How to Zoom In in Minecraft (2024)

There are many reasons why you may need to zoom in or out in Minecraft. Maybe you need to see items better as you’re crafting or upgrading, or perhaps you need to take the perfect screenshot.

Whatever your reasons for needing to zoom in, Minecraft does allow you to zoom in to a certain extent. Mods and console features can also help you achieve the perfect viewing distance.

Keep reading to learn more about zoom options when playing Minecraft.

How to Zoom In in Minecraft

Zooming in while playing Minecraft is a relatively simple process, depending on the platform you use to play the game. PC users have a couple more options, but console players can usually use magnifying features unique to their platform.

PC Method 1 – Changing FOV in Options

If you’re on a PC and you don’t want to use mods, the only option for you is to adjust your FOV (or field of vision). You can access your FOV settings by following these steps:

1. Press the ‘’ESC’’ key to access the Pause menu in-game.
   
2. Go to Options.
   
3. The first set of bars is your FOV settings. By default, it’s set to Normal or 70. If you’d like to zoom in, go to the first FOV box and move the slider to the left to decrease the number. You can lower it as low as 30 for a narrow and “zoomed in” field of vision.
   
4. Press the ‘’Done’’ button at the bottom of the screen.
   
5. Go back to the game to check your FOV and adjust as needed.
   

PC Method 2 – Using Mods (Java)

Java Edition users can download a mod with more zooming options. Take a look at the steps below to get started:

1. Go to optifine.net to download the latest version of the mod from the Downloads tab. Make sure that the version matches the Minecraft version you’re currently using. If you’re using an older version of Minecraft, select the “Show all versions” option to choose one that corresponds to your game.
   
2. (Optional) The mod may ask you to install Java SE if you don’t have it already.
3. Once you have Java installed, go to the ‘’OptiFine’’ file and install it. Follow the installer prompts to complete the process.
   
4. Start the Minecraft Launcher.
   
5. Confirm that OptiFine appears in the game by clicking the “Latest release” box next to the green Play button. If you see OptiFine in the drop-down menu, you’re in good shape.
   
6. Select OptiFine and make sure a little checkmark appears to the right of the entry.
   
7. Press the ‘’Play’’ button to enter the game.
   
8. Zoom in and out by pressing and holding the ‘’C’’ key.

PC Method 3 – Using a Spyglass (Version 1.17)

Minecraft released a new item in their 1.17 update that helps players zoom in on locations. The spyglass is a craftable item that sets a player’s FOV without having to constantly change it in the options menu. You can craft a spyglass with one amethyst shard and two copper ingots.

Xbox One

Xbox One users can use a feature already installed on their platform called Magnifier. It works for any game, including Minecraft. To access Magnifier, follow the steps below:

1. While you’re playing the game, press the Xbox logo button and hold it until the controller vibrates.
2. On the new screen are options to turn off the console and controller, but in the lower right corner is an option called Magnifier. Press the overlapping squares button or ‘’View’’ button in the center of the controller to access it.
3. Press ‘’Yes’’ to confirm turning on Magnifier.
4. Use the left trigger to zoom in and the right trigger to zoom back out. You can also pan the screen area with the right analog stick.

If you want to keep Magnifier on while you’re playing, press the Xbox button twice. This “locks” your magnification settings so you’re still able to play the game as normal. To go back to the Magnifier controls, press the Xbox button twice again.

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4 users can also zoom into their games without using mods. It takes a few more steps, though, because the console doesn’t have a dedicated magnification feature. To access zoom on PS4, check out the following steps:

1. Press the PlayStation button in the middle of the controller.
2. Go to ‘’Settings’’ and then ‘’Accessibility’’.
3. Select the ‘’Zoom’’ option.
4. Click the box to Enable Zoom.
5. Exit out of the menu and start your game.
6. Use the PlayStation button + Square button to zoom and the Circle button to cancel the zoom feature. You can also use the directional pad to pan around the screen in front of you.

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch users can enable a zoom feature on their console for better viewing while playing Minecraft. To get started, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the System Settings on the Home screen.
2. Select ‘’System’’ from the left pane and then scroll down to ‘’Zoom’’ on the main screen.
3. Click or tap on Zoom to turn the feature on.
4. Go back to the Home screen and launch Minecraft.
5. Press the Home button or button with the little house twice to enable Zoom while playing the game.
6. Center the area you’d like to zoom into with either analog stick.
7. Use the ‘’X’’ button to zoom in and the ‘’Y’’ to zoom back out. There’s a little green gauge in the right corner of the screen that shows your zoom level. The rectangle next to the gauge tells you where the zoom window is on the screen.
8. Press the Home button twice to exit zoom mode.

You can also lock this mode on-screen to play with the magnification on. Simply tap the Home button twice to lock the zoom parameters in place. The border will turn grey but stays on the screen to indicate that you’re still in zoom mode.

