How to Install X-Ray in Minecraft
A complete walkthrough for installing the X-Ray resource pack on every platform Minecraft runs on. Whether you play Java Edition on your desktop or Bedrock on your phone, this guide covers every step from downloading the file to activating it in-game.
Video coming soon
Step-by-step walkthrough for visual learners. Join Discord for updates.
Minecraft X-Ray: Full install walkthrough
The fastest way to get X-Ray running. Watch the full install from download to first mine, then scroll for the written step-by-step below.
Java Edition
Installing on Java Edition (PC, Mac, Linux)
Video coming soon
Step-by-step walkthrough for visual learners. Join Discord for updates.
Java install: download to first mine
Video walkthrough for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Covers finding your resourcepacks folder, dropping in the .zip, activating the pack, and maxing out brightness.
The Java Edition resource pack is a simple .zip file that replaces block textures with transparent versions. There is no mod loader required. It works with completely vanilla Minecraft. The entire installation process takes under two minutes.
Step 1: Download the Resource Pack
Head to our Java resource pack download page and grab the latest version for your Minecraft installation. The file is a .zip archive, usually around 50 KB in size. Do not extract or unzip it. Minecraft expects the file in .zip format.
Make sure you select the version that matches your Minecraft installation. Make sure you download the pack matching your game version. Using a mismatched version can cause missing textures or the pack failing to load entirely.
Step 2: Locate Your Resource Packs Folder
You need to place the downloaded .zip file into the correct folder on your computer. The location depends on your operating system:
Alternatively, you can open this folder from inside Minecraft itself. Launch the game, go to Options, then Resource Packs, and click "Open Pack Folder". This opens the correct directory regardless of your operating system.
Step 3: Move the File
Copy or move the downloaded .zip file into the resourcepacks folder. Do not extract the archive. Do not rename it. Simply place the .zip as-is into the folder. If Minecraft is already running, you do not need to restart it. The game can detect new packs while it is open.
Step 4: Activate the Pack
In Minecraft, navigate to Options, then Resource Packs. You should see the X-Ray pack listed under "Available" on the left side. Click the arrow icon to move it to the "Selected" column on the right. If you have multiple resource packs, drag the X-Ray pack to the top of the list so its textures take priority.
Click Done. Minecraft will reload textures, which takes a few seconds. Once loaded, stone, dirt, gravel, deepslate, and other common blocks will become fully transparent. You will be able to see every ore, cave, dungeon, and structure from the surface.
Step 5: Adjust Brightness
After enabling the pack, underground areas may appear very dark. This happens because transparent blocks no longer block or scatter light as they normally would. Go to Options, then Video Settings, and turn Brightness all the way up to the maximum setting (Bright).
For even better visibility, you can edit your options.txt file directly. Find the line that reads gamma:1.0 and change it to gamma:5.0. This provides fullbright lighting so you can see everything clearly at any depth. The options.txt file is located in your main .minecraft directory, one level above the resourcepacks folder.
Bedrock Edition
Installing on Bedrock Edition (iOS, Android, Windows)
Video coming soon
Step-by-step walkthrough for visual learners. Join Discord for updates.
Bedrock install: every platform
One video covering iOS, Android, Windows 10/11, and the Realms workaround for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
The Bedrock Edition resource pack uses the .mcpack format, which Minecraft imports automatically when you open the file. Installation is slightly different depending on your device, but the core process is the same on every platform.
iOS (iPhone and iPad)
Download the .mcpack file from our Bedrock download page. When the download completes, tap the file in Safari or your Files app. iOS will ask which app should open the file; select Minecraft. The game will launch and display a message confirming the pack was imported successfully.
To activate the pack, open Minecraft and either create a new world or edit an existing one. Scroll down to Resource Packs in the world settings, find the X-Ray pack under "Available", and tap it to move it into "Active". Launch the world and the pack will be applied.
Android
Download the .mcpack file using Chrome or your preferred browser. Once the download finishes, tap the notification or open the file from your Downloads folder. Android will open Minecraft automatically and import the pack. If the automatic import does not trigger, open a file manager, locate the .mcpack file, long-press it, and select "Open with Minecraft".
