Acquire Hardware
Smelt an Iron Ingot
Overview
Acquire Hardware is a task advancement in the Minecraft tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Smelt an Iron Ingot." It branches directly off Getting an Upgrade, so that earlier advancement is its prerequisite and must be earned first. The Minecraft tab covers the main story progression tree. Acquire Hardware was added in Minecraft 1.12 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Easy difficulty on this site: can be completed quickly with minimal resources. Good for beginners. It uses the standard task frame, meaning it is a normal step in the tree rather than a goal or challenge milestone. 3 further advancements branch out of it: Suit Up, Hot Stuff, and Isn't It Iron Pick.
In tree terms, Acquire Hardware sits third along its line: the full path from the Minecraft root reads Minecraft -> Stone Age -> Getting an Upgrade -> Acquire Hardware. That means 3 advancements must be completed before this one becomes available, and Acquire Hardware is one of 14 total advancements in the Minecraft tab. No other advancement shares its parent, so it is the only thing that branches from Getting an Upgrade.
How to Complete Acquire Hardware
Earning Acquire Hardware comes down to the following, performed in order:
- Place iron ore (or raw iron) in a furnace with any fuel source to smelt it into an iron ingot.
- Iron ore can be found between Y -64 and Y 320, most commonly around Y 16 and Y 232.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Strip-mine around Y 16, smelt the raw iron you collect in a furnace with any fuel.
- Raw iron and the older iron-ore block both smelt into the ingot, so either input completes it.
- Lava buckets, coal, charcoal, even a wooden plank can fuel the furnace.
- Make sure Getting an Upgrade is already ticked off before you start, otherwise Acquire Hardware will not be tracked even if you perform the steps correctly.
- This is one of the more approachable Minecraft advancements, so it is a good early target while you build toward the harder entries deeper in the branch.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes- A blast furnace works too, but you still need fuel; an empty furnace will not start.
- Remember that Acquire Hardware will not appear as available until Getting an Upgrade is done, since the game only tracks an advancement once its parent has been unlocked.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksCompleting Acquire Hardware grants 10 experience points. The XP drops at your position the moment the advancement fires.
Earning it unlocks 3 follow-on advancements — Suit Up, Hot Stuff, and Isn't It Iron Pick — each of which becomes trackable only once Acquire Hardware is complete.
Details
- Advancement ID
minecraft:story/smelt_iron- Icon Item
- Iron Ingot
- Category
- Minecraft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- XP Reward
- 10 XP
- Version Added
- 1.12
Advancement ID
Category
Version AddedAdvancement Tree
Parent Advancement
Acquire Hardware Advancement FAQ
How do you get the Acquire Hardware advancement in Minecraft?
Strip-mine around Y 16, smelt the raw iron you collect in a furnace with any fuel. In full, place iron ore (or raw iron) in a furnace with any fuel source to smelt it into an iron ingot. Iron ore can be found between Y -64 and Y 320, most commonly around Y 16 and Y 232.
What do you need for Acquire Hardware?
Before you can work on it you must have completed Getting an Upgrade. Place iron ore (or raw iron) in a furnace with any fuel source to smelt it into an iron ingot. Iron ore can be found between Y -64 and Y 320, most commonly around Y 16 and Y 232.
Which advancement tab is Acquire Hardware in?
Acquire Hardware is in the Minecraft tab, hanging beneath Getting an Upgrade. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:story/smelt_iron.
Is Acquire Hardware part of the Getting an Upgrade branch?
Yes. Acquire Hardware sits directly below Getting an Upgrade in the Minecraft tree, so you must earn Getting an Upgrade first. Completing Acquire Hardware then opens Suit Up, Hot Stuff, and Isn't It Iron Pick.
How much XP does Acquire Hardware give and how hard is it?
Acquire Hardware awards 10 XP and is rated Easy difficulty.