How to get max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2024)

Getting max hearts in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is as crucial as it is monumental. Hearts are, well, Link’s own livelihood. The more heart containers you have, the longer you’ll survive Hyrule’s toughest encounters.

If you’re wondering how to get max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, our guide covers how many hearts there are in Tears of the Kingdom, and shows you how to increase your max hearts — either permanently or temporarily.

How many max hearts there are in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

This is a trick question. In theory, based on the beginning of the game, there are 40 hearts. In practice, there are 38 max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

During Tears of the Kingdom’s cold open, you’ll start out with 40 heart containers, as well as full stamina. Sadly, this doesn’t carry over to the actual Tears of the Kingdom experience. You can only get up to 38 heart containers which, honestly, is quite a lot. But if you’re bothered about the missing slots, I feel you.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

There isn’t a narrative reason for this, either.

How to get max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

In order to get all 38 max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you’re going to have to work for them. Thankfully, while there are ways to achieve this in the long run, there are some shortcuts. Here are the ways you can get max hearts in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom:

• Complete all 152 shrines and interact with Goddess Statues to exchange your Lights of Blessing.
• Complete main story temples, such as the ones related to the “Regional Phenomena” quest, as they reward one heart each.
• Complete certain side adventures, like “A Call from the Depths.”
• Exchange stamina vessels for heart containers at the cursed statue.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

Now, as we mentioned, there are ways to temporarily increase your max hearts. Yellow hearts add to your health, with the caveat that they disappear after being depleted by an attack. Here are some ways to temporarily increase your max hearts:

• Sleep on special beds at inns and stables.
• Create recipes with “hearty” ingredients.

If you get your hands on items like a hearty truffle or a hearty bass, hold onto them until you can cook a recipe with them. There are a few ingredients across Hyrule with this adjective — in short, you’ll not only recover your health in full, but also gain extra yellow hearts. The exact number will depend on the ingredients you use, and the quantity.

Below are a few hearty recipes that will grant you yellow hearts:

• Hearty fried wild greens (full health recovery and +25 yellow hearts): 5 big hearty radishes
• Hearty fried wild greens (full health recovery and +5 yellow hearts): 1 raw bird drumstick, 1 Hyrule herb, 1 big hearty radish
• Hearty mushroom skewer (full health recovery and +12 yellow hearts): 3 big hearty truffles
• Hearty steamed tomatoes (full health recovery and +3 yellow hearts): 1 raw meat, 1 Hylian tomato, 1 hearty radish
• Hearty meat and mushroom skewer (full health recovery and +3 yellow hearts): 2 raw meat, 3 hearty truffles

All in all, getting max hearts will be a long endeavor. If you’re unsure about whether to focus on hearts or stamina in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we can help with that.