Minecraft is a popular sandbox video game which was first released in 2011. It is considered as the single best selling game of all time with more than 176 million copies sold. Estimates place that there are around 112 million active monthly players. Although this is a solid game there are instances when certain issues can occur. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the Minecraft OpenGL error 1281 issue.
How To Fix Minecraft OpenGL Error 1281 Issue
Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below its best to reboot your computer. This will refresh the windows 10 operating system and will usually fix most of the common issues caused by a software glitch.
The OpenGL setting of Minecraft which is enabled by default which instructs the GPU to only render images within direct view of the player thus making the game run smoother. While the GPU will have less load in this scenario the tradeoff is that the CPU will have to work more. Some of the factors that can cause the error 1281 issue are corrupt shaders, third party software interference, and outdated software version just to name a few. Listed below are the troubleshooting steps you need to do to fix the problem.
Remove the Shaders
Shaders are an optional setting which enhances the way you play the game. It adds textures which makes the game look good however this can use up a lot of resources and can sometimes cause this problem. If this is the culprit then you will need to remove this from the game.
Check if the Minecraft OpenGL error 1281 issue still occurs.
Update OptiFine
OptiFine is a tool which enhances the game graphics for optimum performance on your computer. It adds several graphics settings to the game, such as dynamic lighting, for a better gaming experience. If you are using an older version of this tool then there’s a possibility that this problem can occur which is why you need to make sure that it is updated.
You can visit https://optifine.net/downloads and get the latest update for OptiFine.
Check if the Minecraft OpenGL error 1281 issue still occurs.
Check for mod compatibility
This problem can usually occur if you are playing a heavily modded version of the game. If one of your mods is not compatible with another mod then you are most likely to experience this issue.
If you have a modded version of the game then I suggest you check the compatibility of the mod versions.
Manually install Java packages
Minecraft relies heavily on Java to run. If your computer does not have the correct Java version or if it has a corrupted version then this problem can occur. What you should do to fix this is to manually install the Java packages.
- Right-click on This-PC present on your Desktop and select Properties.
- On the System type check the type of operating system installed on your computer. If it is 32-bit download the 32 bit version of Java. If it is 64-bit download the 64 bit version of Java.
- Extract the file which you just download to an accessible location. Open the folder and copy the file version folder that you see.
- Press Windows + E to launch Windows Explorer and navigate to the following path: C:\Program Files\Java (for 32 bit), C:\Program Files (x86)\Java (for 64 bit). Paste the file which you copied to the location. Make sure that you copy the name of the folder which we just pasted.
- Launch the Minecraft mod manager and click on Edit profile present at the bottom of the screen.
- Underneath Java settings (Advanced), check the executable option and replace the correct path.
- Restart your computer and launch Minecraft again
Check if the Minecraft OpenGL error 1281 issue still occurs.
Reinstall Minecraft
If the above steps fails to fix the problem then I suggest that you uninstall Mineraft from your computer then install a fresh version.
- Press Windows + R, type “appwiz.cpl” in the dialogue box and press Enter.
- In the application manager, locate Minecraft, right-click on it and select Uninstall.
- Go to Minecraft’s official website and download the game again.
Check if the Minecraft OpenGL error 1281 issue still occurs.