Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Potion of Water Breathing in Minecraft: Recipe and Effects
A Potion of Water Breathing stops your air bar going down underwater for 3 minutes, or 8 minutes with redstone. Brew it from an Awkward Potion and a pufferfish. There is no level II. It is the go-to potion for ocean monuments and underwater building.
How do you brew a Potion of Water Breathing?
| Potion | Made from | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Potion of Water Breathing | Awkward Potion + pufferfish | 3:00 |
| Long Water Breathing | + redstone | 8:00 |
Brew in a brewing stand fuelled with blaze powder: water bottles plus Nether wart make Awkward Potions, the base for most potions; see brewing potions.
What does it do?
While it lasts you never lose air or drown underwater. Combine it with Night Vision to see clearly too. Effect list: every potion.
When should you use it?
Use it for monuments, shipwrecks, conduit building and underwater farms. A turtle shell gives a short burst of Water Breathing for free. See ocean monuments.
Step by step
Fill three glass bottles with water and place them in the bottom slots of a brewing stand, with blaze powder as fuel. Add Nether wart to make Awkward Potions (Weakness skips this step), then add the main ingredient. Finally add redstone for a longer version, glowstone for a stronger one, or gunpowder for a splash potion. The oxygen bar does not go down at all while it lasts, so you can stay under as long as the timer runs.
Splash, lingering and tips
Pufferfish come from fishing or from killing them in warm oceans. Add gunpowder for a splash version you throw, then dragon's breath for a lingering cloud; see splash and lingering potions. Related: turtle shells.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a Potion of Water Breathing?
Add a pufferfish to an Awkward Potion.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.