The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild allows you to hold as many cooking ingredients as you want, but if you want to hold more melee weapons, bows, or shields, you'll have to increase your inventory space. The only way to expand your weapon, bow, and shield inventories in BoTW is to collect a rare item called a Korok Seed. Using Korok Seeds as currency, you can pay to have more slots added to your inventory. However, first, you'll have to locate Hestu the Korok and assist him in a small side quest.

How to increase inventory space - Breath of the Wild

During the first part of Breath of the Wild, you'll have to deal with a somewhat small inventory setup. However, on the road to Kakariko Bridge, you'll find Hestu the Korok. Hestu has been accosted and had his priceless maracas stolen by some Bokoblins.

Luckily, the enemies haven't gone far, and it's a quick walk down the road and through an alcove to the right to find Hestu's maracas. Once you defeat the Bokoblins, you'll be able to open a nearby chest and grab the maracas. Take the maracas back to Hestu, and he'll be so happy that he'll let you expand your weapon, bow, or shield inventory by one space for free.

How to use Korok Seeds to increase inventory space

Once you use your free inventory space upgrade, Hestu needs compensation in the form of Korok Seeds. If you have any Korok Seeds the first time you meet Hestu, you can use them to upgrade your inventory space right then and there. Unlocking a melee weapon, bow, or shield inventory slot only costs one Korok Seed the first time, but it increases by one for each subsequent slot you unlock. So if you unlock a weapon inventory slot, the first time it will cost one Korok Seed, the second time it will require two, the third time three, and so on.

After the meeting with Hestu near Kakariko Village, if you want to meet him again you're going to have to travel to the Korok Forest located in the heart of the Great Hyrule Forest. It's a somewhat arduous journey, so you probably won't see Hestu for a while.

How to Find Koroks to Get Korok Seeds

Koroks are hidden throughout Hyrule, under rocks, around trees, floating as firefly looking things, and even in the water. Anywhere that looks out of place, like a ring of stones, or rock out of place, is worth investigating to see if a Korok is near. Each Korok will give you a Korok Seed when you discover them, and there's over one hundred to find during your adventures through Hyrule.

Check out our upcoming Korok location guide to find all the Koroks in Hyrule. Check out our Breath of the Wild guide for more help as you explore Hyrule.