How to Get Depth Strider in Minecraft (Depth Strider III)

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Depth Strider cuts the water movement-speed penalty on boots: each level adds 1/3 water movement efficiency, and level III lets you swim as fast as you walk on land. Get it from enchanting tables, librarian trades, fishing or structure loot - and choose, because it conflicts with Frost Walker.

What you need

Boots
Enchanting table + bookshelves
Librarian + lectern for targeted books
Anvil and XP for combining to III

Step by step

Enchant boots at an enchanting table for Depth Strider, up to level III. Offers are random; a librarian book is an alternative if the offer you need does not appear.
Trade with librarians: reroll a lectern for a Depth Strider book and lock it; combine on an anvil up to III. (Swamp librarian specialty under the Villager Trade Rebalance experiment.)
Fish and loot: fishing books and non-village structure loot carry it; Bedrock raid mobs drop books too.
Know the numbers: each level adds 1/3 water movement efficiency. Level III cancels the water drag completely - you move exactly as fast as walking on land, and higher levels (commands only) add nothing.
Depth Strider also reduces how strongly flowing water pushes you horizontally. It does not change vertical sinking or rising speed.
Horizontal only: it speeds up swimming forward, not sinking or rising - vertical speed is unaffected (that's intended, not a bug).
In Java, Depth Strider combines with Dolphin's Grace for faster water travel. That effect is separate from Depth Strider alone; do not assume one fixed speed in every swimming condition.
Choose Depth Strider for movement in water or Frost Walker for crossing suitable surface water on foot. They are incompatible through normal Survival enchanting. Neither choice replaces checking the terrain and water conditions.
For underwater work, combine Depth Strider boots with a Respiration and Aqua Affinity helmet. The helmet enchantments handle breathing time and underwater mining, not horizontal swim speed.

Java vs Bedrock

Core mechanics match across editions: +1/3 water movement efficiency per level, III equals land-walking speed. One Java-only bonus: Depth Strider combines with Dolphin's Grace for extreme swim speed. Bedrock's extra source is raid-mob book drops.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note for differences.

Frequently asked questions

What does Depth Strider do?

It reduces the movement-speed penalty in water: each level adds 1/3 water movement efficiency, so Depth Strider III makes you swim as fast as you walk on land. It also weakens the push of flowing water, but it doesn't affect how fast you sink or rise.

Depth Strider or Frost Walker - which is better?

Depth Strider suits underwater work and travel; Frost Walker suits crossing suitable water on foot. They are incompatible normally, so choose per pair of boots or keep separate pairs.

Does Depth Strider make you swim faster than a boat?

Depth Strider alone reduces horizontal water slowdown; III reaches normal land-walking speed under the comparison conditions. In Java, Dolphin's Grace can add a separate boost. Speed depends on effects and movement conditions, not a universal boat comparison.