You’re standing in a dark forest or a cold basement, staring at a snarling, green-skinned version of what used to be a useful librarian. It’s annoying. Maybe you let a raid get out of hand, or perhaps you’re playing on Hard mode where a single zombie bite is a death sentence for your village population. Now you’re wondering: how do you cure zombie villagers in minecraft before they despawn or burn up in the sun?
It’s actually a pretty simple process once you have the materials, but if you miss a single step, you’re just throwing away resources. Or worse, the villager dies.
Getting a villager back from the brink isn't just about being a "good person" in a blocky world. It’s about the discounts. Huge ones. We’re talking about turning a 24-emerald book into a 1-emerald steal. If you aren't curing your villagers, you’re basically playing the game on high-inflation mode.
The Gear You Actually Need
Forget the fluff. You need two specific items to make this happen: a Splash Potion of Weakness and a Golden Apple.
Don't confuse the Golden Apple with the Enchanted Golden Apple (the "Notch" apple). You don't need to be that rich. A standard one made with eight gold ingots and a regular apple works perfectly fine. The real pain in the neck is usually the potion. To brew a Potion of Weakness, you’ll need a brewing stand, some blaze powder for fuel, and a fermented spider eye.
To make that fermented eye, you have to combine a regular spider eye with a brown mushroom and sugar. Once you brew the base Weakness potion, remember to add gunpowder to turn it into a splash version. You can’t exactly ask a zombie to take a polite sip from a glass bottle. You have to shatter it over their head.
If you’re feeling lazy or haven't found a Nether Fortress yet, there is a shortcut. If you find a Witch, they sometimes throw Splash Potions of Weakness at you. If you position yourself correctly, you can get the Witch to accidentally hit the zombie villager for you. It’s risky. It’s chaotic. But it works if you’re desperate.
The Step-by-Step Breakdown
First, trap the guy. Seriously.
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Zombie villagers move fast and they’re aggressive. If you try to cure them in the open, a stray skeleton will shoot them, or they’ll wander into sunlight and ignite. Build a small cobblestone box around them or lure them into a boat. Boats are incredible. Once a zombie is in a boat, they aren't going anywhere.
The Moment of Truth
- Hit the zombie villager with the Splash Potion of Weakness. You’ll see gray swirly particles floating around them. This means they are physically weakened enough for the "medicine" to take hold.
- Immediately use the Golden Apple on them. You’ll hear a loud, distorted thunder-like sound effect.
- Look for red particles. If the gray swirls turn into angry red swirls, you did it right.
Now, you wait.
This part is nerve-wracking. It takes anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes for the transformation to finish. During this time, the zombie villager actually becomes stronger. They get a boost to their attack strength and speed. Do not, under any circumstances, let your guard down or break the walls of their cell.
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Why Your Cure Might Fail
I’ve seen people complain that their villager just disappeared. Usually, it’s because they forgot about the sun. Zombie villagers, even while being cured, are still undead. They will burn. If you don't have a roof over their head, you’ll just end up with a pile of experience orbs and a lot of regret.
Another thing: Iron Golems. If you have an Iron Golem patrolling your base, he doesn't care that you're trying to perform a medical miracle. He sees a zombie. He smashes the zombie. Keep your "patients" far away from your village security or they’ll be flattened before the apple even kicks in.
Is It Even Worth the Effort?
Honestly, yes.
When you wonder how do you cure zombie villagers in minecraft, the answer usually leads to the "Hero of the Village" style discounts without actually having to fight a raid. When a villager is cured, they remember your kindness. They drop their prices significantly.
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If you’re playing on a multiplayer server, this is the fastest way to become the richest player. You can "zombify" a villager on purpose by letting a regular zombie attack them, then cure them again. You can stack this effect up to five times in most versions of the game. Eventually, everything they sell costs one single emerald. It’s almost broken, but it’s a core mechanic that Mojang has kept around for years because it rewards preparation.
Nuance Between Versions
Bedrock Edition and Java Edition handle the "wait time" slightly differently. In Java, you can actually speed up the process by surrounding the villager with iron bars or bed blocks. It mimics a "hospital" environment and can shave off a good chunk of that 5-minute timer. On Bedrock, these things don't really have a confirmed, consistent impact on the random tick speed of the cure, so you might just have to sit tight.
Also, be aware of the difficulty settings. If you’re playing on Easy, a zombie killing a villager will simply kill them. They won't turn. You need to be on Normal (50% chance to turn) or Hard (100% chance to turn) to even start this process. If you’re on Easy, you’re just out of luck.
Your Next Steps for a Trading Hall
Now that you know the mechanics, don't just cure them and let them wander off. Use a lead or a minecart to move them into a dedicated trading hall.
Give them a job immediately by placing a workstation like a Lectern or a Fletching Table nearby. If you don't like their first set of trades, break the workstation and replace it before you trade with them. This "rolls" their inventory. Once you trade with them once, their levels and items are locked in forever.
Build a roof. Double-check your lighting levels. Ensure no other zombies can reach them through corners—zombies can actually hit through the "gap" where two diagonal blocks meet if the positioning is just right. Protect your investment. A cured librarian with a Mending book is worth more than a chest full of diamonds.
Actionable Insights for Your World:
- Check Difficulty: Switch to Hard mode before starting a zombification farm to guarantee a 100% conversion rate instead of the villager just dying.
- Safety First: Always use a Boat or Minecart to stabilize the zombie villager so they don't wander into lava or sunlight during the 5-minute wait.
- Resource Management: Keep a chest nearby with fermented spider eyes and gold ingots so you aren't scrambling for materials while a zombie is despawning.
- Stack Discounts: Repeat the process up to five times on the same villager to reach the minimum 1-emerald trade price for high-value items like Mending or Protection IV.