How to use it
- Type or paste your text in the box. Only the letters A to Z are turned into glyphs.
- Or click the glyph keys to write with them. The box fills with the matching letters.
- Check the preview. Spaces and punctuation stay as they are.
- Press Save as PNG to download the picture, or copy the text.
What the glyphs on the table mean
When you open an enchanting table, each of the three options shows a short line of small symbols. Those symbols are letters of the Standard Galactic Alphabet, which was drawn for the Commander Keen games and is a plain letter-for-letter substitution of the English alphabet. The line is a random string of words used as a visual effect. It has no link to the enchantment you will receive, so there is nothing to decode and nothing to gain from reading it. The pointer showing the level and lapis cost is what matters.
The same alphabet is used as a code in puzzle maps and adventure maps, where a builder hides a message in glyphs. That is the reason to have a translator.
How to write a message
Type your sentence in the box and the preview shows each letter as its glyph. Use the glyph keys to go the other way: click the symbols you read from a map in order, and the box shows the letters. Save the image and put it in your world as a painting, in a book, or on a screenshot in the map description.
Example
The word mending has seven letters but only six different glyphs, because the n appears twice. Unbreaking has eleven letters and nine different glyphs. Words with repeats make a code easy to crack, so pick words without them for a harder puzzle.
Ideas for builders
- Treasure hunts. Hide the name of the next place in glyphs and link to this page.
- Server rules. Make a sign wall that is part of the lore, with the real text under it.
- Wizard builds. Use glyph pictures on walls inside a library or a spell room.
Related tools
Planning real enchantments? The enchantment order calculator finds the cheapest anvil order, and the XP calculator turns levels into points. For coloured sign and MOTD text use the color codes page.
Sources and notes
The link between the enchanting table text and the Standard Galactic Alphabet is described on the Minecraft Wiki page on the enchanting table, checked on 27 October 2026. The glyph shapes on this page are our own and are not taken from the game. BlockShapes is not affiliated with Mojang or Microsoft.
Frequently asked questions
What does the enchanting table language say?
Nothing of meaning. The symbols are random words written in the Standard Galactic Alphabet. They do not describe the enchantment you will get, they are decoration.
Is the enchanting table language real?
It is a real letter substitution: every glyph stands for one letter of the English alphabet. That is why you can write real sentences in it. It was invented for the Commander Keen games and Minecraft used it as the enchanting table font.
How do I translate the enchanting table text?
Match each glyph to a letter, which this page does in one direction by typing text. To go the other way, click the glyph keys in the order you see them on the table and read the letters that appear in the box.
Are the glyphs on this page the real ones?
No. They are our own drawings, so they look similar in spirit but are not the same shapes as the in-game font. The table is still one symbol per letter, which is what matters for coding and decoding.
Can I use it for a secret message or a puzzle map?
Yes. Save the PNG and put it on a map, a banner picture, a sign photo or a resource pack puzzle. Tell players that the glyphs are a letter code and that they can use the key on this page.
Does it work for numbers and punctuation?
The cipher has glyphs only for letters. Numbers, spaces and punctuation are kept as normal text.
Can I get the in-game font on a sign?
Not as normal text, because chat and signs use the standard font. A resource pack can change the font, but that is extra work. The picture from this page is the easiest way to share it.