How to Get Punch in Minecraft (Punch II)

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Punch is the bow version of Knockback: arrows launch targets nearly 9 blocks with Punch II. Get it from enchanting tables, librarian trades, expert fletchers, fishing, monster rooms or structure loot.

What you need

A bow
Enchanting table + bookshelves
Librarian or expert fletcher
Anvil for combining to II

Step by step

Enchant a bow: Punch rolls on enchanting tables for bows, max level II. It's a treasure-tier feel without being treasure - weight 2, so expect some rerolls.
Trade with villagers: librarians sell Punch books (reroll lecterns), and expert fletchers can sell a Punch I bow directly. Bedrock raid mobs drop books too.
Fish and loot: fishing books, monster room chests and non-village structure loot carry it. On Normal or Hard difficulty, skeletons can even spawn holding a Punch I bow.
Know the numbers: Punch adds 3.507 blocks of horizontal knockback at level I and +3.3 at level II on top of the base 1.985 - that's about 8.8 blocks with Punch II, plus vertical knockback rising from 0.8125 to 1.25 blocks.
Terrain matters: knockback slides further on ice - a Punch II arrow on blue ice sends targets sliding 17 blocks - and barely anything on soul sand.
Shield rule: if a Punch arrow is blocked by a shield, the knockback doesn't apply at all.
Crossbow note: Survival bows only, but since 1.20.5 tag manipulation can put Punch on crossbows - it works for arrows, not firework rockets. It does nothing on tridents.
PvP and farms: Punch II is a menace on bridges and cliffs, and a classic tool for knocking mobs into farm kill zones from a safe distance.
Trivia: before firework rockets boosted elytra, players literally shot themselves mid-flight with Punch bows to gain altitude.

Java vs Bedrock

Damage numbers match across editions. Bedrock specifics: raid-mob book drops, and since Preview 1.21.120.24 Punch knockback no longer applies against shields there either (Java never applied it).

Versions: Added in Java 1.1 and Pocket Edition v0.12.1. Since 1.20.5, data/tag manipulation can make Punch work on crossbows (arrows only, not fireworks).

Frequently asked questions

What does Punch do in Minecraft?

Punch increases arrow knockback: level I adds 3.507 blocks and level II another 3.3 on top of the base 1.985, so Punch II launches targets about 8.8 blocks horizontally (more on ice) and raises vertical knockback to 1.25 blocks. Shield blocks cancel it.

Is Punch worth it on a bow?

For crowd control, PvP and knocking mobs into farm kill zones, yes - it's the bow's Knockback. For pure boss damage it's neutral: the target flies away but you were shooting from range anyway. Power V first, then Punch II as a luxury.

Can you get Punch on a crossbow?

Not in Survival - Punch is bow-only. Since 1.20.5 you can force it onto crossbows with commands or tag edits, where it works for arrows but not firework rockets.