are generally found in chests in the named structure. The Ocean Monument is the exception: it has no conventional chests for this purpose, and Elder Guardians can sometimes drop the Tide template.
Rank #3
- DEFEND THE CHICKEN FARM – LEGO Minecraft Chicken Farm (21585) building toy for boys and girls ages 7 years old and up features a chicken-shaped coop with movable wings, opening gate and fun gaming-inspired details
- 4 MINECRAFT TOY FIGURES – Includes a Chicken Fan minifigure, plus a baby zombie (who likes to ride the chicken), fox, cold chicken and a baby chicken
- GAMING-INSPIRED FUNCTIONS – The giant chicken-shaped coop lays eggs at the rear and dispenses seed from its mouth into a container, which tilts forward when the chickens need food
- CREATIVE STORYTELLING POSSIBILITIES – Young players can help the Chicken Fan care for the chickens while fending off a fox trying to eat the cold chicken and a baby zombie trying to hitch a ride
- ACCESSORIES FOR PRETEND PLAY – Features torches, hay, a smoker stove, 2 eggs, 2 lots of seeds, a chicken leg, feather and an axe
| Structure | Template | How to look |
|---|---|---|
| Pillager Outpost | Sentry | Search the structure’s chests. |
| Desert Pyramid | Dune | Search the pyramid’s chests, taking care around the trapped central chamber. |
| Shipwreck | Coast | Search shipwreck chests. |
| Jungle Temple | Wild | Search the temple’s chests and disarm or avoid its traps. |
| Ocean Monument | Tide | Elder Guardians sometimes drop it; the monument has no chests for this template. |
| Ancient City | Ward | Search Ancient City chests while managing the Warden threat. |
| Woodland Mansion | Vex | Search mansion chests. |
| Nether Fortress | Rib | Search fortress chests in the Nether. |
| Bastion Remnant | Snout | Search bastion chests and treat piglins and piglin brutes as immediate threats. |
| Stronghold | Eye | Search stronghold chests. |
| End City | Spire | Search End City chests after reaching the End. |
Structure generation and loot can differ by game edition, world seed, and later release changes. The mapping above reflects Mojang’s cited feature documentation; it should not be read as a guarantee that no newer template or location exists in a later version.
Trim materials and color choices
Mojang lists these materials as valid trim ingredients:
- Iron
- Copper
- Gold
- Lapis
- Emerald
- Diamond
- Netherite
- Redstone
- Amethyst
- Quartz
The material is consumed for the trim operation, and its visual color is applied to the pattern. It does not convert diamond armor into Netherite armor; that requires the separate Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template and a Netherite ingot.
Duplicate smithing templates
Duplicating is the practical way to use one rare template on a complete set of gear. Mojang’s documented recipe uses seven diamonds, one block of the material the template is made from, and one copy of the template. It produces two templates, so the original input effectively becomes two usable copies.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Duplication recipe
| Ingredient | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Diamonds | 7 | Required duplication ingredient |
| Material block | 1 | The block corresponding to the template’s material |
| Smithing template | 1 | The template being copied |
| Output | 2 templates | Two copies of that template |
Use the correct material block for the template. A Netherite Upgrade template and an armor-trim template are not interchangeable, and duplicating a template does not change its pattern or operation.
Rank #4
- ADVENTURE AWAITS – The Warden Encounter for boys and girls takes kids on an exciting cave exploration where they'll come face-to face with a dreaded Warden
- BUILD THE GAME – This Minecraft building toy includes a Silent Ranger minifigure, a Minecraft chicken and a buildable and poseable Minecraft Warden
- INTERACTIVE FEATURES & ACCESSORIES – Kids use the exploding TNT and falling rock functions, mine diamonds in the cave, restore health with potions and carrots, and pose the warden's head, arms, and legs
- PRETEND PLAY POSSIBILITIES – Packed with familiar details from the Minecraft game, this LEGO set sparks imagination by placing young gamers right in the center of the action
- MINECRAFT GIFT FOR KIDS – This LEGO video game toy makes a great birthday, holiday or any-day gift for boys and girls ages 7 and up
A resource-saving order for a new world
- Keep the first Netherite Upgrade template in a safe storage location until you are ready to duplicate it or perform the most important upgrade.
- Gather seven diamonds and the required material block.
- Duplicate the template before upgrading multiple tools or armor pieces.
- Make additional copies as needed rather than spending the only copy on a low-priority item.
- Apply trims after deciding which armor set you will keep, because each decorative use consumes a template.