If you want to adjust zoom parameters again, press the Home button. Pressing it twice ends zoom mode completely.

How to Zoom Into the Map in Minecraft

Maps are a great way to see what’s around you, but sometimes you just need things a little larger. To make a bigger map, you’ll need your cartography table. Place it down and follow the steps below:

1. Place the map in the top crafting square in the cartography table.
   
2. Place a piece of paper in the square underneath the map.
   
3. Remove the new map from the result box and put it in your inventory.

You can repeat this process up to four times using the new map to make it even bigger.

How to Zoom In With OptiFine in Minecraft

If you installed the correct version of OptiFine and enabled it on your Minecraft Launcher, you can simply press and hold the ‘’C’’ key to zoom in.

How to Zoom In Camera in Minecraft

You can’t zoom in the camera with vanilla Minecraft, but you can use mods like OptiFine to create cinematic zooms as featured in Minecraft YouTube videos.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to use mods, you can also change the FOV in the Options menu.

How to Zoom In Minecraft Java

There are a few options for zooming in on Minecraft Java. The easiest one is to craft a spyglass shard using one amethyst shard and two copper ingots. This option is only available if you’re running version 1.17.

You can also change the FOV in the Options menu or use mods like OptiFine to zoom in while playing the game.

How to Zoom In Treasure Map in Minecraft

You can’t necessarily zoom in on a treasure map, but you can enlarge it using a cartography table.

If you don’t already have a cartography table, you can make one at the crafting table using two pieces of paper and four planks of wood. For this recipe, you can use any type of wood plank including oak, jungle, and warped.

Place the pieces of paper in the uppermost left corner square and the top middle square. Use the four planks in the squares underneath the paper, lining them up so that there are two planks in each space underneath each paper.

Once you have a cartography table and placed it for use, it’s time to increase your map size.

1. Add the treasure map to the upper slot in the cartography table.
   
2. Place a paper piece in the slot directly underneath the treasure map.
   
3. Move the resulting map to your inventory.

You can repeat this process up to four times, resulting in the largest available map in the game.

How to Zoom In and Out in Minecraft

Zooming in and out depends on which platform you’re playing. Here’s a quick view list:

• PC (no mods) – ‘’ESC’’ key to Options to adjust FOV level, or use a spyglass for versions 1.17 or higher
• Xbox One – Xbox button to View button, use left and right triggers to zoom in and out
• PlayStation 4 – PlayStation button to Settings to Accessibility to Enable Zoom, press the PlayStation button + Square button to zoom, Circle button to cancel
• Nintendo Switch – Enable Zoom in System Settings, press ‘’X’’ or ‘’Y’’ buttons to zoom in and out

If you’re using OptiFine, the default key to zoom in is the ‘’C’’ key.

How to Zoom In on Minecraft on PC

You have three options to zoom in if you’re playing Minecraft on PC:

Options 1 – Change FOV

1. Press the ‘’ESC’’ key.
2. Select Options.
3. Slide the FOV bar to the left to zoom in or to the right to zoom out.

Option 2 – Use a Spyglass (Version 1.17)

Craft a spyglass using one amethyst shard and two copper ingots if you have Minecraft 1.17 or higher.

Option 3 – Use a Mod (OptiFine)

1. Download and install OptiFine.
2. Open Minecraft Launcher and press the Latest Version button near the bottom of the screen.
3. Select OptiFine.
4. Launch the game.
5. Press the ‘’C’’ key to zoom in.

How to Zoom In Minecraft Without OptiFine

If you don’t want to use OptiFine, you have a couple of zoom options. You can either change your FOV in the Options menu, or you can craft a spyglass if you’re using Minecraft 1.17 or higher.

Additional FAQs

How to Load Mods Into Forge?

To install mods into Minecraft Forge, follow the steps below:

• Download a mod compatible with the game.

• Launch the game and press the ‘’Mods’’ button in the Main Menu.

• Select ‘’Open Mods Folder’’ and place the new mod in that folder.

• Launch Minecraft again and make sure the new mod is listed.

What Key Is Your OptiFine?

The OptiFine zoom feature is set as the ‘’C’’ key by default for vanilla Minecraft games. Some players choose to bind the zoom feature to different keys depending on preference. Some popular re-binding choices include:

• R button

• Z button

• Ctrl button

Binding the zoom feature to a gaming mouse button is also a popular choice.

Get the Perfect Shot

Sometimes you just need the perfect screenshot for a video thumbnail, or you need a better view of an area you’re mining. Zooming in for certain situations can work wonders when playing Minecraft. Thanks to the release of the Spyglass, zooming is easier now more than ever before.

How do you zoom in with your Minecraft game? Do you use vanilla assets, mods, or console features? Tell us about it in the comments section below.