What are texture packs?

Minecraft texture packs are a collection of textures of blocks, items, armor, friendly and hostile mobs, and more that replace the default textures of vanilla Minecraft. However, texture packs were retired in Java Edition update 1.6.1 and replaced with resource packs. Resource packs give the player more control over changing the game, including previous aspects from texture packs, along with the inclusion of music and text changes.

Older texture packs will still work on newer versions of Minecraft, but they will lack the textures for all the newer blocks added to the game.

Texture packs vs. shaders vs. resource packs

Texture Packs

Texture packs focus on simply adding new textures to the game, replacing the current textures in the game. They can be run on newer versions of the game but will lack the textures to change newer and changed blocks. Texture packs are rather nonoptimal at this point and are only useful if you play extremely older versions of Minecraft or the Legacy Console Edition of Minecraft.

Resource Packs

Resource packs focus on the game’s textures, text, and sounds. They have way more features than texture packs and work completely differently from shaders. They can be resource-intensive but tend to be less intensive than shaders. Resource packs can be used on older versions, similarly to texture packs on newer versions, but they’re more likely to break the game or cause issues inside your game, so this should be avoided.

It should be noted that quite a few resource packs require Optifine or similar mods, so it’s best to check if they require it or not before installation.

Shaders

Shaders impact the game’s lighting and are the most resource-intensive option for visually improving your game. It also requires mods to install shaders, meaning you need an outside source compared to resource and texture packs. But shaders give amazing visuals and can completely change the game’s look, making it worth the tradeoff for players with good computers.

Shaders also lack the limitation of version compared to resource and texture packs. As long as you can find the mods and shaders for a certain version of Minecraft, you’ll be able to run them without restriction.

Conclusion

Texture packs are really only useful if you plan to play older versions, as they are generally outdated and have fewer features than resource packs. Resource packs will not only usually be updated more frequently but, in general, provide a better experience for players. Shaders, while a part of the conversion, are a better feature to look into if you want to make older versions of the game look visually pleasing.

Where can I find texture and resource packs?

Resource packs can be found on a large number of websites; however, I’ll recommend some of the best sites where you can find different resource packs.

These are five of the best Minecraft texture pack sites:

• https://www.planetminecraft.com/texture-packs/?op1=37
• https://resourcepack.net/#gsc.tab=0
• https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/search?page=1&pageSize=20&sortType=1&class=texture-packs
• https://texture-packs.com/
• https://vanillatweaks.net/picker/resource-packs/

Texture and resource pack recommendations

I will recommend some of the most popular texture and resource packs that players actively use. These will typically either enhance your gaming experience or change things visually to look more appealing.

XRay 

Xray is one of the most popular texture packs in all of Minecraft. It changes the game to allow players to cheat and see ores through the ground. This is similar to the well-known hack, but makes it more “legitimate,” so it’s definitely an option you should look into if you’re interested.

This mod does require Optifine, so it’s best to download that before attempting to download and use this resource pack. If you would be interested in this resource pack, you can download it at this link: https://texture-packs.com/resourcepack/x-ray-minecraft/.

Whimscape Resource Pack

This resource pack changes many aspects of Minecraft’s UI and textures to fit a fantasy theme while giving textures an overall upgrade. This pack is great for people who want an improved visual experience while playing in their Minecraft world.

This resource pack doesn’t require Optifine, but it’s heavily recommended by the creator for the best gaming experience. If you’re interested in this resource pack, you can find it at this link: https://resourcepack.net/whimscape-resource-pack/#gsc.tab=0.

Optimum Realism

This resource pack focuses on giving the game very realistic textures for every block, mob, and item in the game. This can enhance your gameplay, but it also makes for beautiful screenshots, making this one of the best visual resource packs created. This pack can be quite resource-intensive, so it’s best to check the requirements to see if your PC can run this pack.

Optifine is heavily recommended for this resource pack; otherwise, certain features might not work correctly. If you’re interested in this resource pack, here’s the download link: https://resourcepack.net/optimum-realism-resource-pack/#gsc.tab=0

How to download resource packs

Downloading the packs themselves is quite easy; you just need to find the pack you want to download and look for the download on the respective page. It is important to note that you should always look at the version, as some resource packs can break if the version they are in is different from the downloaded version. If needed, you should ideally wait until a resource pack is updated to the latest version before downloading it.

How to install resource packs

Installing resource packs is quite simple, and the game itself makes it easy for the player to do so. You can follow these quick steps to download your resource packs.

1. Open Minecraft through the launcher.
2. Go to the options menu, then open the resource packs tab.
3. Click on the button that says “Open Resource Pack Folder.”
4. Locate the folder where you downloaded the zip file containing your resource pack and double-click it.
5. Reopen the resource packs tab, and there you have it. On the left, your resource pack will be available.
6. To activate your resource pack, you’ll need to move it to the section on the right, which shows your selected resource packs.

Note: This changes for programs like Curse Forge, which will typically automatically implement the resource pack for you. In cases like these, it’s best to check for any specific needs or instructions on your end.