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.
Zombie Villagers in Minecraft: How to Cure Them
A zombie villager is a villager turned into a zombie. Cure it by throwing a splash potion of Weakness at it and then using a golden apple on it; it shakes, and after a few minutes becomes a normal villager with permanent trade discounts for you. About 5% of zombie spawns on Java are zombie villagers, and zombies can convert villagers they kill.
How do you cure a zombie villager?
- Give it Weakness, usually with a splash potion of Weakness.
- Use a normal golden apple on it.
- Keep it out of sunlight and safe while it shakes; it takes a few minutes.
- Full guide with discounts: curing zombie villagers.
Where do zombie villagers come from?
On Java, 5% of naturally spawned zombies are zombie villagers, 20% in old growth pine taigas. Abandoned villages generate with some, and every igloo basement holds one in a cage beside a villager. When a zombie, husk, drowned or similar mob kills a villager, the villager can turn into a zombie villager, more often on harder difficulty. Igloos: igloos.
Do cured villagers keep their trades?
Yes, if it had traded with a player before: it gets its old profession and trades back, and gives permanent discounts to the player who cured it. On Java, a converted zombie villager you traded with before conversion never despawns. Trading: villager trading.
Other zombie villager facts
20 health, they burn in daylight like zombies, and 5% are babies. On Hard, Java zombie villagers can call reinforcements. They show the biome and profession clothes of the villager they used to be. Zombies in general: zombies.
Frequently asked questions
How do you cure a zombie villager?
Splash it with Weakness, then use a golden apple on it.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.