Find and Use Star Fragments in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom TotK Guide

Falling from the heavens in shimmering bursts, star fragments in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hold rare power. Whether used for upgrading armor, fusing weapons, or crafting luminous effects, these glittering treasures can turn an ordinary night into a game-changing opportunity.

Where to find star fragments

Star fragments appear randomly during meteor showers at night across Hyrule’s skies. Watch for shooting stars and mark their landing spots with the Purah Pad’s map pins to track them after they fall. Check craters in grassy fields, near shrines, or on sky islands the next morning, as fragments glow faintly and respawn with new showers. Blood moons occasionally scatter extras around the surface.

In a similar fashion to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, finding star fragments is a random occurrence. As you’re out in Hyrule, you’ll spot them as beams of light falling from the sky. Upon landing, the beam of light will stay in place, serving as a beacon. All you need to do is get to them and pick the item from the ground.

There are some considerations to keep in mind. First, the star fragments won’t stay in the ground forever. If you don’t get to them after a few minutes, the beacon – as well as the item – will disappear. As a personal advice, if you see that one is about to hit the ground, and you’re somewhat far from the area, quickly do a manual save. At the very least, if you happen to miss it, you’ll have yourself a second chance.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Well, I can just fast travel to the nearest shrine or Skyview Tower to get closer.” While your hunch is in the right place, in my experience, trying this method caused the star fragment move to a different location. As such, whenever the fast travel loading screen ended and I was back in the game, I’d see the item repeating the animation and landing elsewhere. Doing this a few times, however, eventually made the item disappear altogether.

Now, there is a new way to catch star fragments in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Again, this is random, but sometimes you’ll sometimes be able to spot one alongside Link as you’re skydiving.

When this happens, you have two options: You can either keep diving and try to catch it as you slowly move close to with your paraglider (as seen in the above GIF) or simply tag along for the plummet and pick it up once it hits the ground. That said, picking up the item in mid-air is extremely satisfying, so try to do it at least once.

Bear in mind that star fragments also appear at daytime. Unlike Breath of the Wild, spending time at a campfire or sleeping until night won’t increase your chances of seeing them. As such, make sure to keep an eye out whenever you’re exploring or skydiving. You’re bound to catch one sooner than later.

What are star fragments used for in Tears of the Kingdom?

Star fragments are mainly used as a rare upgrade material for high-end armor sets at Great Fairy Fountains, and they can also be sold for a hefty pile of rupees if you are short on cash. They shine brightly when fused to weapons, shields, or vehicles, turning your gear into portable light sources that make exploring caves and the Depths much easier. You can fuse them to weapons or arrows for a small boost in power and a flashy glow, but most players prefer to save them for armor upgrades or money-making instead.

At a glance, here’s how to use star fragments in Tears of the Kingdom:

They can be used as a (fairly rare) material for upgrading armor sets.
They can be sold at 200 rupees a pop if you want to make money.
You can Fuse a star fragment with a rod or a stick to shoot light beams and illuminate your surroundings.
Alternatively, you can Fuse a star fragments with a shield to have a lantern on your back, illuminating an area around Link. This is particularly helpful for lighting up the Depths.

While not many armor sets require for star fragments, upgrading the circlets that you can purchase in Gerudo Town do require the item, as well as other armor pieces. As such, I recommend saving as many as you can find instead of selling them: 200 rupees isn’t a high amount to justify the trade.

Now, if you’re yet to get your hands on the Miner’s Armor set, star fragments make for a great Fuse combination to light up the path around Link, especially in the Depths. The area the effect covers is far more narrow in comparison to the Miner’s Armor, but still fairly useful.

Best armor to upgrade with star fragments

The best armor to spend your precious Star Fragments on in Tears of the Kingdom are the high-tier sets that give powerful, permanent bonuses and can be upgraded to their max level (level 4) using Star Fragments. Here are the top choices, ranked by usefulness and value.

1. The Ancient Set (Helmet, Cuirass, Greaves)

Each piece is upgraded at Great Fairy Fountains using Star Fragments (1 Star Fragment + 2 Giant Ancient Cores per piece).
This set is essential for endgame content because it gives a huge boost to defense against Guardian lasers and makes you nigh-unkillable in the Depths.
Since it’s the only way to get that unique Guardian-defeating protection, most players prioritize upgrading this set first.

