To get apples in Minecraft, you cannot grow them from saplings, there is no apple tree or apple sapling in the game. The only ways to get apples are by breaking or decaying oak and dark oak leaves, trading with farmer villagers, or looting chests scattered across the world.
How to get apples in Minecraft: the methods that actually work
Many players search for “how to grow apples in Minecraft” and assume planting a sapling will produce apples. That is a myth. Apples drop from oak and dark oak leaves, appear in specific chests, and can be bought from villagers. No sapling, crafting recipe, or farming method exists for apples. Knowing the real sources saves you time and frustration, especially early in the game when food is scarce.
Getting apples from oak and dark oak leaves
Oak and dark oak leaves have a base 0.5% chance (1 in 200) of dropping an apple when you break them or when they decay naturally. This means you will need to break a lot of leaves to collect a meaningful number of apples. On average, you must destroy about 12,000 oak leaf blocks to get a full stack of 64 apples. Apples will not drop if leaves are burned, so avoid using fire near trees. The most efficient way to farm leaves is to find a large oak tree or a dark oak forest, then break every leaf block you can reach. Letting leaves decay after chopping the wood also works, but breaking them manually gives you immediate results.
Use fortune enchantments to boost your Apple drop rate
If you want more apples from fewer leaves, enchant your tool with Fortune. The drop rate increases with each level:
- Fortune I: 0.556% chance (1 in 180)
- Fortune II: 0.625% chance (1 in 160)
- Fortune III: 0.833% chance (1 in 120)
Even with Fortune III, the odds remain low, so you still need to break hundreds of leaves. However, the enchantment is worth it if you are already using an axe or shears for wood collection. Apply Fortune to an axe for faster leaf breaking, or use shears, though shears do not benefit from Fortune, so a Fortune-enchanted axe is your best bet.
Trade with farmer villagers for guaranteed apples
If you want a reliable and renewable source of apples without relying on luck, trade with farmer villagers. An apprentice-level farmer sells 4 apples for 1 emerald. This is the easiest method because you can set up a villager trading hall and get apples whenever you need them. To unlock the trade, you must first raise the villager’s profession level by trading other items, such as wheat, potatoes, or carrots. Once the farmer reaches apprentice level, the apple trade becomes available. This method is far more efficient than breaking leaves, especially if you have a steady emerald income from farming or other trades.
Where to find apples in Minecraft chests
Apples also generate in several chest types across the world. The drop chances and stack sizes vary by location:
- Bonus Chests: 1-2 apples, 83.8% chance on Java, 100% on Bedrock
- Igloo Basement Chests: 1-3 apples, 70.4% chance
- Stronghold Storeroom Chests: 1-3 apples, 47.5% chance on Java, 40% on Bedrock
- Stronghold Altar Chests: 1-3 apples, 33.2% chance on Java, 32.3% on Bedrock
- Plains Village House Chests: 1-5 apples, 74.2% chance
- Plains Village Weaponsmith Chests: 1-3 apples, 59.8% chance
Looting these chests is a passive way to collect apples while exploring. Bonus chests are the most reliable early-game source, especially on Bedrock where they always contain apples. Strongholds and villages are worth raiding if you are already traveling through them.
What to do with apples once you have them
Apples restore 4 hunger points when eaten, making them a decent early-game food. They also have a 65% chance of increasing the compost level by 1 when placed in a composter, so you can turn excess apples into bone meal. Apples are also the base ingredient for golden apples, which require gold ingots and provide powerful regeneration effects. While apples are not the most nutritious food in the game, they are easy to stockpile from leaves and chests, and they serve as a stepping stone to golden apples for boss fights or emergencies.
