STATUS EFFECT BENEFICIAL NO POTION Present since 1.14 or earlier

Absorption effect in Minecraft

Absorption gives you extra yellow hearts on top of your health. They take damage first and never regenerate. You get it from Golden Apples, Enchanted Golden Apples and the Totem of Undying.

At a glance

Type: Beneficial
Sources: Enchanted Golden Apple, Golden Apple, Totem of Undying
Removed by: Milk, dying

How to get Absorption

UseEnchanted Golden Apple

4 · 120 s

UseGolden Apple

1 · 120 s

UseTotem of Undying

2 · 5 s

How to get rid of Absorption

Removed byMilk Bucket

Drink a Milk Bucket: it clears every effect. Dying also removes it.

Command

Give Absorption for 60 seconds/effect →

/effect give @s minecraft:absorption 60 0

Remove Absorption/effect →

/effect clear @s minecraft:absorption

Where Absorption comes from

Golden Apple: Absorption I, so two yellow hearts, plus a short burst of Regeneration. Craft it from eight gold ingots and an Apple.
Enchanted Golden Apple: Absorption IV, eight yellow hearts, with stronger Regeneration, Resistance and Fire Resistance. You cannot craft it; it only comes from chests and vaults.
Totem of Undying: when it saves you from death, it gives a brief Absorption along with Regeneration and Fire Resistance.

How the yellow hearts work

Damage hits the yellow hearts first. Once lost, they do not come back, not even with Regeneration: only a new dose of the effect refills them. Eating a second Golden Apple refreshes the yellow hearts rather than adding more. Unlike Health Boost, Absorption does not raise your maximum health.

Do not waste them

A Milk Bucket removes Absorption along with every other effect. If Poison is the problem, drink a Honey Bottle instead: it cures Poison and keeps the rest.

Eat your Golden Apple just before a hard fight, not in the middle of it: before the Wither, the Ender Dragon, a raid or an ominous trial.

✓ Checked in Java Edition 26.3 · updated 1 November 2026