Netherite upgrades versus armor trims
These two smithing-table operations share the same three-slot interface but solve different problems.
| Comparison | Netherite upgrade | Armor trim |
|---|---|---|
| Template | Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template | One named armor-trim template, such as Sentry or Tide |
| Base item | Compatible diamond equipment | Helmet, chestplate, leggings, or boots |
| Addition | Netherite ingot | Iron, copper, gold, lapis, emerald, diamond, Netherite, redstone, amethyst, or quartz |
| Gameplay effect | Changes the equipment to its Netherite version | Cosmetic only; no gameplay benefits |
| Where the template is found | Bastion Remnant chests; two are guaranteed in every Treasure Room Bastion Remnant according to Mojang’s documentation | Distributed among overworld, Nether, End, and ocean structures listed above |
| Template consumption | One template per successful upgrade | One template per successful trim |
| Duplication cost | Seven diamonds, one appropriate material block, and one template produce two | The same documented duplication formula applies |
Choose Netherite upgrading when you need the equipment-tier transformation. Choose trimming when the armor already has the statistics you want and you are customizing its appearance. You can perform both operations on the same armor, but each operation needs its own compatible template and addition material.
Troubleshooting an empty result slot
The template does not work with the base item
Read the template type before changing materials. A Netherite Upgrade template requires compatible diamond equipment. An armor-trim template requires one of the four armor slots: helmet, chestplate, leggings, or boots. A tool, weapon, shield, or elytra cannot receive an armor trim through this recipe.
The addition material is wrong
For a Netherite upgrade, use a Netherite ingot, not Netherite scrap or a block. For a trim, use one of the ten listed trim ingredients. If the material is not accepted, remove it and try a valid ingredient; the template and base item alone are not enough.
The template was already spent
Templates disappear after a successful operation. Check your inventory and storage before assuming the table failed. Duplicate the template ahead of time when you need several upgrades or matching trims.
Best Value
- MINECRAFT BUILDING TOY – Kids can take a wild ride with the LEGO Minecraft Chicken Jockey (21582) building set for boys and girls ages 9 years old and up, a fun creative experience with familiar mobs for gaming inspired play
- 3 LEGO MINECRAFT FIGURES – Bring virtual adventures to life with 3 large scale characters built from LEGO bricks: a baby zombie with a jointed head, arms and legs, a chicken with movable wings and legs, and a baby chicken
- PLAY AND DISPLAY – Young fans can enjoy hours of pretend play before creating a dynamic piece of video game decor that's perfect for a desk, shelf or nightstand in their bedroom
- BUILDABLE CHICKEN JOCKEY – Kids can recreate one of the game’s most iconic features by setting the baby zombie on the chicken to assemble the mischievous chicken jockey
- GIFT IDEAS FOR GAMERS – This versatile gaming toy makes a great birthday, holiday or any time gift idea for boys and girls ages 9 years old and up
You expected a stat increase from a trim
A trim changes the visible pattern and color only. It does not add protection or other gameplay attributes, so an unchanged armor-stat display is normal.
You cannot find the guaranteed Netherite templates
The guarantee applies specifically to the Treasure Room Bastion Remnant described by Mojang, not to every bastion chest or every bastion layout. Recheck that you are in the treasure-room section and search its chests thoroughly. Other bastion areas can still contain templates, but they do not carry that stated two-template guarantee.
Java and Bedrock recipe model
Microsoft Learn documents two Bedrock recipe formats that clarify how the interface is represented in data. minecraft:recipe_smithing_trim defines a template, base armor, and addition material. minecraft:recipe_smithing_transform defines a template, base item, addition, and result. Its sample transform uses a diamond axe, a Netherite ingot, and a Netherite Upgrade template to produce a Netherite axe.
This data model explains why the three visible inputs matter and why the output is predetermined by the template and recipe. It is also useful when diagnosing a custom Bedrock recipe: verify that the recipe declares the correct template, base, addition, and result fields rather than treating the smithing table as an unrestricted crafting grid.
Exact recipe files, loot tables, and structure availability can change between Java and Bedrock releases. The mechanics and location statements in this guide follow Mojang’s cited feature documentation and Microsoft’s Bedrock recipe documentation; check the release notes for the specific version you are hosting when building a map, add-on, or server guide.
Quick Recap
Quick preparation checklist
- Bring a smithing table and the correct template.
- For a Netherite upgrade, carry the diamond item and one Netherite ingot.
- For a trim, carry the armor piece and one valid trim material.
- Assume the template will be consumed and keep a duplicate or the resources to make one.
- Use seven diamonds, one corresponding material block, and one template when duplicating.
- Confirm whether your goal is a gameplay upgrade or a cosmetic pattern before spending rare resources.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
