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Map-Improvements project artwork

Modrinth · Minecraft mod

Map-Improvements

Replaces vanilla's confusing pixel-art maps with clear, true-color cartography and realistic terrain shading.

Choose a version Pick your version below, then grab the matching file.

Quick answer

Which Map-Improvements release should I use?

Updated today
Latest stable file 0.5.14
Game version 1.20.1, 1.20.2, 1.20.3
Loader Fabric

Map-Improvements 0.5.14 targets 1.20.1, 1.20.2, 1.20.3 with Fabric. Installation on the client is optional. Installation on the dedicated server is optional. No extra mods listed for this file.

Where it goes

Is Map-Improvements required on the client, server, or both?

Installation on the client is optional. Installation on the dedicated server is optional.

Client Optional
Dedicated server Optional
Loader for this release Fabric
Required install it here Optional supported, not mandatory Not supported do not install here Source doesn’t say do not assume

The source marks this as usable on both the client and server.

What else does Map-Improvements 0.5.14 need?

0.5.14. Change the file and its required mods may change too.

No extra mods listed for this file

This file does not list any required mods. Do not add a library just because a different file uses it.

This file does not list any required or optional mods.

Before you install it

Add Map-Improvements without breaking your instance.

Built for Map-Improvements 0.5.14. Pick another file and the loader, install side or required mods may change.

  1. 01

    Stick to this file

    Use 0.5.14. It targets 1.20.1, 1.20.2, 1.20.3 with Fabric; another release may have different loader, side or dependency requirements.

  2. 02

    Bring the mods it needs

    This file does not list any required mods. Do not add a library just because a different file uses it.

  3. 03

    Put it on the correct side

    Installation on the client is optional. Installation on the dedicated server is optional.

  4. 04

    Pick the file you checked

    Use the “Get this file” button beside 0.5.14. It opens that exact file at the source.

About this project

What does Map-Improvements add?

Map Improvements — Reimagined Cartography

Vanilla maps flatten your world into a mosaic of mismatched pixels. Minimap mods trade that mosaic for a widget in the corner — fast, functional, and utterly forgettable.

Map Improvements takes a different path. It rebuilds the map from the ground up as a high-resolution painting of your world, one you can hold in your hand, frame on a wall, and actually want to look at.

Vanilla map vs Map Improvements — same terrain
Same world. Same terrain. Only one of them lets you see it.


Features

Drawn, Not Painted Over

Most map mods render one flat pixel per block. We render a small texture for every block — its shape, its material, its edges.

Look at the "After" image again: that lake has a visible bottom. Those trees have contours. Vanilla shows you where things are. We show you what they look like.

Two Worlds on One Map

Vanilla maps have no caves. Ours do.

Switch layers to see the surface, or the cave system beneath it. The cave view uses true line-of-sight — walls, cliffs, and stone block your view exactly as they would in person. You only see what is actually reachable.

Built to Keep

Drop a marker with an icon, a color, and a label — anywhere on the map.
Pair with Map Atlases and a stack of paper maps becomes a single, seamless atlas of your entire journey. Markers, edits, and full atlas management live there.


Under the Hood

  • True 32-bit color, smooth biome tints, sun-aware slope shading.
  • Scales up to 512×512 cells per map — vanilla is stuck at 128×128.
  • Adjustable render radius, per-block rules, sensible defaults.

Compatibility

  • Supported Versions: 1.20.1 | 1.21.1
  • Multiplayer: Fully supported. Servers need the mod installed.
  • Recommended Companion: Map Atlases

Why Map Improvements?

  • For Explorers — a beautiful, permanent record of where you have been.
  • For Builders — a true overview of the terrain you are shaping.
  • For Everyone — a map worth looking at, not just a map worth having.

Rediscover the magic of holding a map.


⚠️ Project Status

Version 1.0.0 — Beta.

Map Improvements is a complete rewrite of Minecraft's cartography. The rendering pipeline is stable and tested, but very large maps can still take a noticeable moment to render on first open — this is a known area we are actively improving.

Two versions are available today: 1.20.1 and 1.21.1. More will follow.

Try it. See if it changes the way you look at your world.

Project description from Modrinth.

Pick your setup

Map-Improvements by Minecraft version and loader

Choose the version and loader you play, then open the matching release.

8 available setups

Check the dependencies, then try the file in a copied instance before changing a world you care about.

Recent files

Map-Improvements versions and loaders

6 of 6 releases match

Looking for an older file? The official Modrinth project page is in Resources.