Potion of Healing in Minecraft restores your health instantly when you drink it. It gives you the Instant Health effect, which adds 4 hearts right away. You can also upgrade it to Instant Health II for 8 hearts. This guide covers the full recipe, all the ingredients you need, and how to brew every version of this potion.
- Potion of Healing restores 4 hearts (8 health points) instantly.
- You need a Brewing Stand, Blaze Powder, Nether Wart, and a Glistering Melon Slice.
- Add Glowstone Dust to upgrade it to Instant Health II (8 hearts).
- Add Gunpowder to make a Splash Potion you can throw at others.
- Add Dragon’s Breath to a Splash Potion to create a Lingering Potion cloud.
What Is the Potion of Healing Recipe in Minecraft?
The Potion of Healing has a simple three-step brewing process. You brew a Water Bottle into an Awkward Potion first, then add the key ingredient.
- Step 1: Water Bottle + Nether Wart → Awkward Potion
- Step 2: Awkward Potion + Glistering Melon Slice → Potion of Healing (Instant Health I)
That is the complete base recipe. You need Blaze Powder in the fuel slot to start the Brewing Stand. Each Blaze Powder fuels 20 brewing operations, so one piece goes a long way.
What Ingredients Do You Need for a Potion of Healing?
You need five things in total. Here is each item and how to get it.
Glass Bottle (Water Bottle)
Craft 3 Glass Blocks into a Glass Bottle. Right-click any water source to fill it. You can brew up to 3 potions at once by filling all three bottom slots of the Brewing Stand.
Blaze Powder
Craft a Blaze Rod into 2 Blaze Powder. You get Blaze Rods by killing Blazes. Blazes only spawn in Nether Fortresses, so you need to go to the Nether first. See our guide on how to get to the Nether in Minecraft.
Nether Wart
Nether Wart grows near staircases inside Nether Fortresses. You can farm it by planting it on Soul Sand. Stock up on it because almost every potion in the game starts with Nether Wart.
Glistering Melon Slice
This is the key ingredient for the Potion of Healing. You craft it using 1 Melon Slice and 8 Gold Nuggets in a 3×3 crafting grid. Place the Melon Slice in the center slot and surround it completely with Gold Nuggets. Melons grow naturally in jungle biomes, savanna villages, and woodland mansions. You can also find them in some village farms.
Brewing Stand
Craft a Brewing Stand with 1 Blaze Rod and 3 Cobblestone. Place the Blaze Rod in the top center and the three Cobblestone along the bottom row. You can also find Brewing Stands already placed in igloos, witch huts, and end ships. Learn how to brew potions in Minecraft if you are new to the system.
How to Brew a Potion of Healing Step by Step
Follow these steps in order. Each brewing stage takes 20 seconds.
Step 1 – Set Up the Brewing Stand
Place the Brewing Stand on a solid block. Open it by right-clicking. Put Blaze Powder into the top-left fuel slot. You will see a fire icon light up when it is ready.
Step 2 – Brew the Awkward Potion
Place up to 3 Water Bottles in the bottom three slots. Put Nether Wart in the top ingredient slot. Wait 20 seconds. The Water Bottles will turn into Awkward Potions. Awkward Potions have no effect on their own. They are just the base for all other potions.
Step 3 – Add the Glistering Melon Slice
Keep the Awkward Potions in the bottom slots. Replace the Nether Wart with a Glistering Melon Slice in the top slot. Wait another 20 seconds. The Awkward Potions will become Potions of Healing (Instant Health I). Each one restores 4 hearts (8 health points) instantly when you drink it.
How to Upgrade to Potion of Healing Instant Health II
Instant Health II doubles the healing effect to 8 hearts (16 health points). This is the best version to use in boss fights or dangerous situations.
To upgrade, place your Potion of Healing back into the Brewing Stand and add Glowstone Dust to the top slot. Wait 20 seconds. The potion becomes Instant Health II. You get Glowstone Dust by mining Glowstone in the Nether. It drops 2–4 dust per block.
