Texture atlas

A texture atlas, also known as a spritesheet, is an arrangement of game sprites on a single image file, used by the game to store and access associated sprites more efficiently than with individual files. Minecraft uses both procedurally-generated and predefined texture atlases for different purposes.

Procedurally-generated texture atlases

Block and item textures are combined into the same atlas, minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png. This texture atlas is generated via F3 + S and is saved into a folder titled “debug” in .minecraft's screenshots folder.

All other textures are also available in their own respective texture atlases in said .minecraft/screenshots/debug folder. For example, the particle atlas is minecraft_textures_atlas_particles.png_0.png, while the chest atlas is minecraft_textures_atlas_chest.png_0.png, minecraft_textures_atlas_decorated_pot.png_0.png.

Trivia

There is a file in .minecraft/screenshots/debug called minecraft_missingno.png, titled as a reference to the infamous missingno pokemon in the original Pokemon Red & Blue game.

Each texture – i.e. minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png – has an accompanying _1, _2, _3, and _4 texture (such as minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_4.png), each texture starting at _1 being at progressively lower downscaled resolutions (_0, the original, is 1024x512 pixels, whilst _4 is only 64x32 pixels). It is currently unknown for what purpose this definitely serves, but it is hypothesized that it is for mipmap distance rendering as to lower the load on the CPU, GPU, and/or RAM, improving performance especially on lower-spec machines.

Predefined texture atlases

Current

bars.png

bars.png is used for storing boss bar textures and their overlays. As of Java Edition 1.16.4, this file is still in use.

The file was compressed in 15w49a, 1.11-pre1 and 19w41a.

Java Edition
1.9		15w31a			bars.png has been implemented.

icons.png

Main article: icons.png

icons.png is used for storing the textures of certain UI elements.

As of Java Edition 1.17, this file is still used in the game.

inventory.png

Main article: inventory.png

This file is only loosely defined as a texture atlas due to the small amount of auxiliary sprites surrounding the main inventory box. Nonetheless, it has a notable history of housing several status effect textures.

kz.png

Main article: kz.png

kz.png is used for storing the textures of paintings.

map_icons.png

This file is used for static icons on maps. Interestingly, it has many unused icons which have existed for many years.

Java Edition Beta
1.6		Test Build 3			Added mapicons.png.
1.8		Pre-release			Updated mapicons.png.
Java Edition
1.6.1		13w24a			Renamed mapicons.png to map_icons.png.
1.11		16w39a			Updated map_icons.png.
1.13		18w10a			Updated map_icons.png.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.14.0		build 1			Added map_icons.png.
Pocket Edition
1.1.0		alpha 1.1.0.0			Updated map_icons.png.
		alpha 1.1.0.5			Updated map_icons.png.
Bedrock Edition
1.4.0		beta 1.2.14.2			Updated map_icons.png.
1.5.0		beta 1.5.0.7			Updated map_icons.png.
		beta 1.5.0.10			Updated map_icons.png.
Upcoming Bedrock Edition
1.20.40		beta 1.20.40.20			Updated map_icons.png.

particles.png

Main article: particles.png

particles.png is used for storing the textures of most particles. Two other atlases, explosion.png and sweep.png, were used for respectively storing explosion and sweeping attack particles.‌

widgets.png

Main article: widgets.png

widgets.png (previously known as gui.png) is used for defining several types of menu buttons and icons. The file is still in use as of Java Edition 1.16.4.

Removed

items.png

Main article: items.png

items.png was used for storing the textures of items. It has been replaced with minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png in newer versions such as 1.19 (accessible via F3 + S and saved in the screenshots folder).

terrain.png

Main article: terrain.png

terrain.png was used for storing the textures of blocks. It has also been replaced with minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png in newer versions such as 1.19 (accessible via F3 + S).

History

Specific changes to texture files are documented in each texture file's dedicated section or page.

Additions

Java Edition pre-Classic
rd-131655					Added terrain.png.
Java Edition Classic
0.0.20a_01					Added gui.png.
0.26 SURVIVAL TEST					Added particles.png.
Java Edition Indev
0.31		20091231-2			Added items.png.
Minecraft Indev		20100223			Added kz.png.
Java Edition Beta
1.6		Test Build 3			Added mapicons.png.
1.8		Pre-release			Added explosion.png.
Java Edition
1.0.0		Beta 1.9 Prerelease 2			inventory.png now contains an atlas of effect icons.
1.9		15w31a			Added bars.png.
		15w34c			Added sweep.png.
1.20		23w18a			minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png has been added (in this version or a previous version), accessible via F3 + S, which allows players to save all textures currently loaded in their game in a convenient texture atlas.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.1.0					Added terrain.png, items.png, particles.png and gui_blocks.png.
v0.8.0		build 2			Added terrain_atlas.tga and items_opaque.tga.

Removals

Java Edition
1.5		13w02a			terrain.png and items.png have been split up into their constituent textures. A procedurally generated and manually saved texture atlas is still available, however: minecraft_textures_atlas_blocks.png_0.png, accessible via F3 + S in 1.19 and above.
1.14		19w06a			particles.png, explosion.png and sweep.png have been split up into their constituent textures.
		19w07a			paintings_kristoffer_zetterstrand.png has been split up into its constituent textures.
		19w08a			inventory.png has been partially split up to remove the status effect textures, which are now split into individual textures, leaving only the actual inventory textures.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.8.0		build 2			terrain.png, items.png and gui_blocks.png have been replaced with other atlases.
v0.15.0		build 1			terrain_atlas.tga and items_opaque.tga are no longer used.

See also

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texture_atlas
• Resource pack