How to Make a Potion of Water Breathing in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Brew a potion of Water Breathing by adding a pufferfish to an awkward potion in a brewing stand. It stops your oxygen bar from draining for 3 minutes, extendable to 8 minutes with redstone dust.

What you need

Brewing stand + blaze powder fuel
Nether wart + water bottles (for awkward potions)
pufferfish
Redstone dust (optional, longer duration)
Gunpowder / dragon's breath (optional, splash and lingering)

Step by step

Set up a brewing stand and fuel it with blaze powder.
Brew water bottles with nether wart to make awkward potions, the base for almost every potion.
Place up to 3 awkward potions in the bottom slots of the brewing stand.
Put the pufferfish in the ingredient slot on top.
Wait 20 seconds. You now have potions of Water Breathing that last 3 minutes.
Optional: add redstone dust to extend the duration to 8 minutes.
Optional: add gunpowder for splash potions, then dragon's breath for lingering potions, which also craft tipped arrows.

Java vs Bedrock

Water Breathing works the same in Java and Bedrock: your air bubbles never deplete while the effect lasts. It pairs perfectly with a conduit for long underwater builds, and it is the go-to potion for ocean monuments, shipwrecks and ruined portals. There is no level II version. It does not improve swim speed or vision - combine it with Depth Strider, Aqua Affinity and Night Vision for real underwater work.

Versions: javabedrock

Frequently asked questions

How long does Water Breathing last?

The base potion lasts 3 minutes. Adding redstone dust extends it to 8 minutes. There is no Water Breathing II.

How do you get a pufferfish?

Catch one by fishing, or kill pufferfish that spawn in warm oceans. Fishing in any water can produce one, though they are uncommon catches.

Is Water Breathing better than a conduit?

They work differently. A conduit gives unlimited breathing plus mining speed and vision in a radius around it, but only near the conduit. Potions travel with you, so they are better for exploring far from a base.