How to get a cape in Minecraft (every way that still works)
Every official way to get a Minecraft cape today, from the free Pan Cape to promotions, live events and contributor programs.
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Official capes are attached to your Microsoft account by Mojang. There is no in-game recipe and no shop that sells them: you get one by taking part in something at the right time. Here is every way that works today, and what to watch for next.
Check which capes you can still get
This list is built from Blockaria's cape database and updates each time a promotion starts or ends. Pick a cape to turn it around in 3D.
A free cape that every Minecraft player now owns, styled as a stack of pancakes.
Open the cape page →Equip the free Pan Cape
Every account already owns the Pan Cape. Bedrock Edition gave it to all players with version 1.16.0, and Java Edition followed in May 2025. You only need to equip it: see how to equip or change your cape.
Join the current promotion
Mojang ties capes to launches and anniversaries. Right now, the Hero Cape goes to anyone who signs in to Minecraft Dungeons II and then to Minecraft before December 31, 2026. Promotions are announced on minecraft.net and Minecraft's social accounts, usually a few days before they start.
Watch streams when a drop is running
Several recent capes, such as the Builder Cape and the Aurora Cape, were given for watching Minecraft streams for a few minutes on Twitch or TikTok. Each campaign lasts two to three weeks and ends with a code to redeem. Free capes from Twitch and TikTok drops explains how these campaigns work.
Visit a live event
The Minecraft Experience touring attractions give a cape to every visitor: the Minecraft Experience Cape for Villager Rescue and the Moonlight Trail Cape for the 2026 tour. You receive a code by email or on a printed card and have 30 days to redeem it.
Redeem your code
Event and stream capes arrive as codes. Enter them on minecraft.net/redeem while signed in with the Microsoft account you play with. How to redeem a cape code covers the errors you may run into.
Contribute to the community
Three capes are earned through volunteer work rather than events:
- Translator Cape: for notable proofreaders of Minecraft's translations on Crowdin.
- Moderator Cape: for moderators of Mojira, the official bug tracker.
- Realms MapMaker Cape: for creators in the Java Realms Content Creator Program.
None of them can be requested; they are given once your contributions qualify.
Know which capes are gone
The MINECON capes, the Migrator Cape, the Vanilla Cape and every past promotion can no longer be earned, and staff or personal capes were never meant for players. Anyone offering to sell or "unlock" one of them is running a scam. The full list of Minecraft capes shows the status of each one, and the rarest Minecraft capes tells their stories.
FAQ
Can you buy a cape in Minecraft?
No. Official capes are never sold on their own. They come with promotions, events or game purchases, such as the Hero Cape for Minecraft Dungeons II owners.
Are capes free?
Most are. The Pan Cape is on every account, and stream rewards and event server capes cost nothing. Some promotions require owning another game.
Do capes work on both editions?
Recent capes appear in Java and Bedrock at the same time. Older ones, such as the MINECON capes or the Migrator Cape, exist on Java only.
Blocks & items in this guide
11 · recipe, drops and data for each- Pan Cape
- Hero Cape
- Builder Cape
- Aurora Cape
- Minecraft Experience Cape
- Moonlight Trail Cape
- Translator Cape
- Moderator Cape
- Realms MapMaker Cape
- Migrator Cape
- Vanilla Cape