Note: You cannot extend a Potion of Healing with Redstone Dust like most other potions. It is an instant-effect potion, so duration does not apply.
How to Make a Splash Potion of Healing
A Splash Potion of Healing can be thrown. It breaks on impact and heals anyone nearby, including allies, tamed wolves, or yourself if you throw it at your feet. This is faster than drinking it in a tight situation.
To make one, place your Potion of Healing in the Brewing Stand and add Gunpowder to the top slot. The bottle shape will change to show a splash potion. You can also upgrade it to Instant Health II before or after adding Gunpowder.
This is useful for multiplayer, healing pets quickly, or recovering fast mid-fight. It does not heal hostile mobs unless they are undead — it actually damages undead mobs like zombies and skeletons instead.
How to Make a Lingering Potion of Healing
A Lingering Potion creates a healing cloud on the ground. Any player or mob that walks through it gets healed. This is great for setting up a safe zone during a tough fight.
To make one, brew a Splash Potion of Healing in the Brewing Stand and add Dragon’s Breath to the top slot. Dragon’s Breath is collected by using a Glass Bottle on the purple breath cloud shot by the Ender Dragon. Learn how to defeat the Ender Dragon to get this ingredient.
What Does the Potion of Healing Do in Minecraft?
Here is a quick summary of all versions and their effects:
- Potion of Healing (Instant Health I): Restores 4 hearts instantly.
- Potion of Healing (Instant Health II): Restores 8 hearts instantly.
- Splash Potion of Healing: Thrown potion that heals on impact in an area.
- Lingering Potion of Healing: Creates a healing cloud that lasts a few seconds.
The potion works on players, tamed animals, and most mobs. However, it deals damage to undead mobs like zombies, skeletons, wither skeletons, and the Wither boss. This makes Splash Potions of Healing a sneaky weapon against undead enemies.
How to Use the Potion of Healing in Minecraft
Drink it by holding it and pressing and holding the use button (right-click on PC, left trigger on controller). The effect is instant — you see your health bar jump up right away. There is no timer because it is not a duration-based effect.
Keep a few of these in your hotbar whenever you explore dungeons or fight bosses. They are faster to use than waiting for natural regeneration, and they stack well with enchanted armor for staying alive in tough fights. Also check out our guide on how to get Netherite armor to reduce how often you need potions in the first place.
Tips for Farming Ingredients Faster
Where to Get Melons for Glistering Melon
Jungle biomes are the easiest source. Melon blocks appear naturally on the ground. You can also find them in savanna and desert village farms. Once you have a melon seed, you can farm as many as you need. Break a Melon Block to get 3–7 Melon Slices.
How to Farm Gold Nuggets
Kill Zombie Piglin in the Nether — they drop Gold Nuggets and occasionally Gold Ingots. You need 8 nuggets per Glistering Melon, and 9 nuggets equal 1 Gold Ingot, so keep this in mind when managing your gold. You can also smelt Gold tools or armor into nuggets.
Nether Wart Farm
Once you collect Nether Wart, plant it on Soul Sand back at your base. It grows slowly but you never have to go back to the Nether for it again. Build a small farm near your Brewing Stand to keep a steady supply going. Our automatic farm guide covers similar farming setups if you want to automate resources.
Is the Potion of Healing Worth Making in Minecraft?
Yes, especially once you reach mid to late game. The Glistering Melon is the most affordable key ingredient in the game compared to rarer drops like Ghast Tears. Gold is relatively easy to farm from Zombie Piglins and Melons grow quickly once you have seeds.
If you are heading into a Nether Fortress, Trial Chambers, or end-game content, brew a batch of Instant Health II potions before you go. They can save your life when your armor breaks or when you get overwhelmed. Check our guide on how to find Trial Chambers where potions are especially useful.
For more Minecraft content, visit the official Minecraft website. You can also download the game on Android via Google Play or get it on Xbox.
