The Fortify Enchanting potion is the single most important brew for any crafter in Skyrim. Drinking one makes every enchantment you apply at an Arcane Enchanter stronger — and because it also amplifies Fortify Smithing and Fortify Alchemy enchantments, it's the engine behind the famous Skyrim crafting loop.
How to brew a Fortify Enchanting potion
- Gather two ingredients that both carry the Fortify Enchanting effect: Blue Butterfly Wing, Snowberries, Spriggan Sap and Hagraven Claw are the base-game options.
- The go-to pair is Blue Butterfly Wing + Snowberries — both are common and both fortify enchanting.
- Combine them at any alchemy lab.
- Drink the potion, then immediately use an Arcane Enchanter — the boost lasts only a short time, so enchant while it's active.
Our alchemy recipe finder lists every Fortify Enchanting combination if you want alternatives.
The crafting loop
This is how players push enchantments and gear far past normal limits:
- Brew a Fortify Enchanting potion and use it to enchant several pieces of gear (helmet, gloves, ring, necklace) with Fortify Alchemy.
- Wear that gear, then brew an even stronger Fortify Enchanting potion (the Fortify Alchemy gear boosts it).
- Use that stronger potion to enchant a new set of even-stronger Fortify Alchemy gear, and repeat. Each pass raises the ceiling.
- Once maxed, use a final Fortify Enchanting potion to apply Fortify Smithing enchantments, then a Fortify Smithing potion at a forge to improve weapons and armor to extreme values.
Notes & tips
- A high Alchemy skill and the alchemy perks make each Fortify Enchanting potion stronger — level Alchemy first to get the most out of the loop.
- You can also fast-track ingredients via the console (tilde key,
~) withplayer.additem <ID> <Amount>— see the opening the console guide. Console spawning disables achievements for the session. - For the console side of enchanting (spawning soul gems, granting spells), see our enchanting console commands and the full Skyrim enchanting guide.
Frequently asked questions
What ingredients make a Fortify Enchanting potion?
Any two ingredients that share the Fortify Enchanting effect: Blue Butterfly Wing, Snowberries, Spriggan Sap and Hagraven Claw (with Ancestor Moth Wing, Chaurus Hunter Antennae and Spawn Ash from the DLC). Blue Butterfly Wing + Snowberries is the classic, easy pair.
What does a Fortify Enchanting potion do?
Drinking it temporarily increases the strength of any enchantment you apply at an Arcane Enchanter while the potion is active. A stronger potion means stronger enchantments, which is the heart of the Skyrim crafting loop.
How does the Alchemy–Enchanting–Smithing loop work?
Enchant gear with Fortify Alchemy, which makes your next Fortify Enchanting potion stronger, which lets you enchant stronger Fortify Alchemy gear, and so on. Fortify Enchanting also boosts Fortify Smithing enchantments, so the same loop drives up your weapon and armor improvements too.
Where do I find Blue Butterfly Wing and Snowberries?
Blue Butterflies flit around grassy areas in warmer holds (catch them for the wing); Snowberries grow on bushes in the snowy north and around the Throat of the World. You can also spawn either with player.additem from its ingredient page.