These air fryer baked potatoes have that crispy skin and tender, fluffy inside, and they are the best baked potatoes!

I confess that the Instant Pot used to be our go-to for baking potatoes. But my go-to just got overturned! As much as I love Instant Pot potatoes, if you want crispy skin, you have to choose another method.
And my new method of choice? Air fryer baked potatoes! 🎉🙌🏻 In my opinion, this is the best way to make baked potatoes.
So why do I like these so much?
(1) You don’t have to wait for an oven to preheat.
(2) It’s energy efficient.
(3) The air fryer doesn’t heat up the entire house like the oven does. This is no small thing in Alabama summers, y’all.😎
And finally (4) This method results in the crispiest skin and the best texture of any baked potato method I have ever used.
Plus, it is just such an easy recipe. Side note: check out ALL my air fryer recipes here.
How to Make Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the best ingredients you have access to. To make this air fryer baked potato recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Potatoes (I am using russets, but yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes, or any potatoes work!)
- Oil – I prefer avocado oil spray, but you can use any oil – olive oil, coconut oil, cooking spray, etc.
- garlic powder
- salt
- favorite toppings of choice – cashew cream, sour cream, butter, cheddar cheese, etc.
Please note that there is no need for aluminum foil! Cooking them without foil crisps the skin better, and leaves you with perfectly fluffy insides.
Prepping air fryer baked potatoes
I start with my favorite type of potato for baking – russets.

I wash and pat them dry. Then I place them in the Air Fryer basket. I give them a light coat of cooking spray.
You can use any type of cooking spray. I am using avocado oil, and it works great. I just rotate the potatoes to be sure and spray them on all sides. This helps crisp up the skin, plus it helps the seasoning to stick to the potato skins.
Seasoning
If you don’t have cooking spray, you can use a little drizzle of oil and just rub to coat the potato skins. I would recommend an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado or even canola.
Next, I sprinkle them generously with sea salt and garlic powder. I use 1/2 teaspoon of each for either 3 or 4 potatoes. I use my hands to spread everything around and make sure it has an even coat.

Air fryer baked potatoes cook time and temperature
So what temperature and how long do you cook air fryer baked potatoes? I cook them in the Air Fryer on 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Note: This will vary by potato size!
I did take a peek at them about 25 minutes in to that cook time. The skins were looking pretty brown on top. So I used some tongs and carefully flipped them over.
After forty minutes, mine were perfect!

Yum!!! 😍👌🏻

Tips for Making Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
First, don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer basket. Four medium potatoes would probably be my maximum recommendation. You want to make sure that the skin has enough space to crisp up.
Also, I recommend piercing with a fork first. Although I have made these many times without piercing, it is better to just go ahead and take this proactive step.
When I made my first batch, I remembered that I did not poke holes about half-way through and freaked out a little. And you know what? They did fine! So don’t worry too much if you forget.
Last, different sized potatoes can have different cook times. Small red potatoes, for example, won’t need near as much time. So definitely be aware that you will need to adjust cooking time for the size of the potato. The good news is that you can always put them back in for a few extra minutes.
If you want to try this method with red potatoes or gold potatoes, it will still taste great! Just check them during cooking. They may have a different cook time.
Tools used in this recipe
Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.
- Air Fryer – I am using the Avalon Bay brand
- Measuring spoons
- Tongs are helpful for flipping and removing the potatoes from the basket
Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe
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Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
These air fryer baked potatoes have that crispy skin and tender, fluffy inside, and they are the best baked potatoes!
Ingredients
- 3 russet potatoes (medium sized, scrubbed and rinsed)
- cooking spray (I used avocado oil spray)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (use a bit less if you are using a finer salt, like table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
-
Place your potatoes in the Air Fryer basket, and spray with cooking spray on both sides.
-
Sprinkle sea salt and garlic on all sides, rotating the potatoes as you got.
-
Use your hands to rub the potatoes to make sure everything gets evenly coated.
-
Cook in the Air Fryer on 400 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes, until fork tender. (Note: I used tongs to rotate mine after about 25 minutes, as they were getting pretty brown on top.)
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer basket. 4 medium potatoes would probably be my maximum recommendation. You want to make sure that the skin has enough space to crisp up and that the potatoes all lie flat (not stacked on top of each other).
Different sized potatoes can have different cook times. The good news is that you can always put them back in for a few extra minutes.
If you want to try this method with red potatoes or gold potatoes, it will still taste great! Just check them during cooking. They may have a different cook time.
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Jana says
Came out perfectly!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Jana! Glad to hear it.
Linda Manning says
I just purchased an air fryer and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Enjoy, Linda!
Mrs Parker 💍 says
Thank youuuu so much for this! My husband loves baked potatoes, and I always put them in the microwave for him. The oven takes entirely too long! I am new to having an air fryer, and I didn’t even think to put a whole potato in there 🤦🏽♀️ They came out fantastic!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So glad to hear it!❤️
Jennifer Newman says
Love this recipe! I came here specifically for how to make baked potatoes in an air fryer. 40 min later, I’m sitting here enjoy a piping hot and crispy potato! Yum!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
That makes me so happy, Jennifer! I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.💖🙏🏻
pam smith says
do i put air fryer on bake or air fryer ???
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
You must have a fancier air fryer than mine, Pam, LOL. 😉 I would say on air fry.👌🏻
Nick says
Just found your jacket potato recipe and I’m cooking my very first air fryer potato even as I type! Can’t wait to get it on my plate 🤤
Elaine Thie says
Thanks for this recipe. I was surprised and pleased you have an Avalon Bay air fryer. I got one 2 years ago and love it. That makes your recipe perfect because I don’t have to do any adjusting to the heat or time. I am on a restricted diet for stomach issues so this will help me a lot.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad it is helpful, Elaine.💖 Enjoy!
Paula says
Thank you SO much for this recipe! I read this in entirety and picked up some good tips…I did not pierce my potatoes and no explosion occurred! Best potato I’ve made for myself EVER! Crispy and delicious! I’m following you for more recipes now. I very much appreciate you taking the time to teach us easy recipes!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Paula!💖
Michelle says
This worked out great! I had large baking russets so I did cook 2 minutes on each side and then air fried for 30 minutes and they came out perfect!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Joseph Madajewski says
Tried 1st time 2 days ago. Did like 47 min a side. At 400 degrees.
Air fryer is rotisserie type but just used shelves. . Sprayed with evoo then the sea salt and garlic pwdr or granulated. Perfect
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Joseph! Thank you for leaving a rating🙏🏻
Mike Jennings says
Did you really cook them for 47 minutes per side?
Robert Zahrowski says
Must have missed the flip 1/2 way through cooking for 47 min
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yeah, the skin may get overcooked in spots without the flip half-way through. This may depend on your individual air fryer, how evenly it cooks, etc.
Jim Monroe says
OMGoodness. You are wonderful. Easy peasy.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Glad you enjoyed it, Jim!