Curse of Vanishing enchantment in Minecraft
Curse of Vanishing makes an item disappear when you die: instead of dropping with the rest of your inventory, it is destroyed. While you are alive it does nothing, so the item works normally until then.
Curse of Vanishing at a glance
- Max level
- I
- Works on
- Bow, Boots, Chestplate and Helmet…
- Enchanting table
- No (curse)
- Incompatible with
- None
- Rarity
- Very rare (weight 1)
- Anvil cost
- ×8 on an item, ×4 on a book
What does Curse of Vanishing do?
A curse: the item disappears when you die instead of dropping.
How to get Curse of Vanishing
Best wayLibrarian villagersLibrarians can sell a Curse of Vanishing book. Reset an unemployed villager’s lectern until the trade appears.
RandomChests and fishingEnchanted books in structure chests, and fishing treasure, can carry Curse of Vanishing.
CombineAnvilCombine a Curse of Vanishing book with the item on an anvil.
Not possibleEnchanting tableCurses never appear on the table.
Items that take Curse of Vanishing
Primary items show up on the enchanting table; the others only get it through an anvil.
BowAnvil only
BrushAnvil only
Carrot on a StickAnvil only
Carved PumpkinAnvil only
BootsAnvil only
ChestplateAnvil only
HelmetAnvil only
LeggingsAnvil only
CompassAnvil only
AxeAnvil only
HoeAnvil only
PickaxeAnvil only
ShovelAnvil only
SpearAnvil only
SwordAnvil only
Creeper HeadAnvil only
CrossbowAnvil only
Dragon HeadAnvil only
ElytraAnvil onlyFishing RodAnvil only
Flint and SteelAnvil only
MaceAnvil only
Piglin HeadAnvil only
Player HeadAnvil only
ShearsAnvil only
ShieldAnvil only
Skeleton SkullAnvil only
TridentAnvil only
Warped Fungus on a StickAnvil only
Wither Skeleton SkullAnvil only
Zombie HeadAnvil only Combining Curse of Vanishing
No incompatibility: it combines with every other enchantment its item can take.
Commands
/enchant @s minecraft:vanishing_curse/give @s minecraft:enchanted_book[stored_enchantments={"minecraft:vanishing_curse":1}]What it does and doesn't do
- It only triggers on death. Dropping the item, storing it in a chest or giving it to a friend is fine.
- With the
keepInventorygame rule on, you keep everything, cursed items included. - It can't be removed in Survival: a Grindstone strips every enchantment except curses, and combining on an anvil carries the curse over to the result.
Where it comes from
Like Curse of Binding, it shows up on Enchanted Books from chests and fishing treasure, and a librarian villager can offer it. Mobs never spawn with it, and the enchanted gear villagers sell never carries it. It fits on almost anything with durability, and also on a Compass, a Carved Pumpkin and mob heads. Check every book before it goes on your gear.
Should you keep a cursed item?
For gear you can replace, yes: it works perfectly until your next death. For items that took hours to enchant, think twice, because one bad fall erases them. A Recovery Compass leads you back to where you died, but vanished items won't be waiting there.
Map makers use it on purpose, for kits and quest items that must never be left lying on the ground. Stacked with Curse of Binding, it makes a piece of armor you can't take off and lose when you die.
✓ Checked in Java Edition 26.3 · updated 1 November 2026
Curse of Vanishing — FAQ
Does Curse of Vanishing work with keepInventory?
No. With the keepInventory game rule on, you keep all your items when you die, including those with Curse of Vanishing.
Can you remove Curse of Vanishing?
Not in Survival. A Grindstone keeps curses, and an anvil carries them over when you combine items.
Does the item vanish if I drop it?
No. It only disappears when you die. Dropping it or putting it in a chest is safe.
Can you get Curse of Vanishing from an enchanting table?
No. Curses never appear on the enchanting table.
What is the max level of Curse of Vanishing?
Curse of Vanishing has a single level.