How to Fix Minecraft OpenGL Errors

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is an application programming interface that is present in many video games. OpenGL helps to improve your gaming experience by instructing GPU not to render anything that is not directly in use by the player. In short, OpenGL makes Minecraft run smoother and faster.

Minecraft is a popular game, but users have been complaining about OpenGL errors more frequently. OpenGL is an essential part of Minecraft. That’s why it remains on by default. It’s common for Minecraft players to come across OpenGL errors. If you are also seeing this error while playing Minecraft, then don’t worry. We are going to help you with fixing this error.

What is the OpenGL error, and what causes it?

OpenGL errors usually come when you are playing Minecraft on your computer. It is associated with either of the following error messages- Minecraft was unable to start because it failed to find an accelerated OpenGL mode, OpenGL Error: 1281 (Invalid value), OpenGL Error: 1286 (Invalid framebuffer operation).

If you see OpenGL errors on your computer, that can mean several things. Most of the time, the error is related to graphics card driver problems. Perhaps your graphics card drivers are outdated, which can result in OpenGL errors. Another reason for the OpenGL errors is Shaders. They act like mini-mods and help you by making changes to your Minecraft environment. If the Shaders are corrupted, they can produce OpenGL errors. Other possible reasons for OpenGL errors include incomplete Java Installation, incompatible third-party applications, and modules.

No matter what the reason is, we have solutions for them all. Try the solutions one by one and see which one works for you.

All Solutions to Fix the OpenGL Errors:

Solution 1: Update your Graphics Card Drivers

For playing games like Minecraft, you need updated graphics card drivers. If your graphics card drivers are faulty or outdated, they can produce OpenGL errors. After seeing the OpenGL error on your computer screen, the first thing you should do is check your graphics card drivers. Follow these steps below.

• Press Windows key +X.
• Open Device Manager.
• Click on Display Adapters.
• Right-click on the GPU whose drivers you want to upgrade.
• Choose the “Update driver” option.
• You can also go to your graphics card manufacturer’s website. Search for the latest drivers and install them on your computer.

After you update the graphic drivers, check for the error.

Solution 2: Disable all the Shaders

Shaders are fun to use. They make exceptional changes to the terrains and settings of Minecraft. For example, you can turn summer into winter in your Minecraft world. But to do so, Shaders use all the resources of the application. They are also known for causing trouble with other mods.

To solve the OpenGL error, we suggest disabling the Shaders one by one. Start by disabling the Shaders you recently installed on your system. If any Shader was causing the OpenGL error, disabling it will resolve the error.

Solution 3: Incompatible Mods

Minecraft users love to add Mods to their games. But if you heavily mod your Minecraft, that can cause some problems. Moreover, the mods might go out of sync with each other. The best way to avoid this is to check the version of all the mods you have installed on your computer. You can find the versions of the mods on their developer’s official websites. You can also choose to temporarily disable the mods and check if you can find the error again.

Solution 4: Update OptiFine

If you use OptiFine, you can follow this solution. Otherwise, you can skip this. OptiFine is a third-party application that can handle all the mods for Minecraft and makes the game faster. But if you have an older version of OptiFine, that can cause several errors like the OpenGL errors. To solve this problem, we suggest you should go to the official download page of OptiFine and download the latest version.

Solution 5: Modify Graphics settings in Minecraft

Certain graphics settings can cause OpenGL errors. To solve the OpenGL errors, you can try to modify the Graphics settings in Minecraft. Follow the steps given below.

• Launch Minecraft.
• Go to the Options and choose Video Settings.
• Here, you have to disable VBOs, Render Region, and Clear Water.
• Change the “On” sign to “Off“.
• You can also do the changes in the configuration file under the Minecraft folder.
• Choose the options.txt file from the Minecraft folder on your computer.
• Do the necessary changes and see if you can find the error again.

Solution 6: Disable OpenGL for Minecraft

As we have mentioned before, OpenGL is responsible for Minecraft to run smoother and faster. But if you are annoyed by the OpenGL errors, you can choose to disable OpenGL. Follow these steps.

• Go to Minecraft > Options > Video Settings.
• Find the Advanced OpenGL settings.
• Select to Disable it.
  
• Click “Save” to save the changes.
• Restart Minecraft.

If you see the error again ever after disabling OpenGL, then follow the next solution.

Solution 7: Install Java file packages

You should know that Minecraft uses Java to operate. All the mods for Minecraft are also in Java format. If the Java file packages are not properly installed or outdated, you need to fix them as soon as possible. You can follow the steps given below to update the Java file packages manually and solve the OpenGL error.

• Right-click on This PC.
• Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
• Under the System type, check if your operating system is 32-bit or 64-bit type.
  
• You have to download the Java file package according to your operating system.
• Then, save the file package in an easily accessible location on your computer.
• Copy the folder in which you stored the downloaded Java file packages.
• Press Windows key +E.
• Open File Explorer.
• For 32-bit, you have to go to the following path- C:\Program Files\Java
• For 64-bit, you have to go to the following path- C:\Program Files (x86)\Java
• Paste the Java file packages folder here.
• Launch the Minecraft mod manager.
• At the bottom of the screen, you will find the “Edit Profile” option.
• Go to Java Settings (Advanced).
• Click on the Executable option and correctly put the path of the folder in which you paste the Java file packages.
• Then, you have to restart your computer.
• Open Minecraft and see if you can find the error again.

Solution 8: Reinstall Minecraft

If none of the above-mentioned solutions worked for you, then the last thing you could do is uninstall Minecraft. Before uninstalling, make sure you backup the User data. To avoid losing User data, you can also move it from the game’s directory to another location. When you are ready, follow these steps to uninstall Minecraft.

• Press Windows key +R.
• Type “appwiz.cpl” and press Enter.
• Find Minecraft among all other installed applications.
• Right-click on it and choose the Uninstall option.
  
• Also, delete all the files associated with Minecraft.

After you successfully uninstall Minecraft, go to Minecraft’s official website. You have to insert the proper credentials to download the game. Then, install Minecraft on your computer again.

Minecraft has been the most popular game of all time. Minecraft users use so many features to make the game more interesting. But every game comes up with some errors from time to time.

If you are facing the OpenGL errors, then relax because the error is easy to solve. We have listed down various solutions to resolve different issues that create the OpenGL errors. We hope you will be able to solve the error on your own and enjoy playing Minecraft again. If you have any queries or feedback, please write down the comment in the below comment box.