Learn where to find all the empty bottles in the Ocarina of Time Remake.

Background: why Empty Bottles deserve attention

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake gives players many things to hunt for, including Pieces of Heart, Gold Skulltulas, and different ammo capacity upgrades. Chasing all of them can add several extra hours to a playthrough. Some collectibles are easy to ignore, but the Empty Bottles matter more: the set contains five bottles, and four can be skipped unless the player searches side areas or completes optional tasks.

Early timeline: the first two bottles after the Great Deku Tree

After the Great Deku Tree event, the player can obtain the first Empty Bottle upon arriving in Hyrule Castle Town. In the town square, enter the shop marked by the large potion display above the doorway. The vendor inside the Potion Shop is agitated behind the counter because an insect has gotten loose. A conversation shows that he wants the bug found and will hand over the Empty Bottle for help.

After speaking, turn away from the counter and swipe the bottle along the ground near the crawling bug by pressing ZR. The bug is captured, and the vendor gives a free Red Potion as thanks. From then on, the Hyrule Castle Town potion shop is available whenever the player needs it.

The second Empty Bottle appears during the first trip to Kakariko Village. Walk south and speak with the red-haired woman beside the empty pen. She has lost seven Cuccos, and putting all seven back earns the bottle.

The seven Cuccos are scattered in these spots:

• Outside the main gate used to enter the village, near the tree where the Foreman is lingering.
• On the northern raised section of the village, outside the house and near the soldier by the gate to Death Mountain.
• Around the bricks and equipment near the building under construction.
• On top of the stacked bricks at the raised house to the south; carry a found Cucco to the house and use it to float up to the bricks.
• Beyond the high fence east of the stairs outside the windmill; carry a found Cucco and use it to float over the fence.
• On the high east wall next to the windmill; from the side of the fence where the fifth bird was found, climb the ladders.
• Inside the crate to the left of the house with the red door; roll into the crate to break it open.

Once all seven birds are returned, speak with the red-haired woman again to receive the second Empty Bottle.

Midgame timeline: the ranch, the scales, and the Zora Domain bottle

The third Empty Bottle is found at Lon Lon Ranch in the past. The ranch sits in the middle of Hyrule Field, so visit it during daytime and go through the first door on the left. Inside, Talon is sleeping among many Cuccos. Speaking with him wakes him, and he invites the player into a mini-game.

The challenge asks the player to locate three Super Cuccos that Talon tosses randomly into the group of birds in the room. The player has thirty seconds to pick up the three correct Cuccos. Success gives another bottle, and this one will be filled with milk. The Super Cuccos are almost impossible to tell apart from the others, but watching where Talon throws them at the start gives a clue. Check the likely landing directions first, then grab the Cuccos waiting there. Because the room does not contain many Cuccos, the correct birds can often be collected easily.

The fourth Empty Bottle is unmissable because it comes from main story progress. In Zora Domain, King Zora asks the player to find his daughter. Before that, the player must earn the Silver Scale through a diving mini-game.

Spoiler warning: This section discusses the Zora Domain quest involving Princess Ruto and a message in a bottle.

To start the diving mini-game, go up to King Zora and look left. A lone Zora stands near the top of a waterfall. Speak with him and agree to play. Dive into the water below and collect five scales before the timer reaches zero. Completing the mini-game once grants the Silver Scale, which lets the player dive deeper than normal.

With the Silver Scale, travel to the bottom of Zora Domain and find the large stone opening underwater. Dive through it, and the water will carry the player out into Lake Hylia. Several Zora are searching for signs of Princess Ruto there. A single Bottle containing a message from her lies underwater in the ruins. Pick it up and return to the surface to add the fourth Empty Bottle to the collection. It can then be used freely.

Late Hyrule Field stage: Epona, the Fairy Bow, and the Poe Collector

The fifth Empty Bottle needs the most preparation. The player must already have unlocked Epona and completed the Forest Temple to obtain the Fairy Bow. Then, go to Hyrule as adult Link and enter through the main gate.

To the right, in the area where the guard room with all the pots used to be, the Poe Collector has set up shop. The Poe Collector wants Big Poes for a special reward. There are ten Big Poes in total, but the player only needs to deliver five to get the Empty Bottle.

The Big Poes can be summoned from places across Hyrule Field by looking for either a large tree branch or a stone wall with a purple lantern. While riding Epona, jump over one of these objects to bring a Big Poe into view. Chase it down and hit it with two arrows. The soul then drops, so get off Epona quickly and place the soul into a jar.

After selling five Big Poe souls to the Poe Collector, the player receives the fifth and final Empty Bottle.

Final stage: checking the full set of five Empty Bottles

A complete Empty Bottle set includes the Castle Town bug bottle, the Kakariko Village Cucco bottle, the Lon Lon Ranch milk bottle, the Zora Domain story bottle, and the Poe Collector bottle. Only the Zora Domain bottle is guaranteed by main story progress; the other four depend on exploration or side activities. Players who want every bottle should revisit these locations before treating the collectible search as finished.