Underwater exploration is one of the most rewarding parts of Minecraft. Shipwrecks, ocean ruins, buried treasure and ocean monuments are full of loot, and coral reefs are some of the prettiest places in the game. The problem is air. You only have about 15 seconds of breath before you start drowning. This guide explains how to make a water breathing potion in Minecraft, how to make it last longer, and every other way to breathe underwater.
Quick answer: how to breathe underwater
- Potion of Water Breathing: awkward potion plus a pufferfish. Lasts 3 minutes, or 8 minutes with redstone.
- Respiration enchantment: on a helmet, adds 15 seconds of breath per level.
- Turtle shell: a helmet that gives extra Water Breathing time when you go under.
- Conduit: gives Conduit Power, which includes unlimited breathing, in a large area around it.
- Bubble columns and air pockets: refill your air for free.
How air works in Minecraft
When your head is underwater, a row of air bubbles appears above your hunger bar. You start with 10 bubbles, which last about 15 seconds. When they are gone, you take 2 damage every second until you surface. Air refills quickly as soon as your head is above water or you swim into a bubble column.
How to make a Potion of Water Breathing
What you need
- A brewing stand, made from 1 blaze rod and 3 cobblestone. See how to make a brewing stand.
- Blaze powder to fuel the stand. One blaze rod makes 2 blaze powder.
- Water bottles: fill glass bottles at any water source.
- Nether wart, grown on soul sand. Found in nether fortresses and bastions.
- Pufferfish, caught by fishing or killed in warm and lukewarm oceans.
- Optional: redstone dust to extend the time, gunpowder for a splash potion, dragon’s breath for a lingering potion.
Brewing steps
- Place the brewing stand and put blaze powder in the fuel slot on the top left.
- Put up to 3 water bottles in the bottom slots.
- Put nether wart in the top ingredient slot. After brewing, you have 3 awkward potions.
- Put a pufferfish in the ingredient slot. The awkward potions become Potions of Water Breathing (3:00).
- Optional: add redstone to extend them to 8:00.
One nether wart and one pufferfish brew three potions at once, so always fill all three bottle slots.
Potion variants
| Potion | Extra ingredient | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Water Breathing | None | 3 minutes |
| Water Breathing (extended) | Redstone dust | 8 minutes |
| Splash Water Breathing | Gunpowder | Thrown, affects nearby players |
| Lingering Water Breathing | Dragon’s breath on a splash potion | Leaves a cloud that applies the effect |
Water Breathing has no level II. Drink an extended potion before a long dive and carry a second one. For the full brewing system, see the Minecraft potions guide.
Other ways to breathe underwater
Respiration enchantment
Respiration goes on helmets and has three levels. Each level adds about 15 seconds of breath and makes your air run out more slowly. It also improves your view underwater. Respiration III triples your safe diving time without any potions. See what Respiration, Aqua Affinity and Depth Strider do.
Turtle shell
A turtle shell helmet is crafted from 5 turtle scutes, which drop when baby turtles grow up. While you wear it, you get 10 seconds of Water Breathing each time you go underwater, on top of your normal air. It can be enchanted with Respiration too. See how to breed turtles.
Conduit
A conduit is crafted from a heart of the sea surrounded by 8 nautilus shells. Placed underwater inside a frame of prismarine blocks, it gives Conduit Power to players in the water nearby: unlimited breathing, better underwater vision and faster mining. With a full 42-block frame it covers a large area and also attacks hostile mobs. It is the best tool for building an underwater base. See what the heart of the sea does.
Bubble columns
A bubble column made by soul sand or a magma block refills your air completely while you are inside it. Underwater, you can place soul sand at the bottom of a column to make a quick air station. See how to make a water elevator.
Air pockets
Some blocks that cannot be waterlogged, such as doors, push water out of their space. Placing one underwater and standing with your head inside it gives you a small air pocket in many situations. You can also dig into a wall underwater and place blocks to seal yourself in a dry space.
Best setup for ocean monuments
- Extended Potions of Water Breathing and Night Vision.
- A helmet with Respiration III and Aqua Affinity, or a turtle shell with those enchantments.
- Boots with Depth Strider for faster swimming.
- Milk buckets to remove Mining Fatigue from elder guardians.
- Plenty of food and a sword or trident for guardians.
Night vision makes underwater areas much easier to see. See how to make a night vision potion.
Water breathing in Java vs Bedrock
The brewing recipe and durations are the same in both editions. Respiration, turtle shells and conduits also behave the same, though minor details such as conduit range visuals differ.
Where to get pufferfish
Pufferfish are the one ingredient that sends most players searching. The most reliable source is fishing: any fishing rod in any water can catch them, and they are one of the regular fish results alongside cod, salmon and tropical fish. You can also find them swimming in warm and lukewarm oceans, where you can kill them with a sword or catch them in a water bucket. Be careful, because touching a puffed-up pufferfish poisons you. Wandering traders sometimes sell a bucket of pufferfish, and fisherman villagers buy them, which tells you how common they are once you start fishing. Never eat a pufferfish: it gives you Hunger, Nausea and Poison.
Common mistakes
- Adding pufferfish to plain water bottles: this makes a mundane potion with no effect. Always brew nether wart first to get awkward potions.
- Running out of blaze powder: one blaze powder fuels 20 brewing operations. Keep a few spare blaze rods.
- Forgetting redstone: the extended potion costs only one redstone dust and more than doubles the time.
- Diving without night vision: Water Breathing keeps you alive but does not help you see. Pair it with Night Vision for deep dives.
FAQ
What do you need for a water breathing potion?
An awkward potion (water bottle and nether wart) and a pufferfish, brewed in a brewing stand fueled with blaze powder.
How long does a water breathing potion last?
3 minutes, or 8 minutes if you add redstone dust to extend it.
How long can you breathe underwater in Minecraft?
About 15 seconds without help. Respiration, a turtle shell and potions add more.
What is the best way to breathe underwater permanently?
A conduit gives unlimited breathing in a large area around it while you are in the water.
Can you make Water Breathing II?
No. Water Breathing has only one level, but you can extend its duration with redstone.
Checked by the Game Respawned editorial team against the current Java and Bedrock versions. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.