Activate it the same way as iOS: go into your world settings, find Resource Packs, and move the X-Ray pack into the Active list.
Windows 10/11 (Bedrock)
Download the .mcpack file and double-click it. Windows will automatically open Minecraft and import the pack. You will see an import success notification in the game. Then activate it through the Resource Packs section in your world settings, just like on mobile.
If double-clicking does not work, right-click the file, choose "Open With", and select Minecraft. If Minecraft is not listed, you can manually move the file into the resource_packs folder located at:
Console Editions (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch)
Console editions of Bedrock have limited support for custom resource packs. On Xbox, you can transfer .mcpack files via the Minecraft companion app or through Realms. PlayStation and Switch do not officially support sideloading resource packs, though workarounds exist using Realms where you apply the pack on a Windows or mobile device, then join the Realm from your console.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues and Fixes
Pack Not Showing in the Resource Pack Menu
If the pack does not appear in your resource pack list, verify the following. First, confirm the .zip file is inside the resourcepacks folder and not a subfolder within it. Second, make sure you did not accidentally extract the archive. The file should end in .zip, not be a folder of loose files. Third, check that you downloaded the correct edition. Java packs are .zip files; Bedrock packs are .mcpack files. They are not interchangeable.
Version Mismatch Warning
Minecraft displays a warning when a resource pack was built for a different game version. In most cases, the pack still works perfectly. The warning is informational, not a hard block. Click "Yes" to load it anyway. However, if you notice broken textures or missing blocks, return to our download page and grab the pack that matches your exact version.
Everything Is Dark Underground
When blocks become transparent, the lighting engine behaves differently. Underground areas that would normally be lit by ambient occlusion now appear pitch black. This is not a bug. It is how Minecraft calculates light when solid blocks are removed from the rendering pipeline.
The fix is straightforward: maximize your brightness setting. In Java Edition, go to Options, Video Settings, and drag the Brightness slider to the right. For maximum effect, edit your options.txt file and set gamma to 5.0. In Bedrock Edition, navigate to Settings, Video, and increase Brightness to the maximum value.
You can also use Night Vision potions or carry torches for additional light. If you prefer a permanent solution without file editing, consider our upcoming Fabric mod which includes built-in fullbright functionality.
Some Blocks Are Not Transparent
The resource pack targets the most common filler blocks: stone, deepslate, dirt, gravel, sand, sandstone, netherrack, basalt, blackstone, end stone, and soul sand. It does not make every single block transparent, because doing so would make the game unplayable. If a specific block is still opaque and you think it should be transparent, check whether you are on the latest version of the pack.
Performance and FPS Drops
Resource packs that use transparent textures can sometimes cause slight FPS drops because Minecraft needs to render more visible block faces than usual. If you experience performance issues, try reducing your render distance from 16 chunks to 8 or 10 chunks. You can also install OptiFine (Java) or adjust chunk rendering settings (Bedrock) to improve frame rates. In general, the X-Ray pack has negligible performance impact because it simply swaps textures rather than adding geometry or shader effects.
Tips
Getting the Most Out of X-Ray
Once your pack is installed and running, here are some practical tips to maximize your mining efficiency:
Focus on the best Y levels for each ore. Even with X-Ray, mining at the wrong depth wastes time. Diamonds peak at Y=-59, iron is most common at Y=16, and ancient debris spawns near Y=15 in the Nether. Combining X-Ray visibility with optimal mining depth is the fastest way to collect resources.
Pair the resource pack with Fortune III enchanted pickaxes for maximum yield. A single diamond ore block drops up to four diamonds with Fortune III, and X-Ray helps you find every block without missing any that are hidden behind walls.
For ancient debris specifically, read our ancient debris guide which covers the best Nether strategies and how to combine X-Ray with bed or TNT mining for even faster results.
If you want to understand the differences between using a resource pack versus a mod or vanilla glitches, check out our resource pack vs mod comparison and our X-Ray glitches guide.
FAQ