Armor trims arrived in 1.20 with 16 patterns, and the trial chambers added two more in 1.21. That makes 18 to collect, each one locked to a specific structure. What sends most players looking for a guide is that applying a template uses it up. One trip to a pillager outpost gets you exactly one Sentry trim, unless you duplicate the template first. Below you'll find every pattern, where it drops, what it costs to copy, and which trim materials actually show up well on each armor set. If you want to see a particular pattern on a particular material before spending the diamonds, the armor trims tool renders every combination.
All 18 armor trims and where to find them
The odds are rough per-chest chances from the loot tables. They're approximate on purpose, and as far as we can tell Mojang hasn't touched them since 1.21. Two things jump out. Trail Ruins hold four patterns and none of them sit in chests, so bring a brush. And Silence is the rarest trim in the game by a wide margin, which is why people loot Ancient Cities twice.
Trim materials
The template sets the pattern and a second ingredient sets the colour. Ten materials have worked since 1.20, and resin brick joined them in one of the 1.21 drops.
A trim made from the same material as the armor switches to a darker shade instead of vanishing, so diamond on diamond looks subtle but still shows. Every material works with every pattern. That puts the total at 18 patterns × 11 materials × 6 armor sets (leather, chainmail, iron, gold, diamond, netherite), plus the turtle shell.
How to apply a trim
Put the template in the left slot of a smithing table, the armor piece in the middle and the material on the right. You lose the template and the material. The armor keeps its enchantments and durability. To change a trim, apply a new one, which overwrites the old pattern and material in one go. There's no way to remove a trim without replacing it.
Trims are purely cosmetic. Protection, durability and every other stat stay the same. They also survive the netherite upgrade, so if you want to save a template, trim your diamond set before you upgrade it.
How to duplicate a template
Any trim template can be copied at a crafting table, and that's why one find is all you ever need. The recipe:
- 7 diamonds around the edges,
- the template in the centre,
- the structure's signature block directly below it. That's cobblestone for Sentry, sandstone for Dune, mossy cobblestone for Wild, cobbled deepslate for Ward, end stone for Eye, prismarine for Tide, blackstone for Snout, netherrack for Rib, purpur for Spire, terracotta for the four Trail Ruins trims, a breeze rod for Flow and a copper block for Bolt. The crafting guide page for each template shows the exact grid.
You get two templates back. Duplicate before you apply, every single time, and you'll never have to raid the same structure twice.
Which trims to go after first
Most players who only want a few end up using these:
- Silence on netherite with amethyst or redstone. It's the rarest pattern and the most detailed one.
- Spire on netherite with gold. This is the "end game" look, and the template turns up constantly once you're in the End anyway.
- Eye with diamond or emerald. Every stronghold library chest has one guaranteed.
- Bolt or Flow with copper. The 1.21 trims read well on almost any armor, and vaults reset per player.
To compare them quickly, open the armor trims tool, pick a pattern, and it lays out the full material set side by side.
FAQ
How many armor trims are in Minecraft?
18 in Java Edition 26.2. Sixteen shipped with Trails & Tales in 1.20, then the trial chambers brought Flow and Bolt in 1.21. Each one has its own smithing template that drops in a single structure, and you can duplicate any template with seven diamonds and a block from that structure.
Which armor trim is the rarest?
Silence. It only generates in Ancient City chests, at roughly 1 in 85 per chest, so finding one per city is a good result. Ward comes from the same structure and is about four times as common. Every other trim is either common in its structure or guaranteed, like Eye in stronghold library chests.
Can you put armor trims on netherite?
Yes. Trims survive the netherite upgrade, so you can trim diamond armor first and upgrade it afterwards. Netherite armor takes every pattern and material. Gold, quartz and copper stand out most on it, while a netherite trim on netherite armor only shows as a slightly darker pattern.
Do armor trims do anything?
No. They're cosmetic and don't change armor points, toughness, durability or enchantability. Repairing or renaming the armor at an anvil keeps the trim, too. The only way to lose one is to apply a different trim over it.