The Minecraft Java requirements for 2026 increased to better represent the hardware needed at 1080p and prepare for the future transition from OpenGL to Vulkan. The new values took effect on July 21, 2026. A below-spec PC may still launch the game today, but Mojang no longer guarantees its performance or visual quality.
Real minimum and recommended requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Target | 1080p, 30 FPS, Fast preset | 1080p, 60 FPS, Fancy preset |
| System | 64-bit Windows 10, Windows on ARM, macOS 12+, or 64-bit Linux | 64-bit Windows 11, macOS 14+, or 64-bit Linux |
| System RAM | 8 GB with a discrete GPU or 12 GB with integrated graphics | 16 GB |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-10100, Ryzen 3 3100, Snapdragon X, or Apple M1; at least 4 physical cores | Intel Core i5-12400, Ryzen 5 5600, or Apple M2 Pro |
| GPU | Vulkan 1.3 and 2 GB VRAM: GTX 950, RX 460, or Arc A310 as reference points | RTX 2060, RX 5600 XT, Arc A580, or Apple M2 Pro; 6 GB VRAM |
Allocated memory is not total system RAM
After 26.1 Snapshot 2, the launcher increased Java Edition's default allocation from 2 to 4 GB. That does not make a 4 GB PC sufficient: Windows, Java, mods, and background processes also use memory. With shaders or modpacks, measure actual usage before raising -Xmx; assigning all available RAM can cause pauses or instability.
