Better Maps

State UnreleasedVersion 1.0.0Platform Fabric 26.3 · clientJava 25Server Not needed

Better Maps lets you read the map you are holding while in third person (F5). The held map is drawn on screen just like in first person — one for the main hand, one for the off hand — and you can move, resize and choose in which menus it stays visible.

Overview

Client-side only. It is a Fabric mod for your game, not a server plugin. It works on any server, including vanilla and Paper servers.
Both hands. A map in the main hand and one in the off hand are each drawn in their own place.
Live marker. Your own arrow moves every frame from your own position instead of waiting for the server — it looks exactly like Minecraft's arrow, just without the lag.
Pixel-perfect. The map size is snapped so every map pixel is a whole number of screen pixels, keeping pixels and arrows crisp and evenly sized.
Shows every marker. Player markers are drawn the same way as on a held map in first person, including the spinning marker in the Nether.

Requirements

Minecraft 26.3 with Fabric Loader 0.19.5 or newer
Fabric API
Java 25
Optional: Mod Menu, which adds a config button in the mod list

Installation

Install Fabric Loader for Minecraft 26.3, and put Fabric API in your mods/ folder.
Put bettermaps-1.0.0.jar in the same mods/ folder.
Start the game, hold a filled map and press F5.

Nothing needs to be installed on the server.

Controls

Both keys can be changed under Options → Controls → Key Binds → Better Maps.

Key	Default	Action
Toggle Third-Person Map	`B`	Turns the overlay on or off. A message above the hotbar shows the new state.
Move / Resize Map	`N`	Opens the editor to move and resize the maps.

Moving & Resizing

Press N (or use the button in the options screen) to open the editor. The world is only lightly dimmed, so you can judge the positions against the real game view.

Input	Effect
Drag a map	Moves it
Drag the corner square	Resizes it
Scroll over a map	Resizes it around its centre
`R`	Resets the map under the cursor, or both maps
`Esc`	Saves and closes

Positions are stored relative to the screen, so they survive window resizes and GUI scale changes. A map can never be placed partly off screen. By default the main-hand map sits on the right and the off-hand map on the left.

Visibility Options

Open with Visibility Options… in the editor, or through Mod Menu.

Option	Default	Effect
Map Overlay	On	Master switch (same as the toggle key).
In First Person	Off	Also show the overlay in first person, not just in F5.
Live Marker	On	Move your arrow every frame from your own position instead of waiting for the server.
Pixel-Perfect	On	Snap the map size so every map pixel is a whole number of screen pixels.
All Menus	Off	Keep the map on screen in every menu, ignoring the per-menu settings below.
Chat	On	Show while typing in chat or commands.
Inventories	Off	Show in your inventory, chests, furnaces, crafting tables and other container screens.
Pause Menu	Off	Show in the Esc menu.
Other Menus	Off	Show in every other menu (options, advancements, signs, books, …).

When a menu is open, the map is drawn on top of the menu's dimmed background but underneath its buttons and slots, so it stays sharp without covering anything you need to click.

Config File

Settings are saved to config/bettermaps.json whenever you change them in-game. You do not need to edit it by hand; if the file is unreadable, the defaults are used.

{
  "enabled": true,
  "showInFirstPerson": false,
  "livePlayerMarker": true,
  "pixelPerfect": true,
  "alwaysShow": false,
  "showInChat": true,
  "showInInventories": false,
  "showInPauseMenu": false,
  "showInOtherMenus": false,
  "mainHand": { "centerX": 0.8, "centerY": 0.5, "size": 0.45 },
  "offHand":  { "centerX": 0.2, "centerY": 0.5, "size": 0.45 }
}

centerX and centerY are fractions of the screen width and height; size is a fraction of the screen height, from 0.1 to 1.0.

FAQ

Q: Does the server need it?

A: No. It only changes what your own game draws, and works on any server.

Q: Is the live marker a cheat?

A: No. It only moves your own arrow, using your own position, which the server would show you a moment later anyway. Other players' markers still come from the server.

Q: The map doesn't show up

A: Check that you are in third person (or that In First Person is on), that the overlay is not toggled off with B, and that the item is a filled map that has loaded.

Getting a Build

Better Maps is not released. Ask for a build in the Discord server. See Projects for the other projects on the bench.