A Guide to Getting and Changing Capes

Minecraft is huge, and everyone wants to their own mark. Some people use cool skins, others create their own. But there's another way to stand out: capes! Let's talk about how to get them and how to swap them out in Minecraft.

What's the Deal with Capes?

Capes are like pieces of cloth that attach to your character's shoulders, on top of their skin. They don't change your skin, but add to it .

Capes work roughly the same way everywhere they're available. Just don't mix them up with Elytra, which let you fly. A cape's design will show up on your Elytra, though. Keep in mind that the Java and Bedrock versions of Minecraft handle capes very differently. Let's go through each version.

Capes in Minecraft Bedrock

In Bedrock, capes are pretty common. Everyone can see the capes you're wearing. You can put them on and take them off just like skins in the Character Creator.

Sometimes, the people who make Minecraft (Mojang) give capes away to players who've done cool things for the game. But usually it's Bedrock players who get these special capes. Getting a cape directly from Mojang isn't super likely, but there are other ways.

There are several ways to get capes. Some cost money and some are only around for a limited time, but there are also ways to get them free.

• Official Events If you've been into Minecraft for a while, you've probably heard of Minecon. It was a yearly event where players met up to celebrate the game. These events used to give out capes to people who had tickets.
  Now, Minecon is streamed online, so capes are harder to get that way. One popular cape, from Minecon Live 2019, was given to all Bedrock players, even if they didn't attend the event. Some special capes, like the ones released around Christmas or for special game milestones, are available for a short time. You'll need to keep an eye out and apply for them! The more recent Twitch cape, TikTok cape and creeper cape were given out this way.
• Skin Packs Bedrock players can check out the Minecraft Marketplace. It has both free and paid stuff you can add to the game, and that includes skin packs. Some skin packs come with capes. You can find skin packs that are all about capes. When you're looking at skin packs, make sure the capes are real capes. Some packs just paint a cape design onto the character's back, which isn't the same. Also, some mobile apps, Minecraft communities, and even Discord servers might offer skin packs with capes. You can import these into the game.
• Contribute to Minecraft This is a bit of a long shot, but you can get capes directly from the people who make the game. Mojang employees get special capes just for working there. However, they also give out rare capes to people who contribute to the game in other ways. Some players have gotten capes for setting records in the game, while others got them for suggesting ideas. For example, the additions of pigmen and turtles came from player suggestions. If you have a cool idea for Minecraft, it might be worth contacting the developers!
• Animated Capes There aren't official animated capes yet, but people in the community make their own. Bedrock players can find animated capes online and download them from independent creators. Animated capes are easier to find for Bedrock. There are some options for Java, but they aren't as reliable or free. These capes work like regular capes, but have moving images instead of static textures. They're basically GIFs, and they look pretty cool. Just remember, only you can see these animated capes. Other players will not see the capes if they come from outside the official Marketplace.

Capes in Minecraft Java

Let's look at how to get capes in the Java edition of Minecraft.

• How to Get Capes in Jarva Edition Java players don't have as many options for capes. The Marketplace, which has a ton of capes, is only for the Bedrock version. Plus, most of the event-based capes are for Bedrock too. But Mojang is starting to bring more capes to Java. Here are some ways to get them:
• Official Events Like Bedrock players, Java players can get free capes through official events. You might need to complete a specific task, as well. This may include taking part in the yearly Mob Vote, or the new cape given during special celebrations like Minecraft's 15th anniversary, which also brought the creeper cape to Java. While Bedrock players often get certain capes first, they usually come to Java later.
• Cape Mods A popular way to get capes is with mods. You can install Forge to use mods in Minecraft. Some free and paid mods give you capes. Mods let you get capes in any design. Advanced Capes Mod is a free cape mod. But capes from mods have a downside: only you can see them, no matter how cool they look. If you have Optifine installed, you can buy capes by donating to Optifine. These Optifine capes are visible to other Optifine users. Optifine is a popular mod that many Java players use to run shaders. It also helps the game run better. So, if your friends use Optifine, getting an Optifine cape could be worth it.

Changing Your Cape

Now that you know how to get capes, here's how to change them:

Change Cape on Minecraft Bedrock

1. Start Minecraft and go to the Dressing Room on the main menu.
2. Click the Edit Character button.
3. Go to the Capes section on the left and pick the cape you want.
4. Click Equip at the bottom.

Change Cape on Minecraft Java

Java players have a few ways to change their cape. The first way is through the Minecraft website.

1. Go to the Minecraft website and log in.
2. Go to your Profile page and click Change Skin.
3. Scroll down and click the cape you want.

Another option is through the Minecraft Launcher:

1. Open the Launcher and click Minecraft: Java Edition on the left.
2. Click Skins at the top, then hover over your skin and click the three dots, then Edit.
3. Pick the cape you want and click Save & Use.

So, now you know how to get and change capes in Minecraft. Even though they're popular, capes are just cosmetic. If you need more action, try some modpacks to get real advantages. What's your favorite way to get a cape?