2. Hero Set (Tunic, Trousers, Cap)

The Hero set (Tunic of the Hero, etc.) requires Star Fragments for all four upgrades per piece.
It gives a strong base Attack Up bonus, which helps with all weapon types and is great for story bosses and Hinoxes.
Unlike the Ancient Set, this is a true “all-around” offensive set, so it’s a great choice if you want to focus on damage over defense.

3. Sheik’s Mask (Stealth)

The Sheik’s Mask needs Star Fragments for every upgrade tier (up to 4 Star Fragments total for level 4).
It gives a very high Stealth Up bonus, making stealth gameplay much easier and allowing silent takedowns and long-range sneak shots.
This is one of the most valuable single pieces in the game, especially for players who rely on stealth instead of heavy armor.

4. Zonaite Sets (Zonaite Bulletproof, Zonaite Light, Zonaite Howling)

The Zonaite sets (Zonaite Bulletproof, etc.) are powerful endgame sets that can be upgraded all the way to level 4, and each piece uses Star Fragments in its final upgrade.
For example, Zonaite Bulletproof Cuirass needs Star Fragments to reach its final tier, which gives excellent defense and a bonus against Zonaite enemies.
These are great if you want a modern, tech-themed set that’s strong in the Depths and against the final bosses.

5. Hero of the Wild / Ancient Hero Sets

The Hero of the Wild set (from the Breath of the Wild DLC) and the Ancient Hero set (from the Tears of the Kingdom DLC) also require Star Fragments for their final upgrades.
Hero of the Wild gives a big Attack Up bonus and is very nostalgic, while Ancient Hero is a unique Ancient-themed set with good defense.
Both are mainly for completionists or fans of the old sets, but they are still strong and worth upgradin

How to farm Star Fragments efficiently

In Tears of the Kingdom, Star Fragments only fall after a Shooting Star appears in the night sky, so there’s no guaranteed “1 per minute” farming like in some games, but there are still very efficient ways to collect them quickly and reliably once you know the tricks.

1. Find a Good Nighttime Spot

The best farming locations are high, open areas with few lakes or deep holes nearby, so the Star Fragment is more likely to land on dry ground and be easy to reach:

Top of the mountain near the Shee Vaneer Shrine (Dueling Peaks region): This is a classic favorite because it’s high, open, and Hyrule Field below is mostly flat and safe.
Top of the mountain near the Central Tower: Another great vantage point with a wide view of the sky, near a lot of open land.
Any tall hill or mountain with a clear view of the sky and a flat area nearby (e.g., near a tower or shrine) works well.

Look for a place where:

You can see most of the sky easily.
The ground is mostly flat and not split by big rivers or lakes.
You can quickly warp back there later (e.g., near a tower or shrine).

2. Wait for Shooting Stars at Night

Shooting Stars only appear randomly between roughly 9:00 PM and 3:30 AM, and their Star Fragments vanish at 5:00 AM:

Save your game, then sit between the two statues at the top (or simply sit on the ground) and wait for night.
When a bright streak (Shooting Star) appears in the sky, look where it crashes and head toward that glowing light beam on the ground.
If you miss one, just sit and wait for the next night; each night you can usually get 1-2 Star Fragments with a little patience.

3. Use the Right Set & Food

To move quickly and safely at night, use these to speed up your farming loop:

Night Speed Up Set (e.g., Stealth Set at 2★): Gives you a big speed boost at night, so you can run fast to the fragment.
Horse + Speed Boost Food: Feed Link a dish with Swift Carrot or similar ingredients to give a temporary run/horse speed boost.
Night Vision: If it’s dark, use Night Sky Ore or a Night Vision elixir so you can see the glowing beam more easily.

4. Use Warp to Save Time

Instead of running all the way back every night, use towers and shrines to warp:

When you’re done collecting a fragment, fast-travel to the nearest tower or shrine near your farming spot.
Then sit and wait for tomorrow night again, and repeat.
This way, you stay in rou