How to Enable Ray Tracing in Minecraft

15 December, 2022

It's likely that you didn't know it, but Minecraft, a popular game, has received a 2021 upgrade in terms realism. It's called ray tracing and was introduced by Nvidia, the chipmaker. Ray tracing was originally intended for PC gamers but will now be available for Xbox Series X users as part of the new Minecraft RTX.

What is Ray Tracing?

It is a somewhat obscure term that not all gamers are aware of. However, it can have a significant impact on your gaming experience if you don't play Solitaire.

It has been a problem to portray light and shadows in videogames. This is also true for digital sound effects (SFX). This is where the most difficult thing to achieve top-notch realism is, it seems. It was not that easy to accurately portray lighting in games until recently.

Nvidia recently introduced the new ray tracing technology based upon its innovative RTX chipsets. Ray tracing allows for stunning lighting in games regardless of genre. So, Minecraft fans have something to look forward too.

Minimum requirements for Minecraft Ray Tracing

1. GeForce RTX 20602. GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
3. GeForce RTX 2070
4. GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
5. GeForce RTX 2080
6. GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
7. GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
8. Titan RTX

But, just because you have one of these doesn't guarantee that everything will work smoothly. How the game behaves will depend on your system specs. Here's what you should consider as the minimum.

1. Intel Core i5 10400 and AMD Ryzen 5 3600
2. Corsair DDR4 RAM 16GB and 32GB
3. Samsung 860 EVO SSD 250GB or Samsung 970 EVO SSD 250GB

The above setup is required to run Minecraft RTX properly. It also requires a supported GPU running Windows 10 Home 64-bit. Frame drops can be a problem if you go lower.

Minecraft RTX: Setting up Your Computer

1. Visit Nvidia's official site to download the Google GeForce Experience Windows 10 and then install it.
2. Start the GeForce Experience App.
3. Navigate to the Drivers tab.
4. The app will suggest installing the latest drivers automatically. If it doesn't, you can check for updates by clicking the appropriate button in upper-right of the app.
You can enjoy Minecraft RTX once your graphics drivers have been updated.

RTX in Minecraft

How to enable Ray Tracing in Minecraft for Windows 10 PC

You will need Minecraft for Windows 10 to activate Minecraft RTX. Here's how to install Minecraft on Windows 10.

1. Click on the Search bar or Start menu.
2. Next, type in Microsoft Store. Click on it.
3. The Microsoft Store app will open; use the search bar to type in Minecraft.
4. Install the game as you would any other app. You can also download the free trial.
Minecraft for Windows 10 doesn't automatically enable Ray Tracing even after you have installed the latest version. To enable RTX functionality, you will need to install the Xbox Insider hub. The app can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Here's how to enable Ray Tracing after the app has been installed.

1. Use the Xbox Insider Hub app.
2. Click on the hamburger icon to open the menu and choose Insider content.
3. Click on Minecraft for Windows 10 located under Games.
4. To join the Windows 10 Beta Experience, select Join.
5. Select Minecraft for Windows 10 RTX Beta from the list, and then click on Done.
Now, RTX Beta should be automatically installed and applied to Minecraft for Windows 10. This procedure allows you to ray trace.

Note: All Minecraft worlds were deleted when you switched to Minecraft RTX. Make sure you have backups.

How to enable Ray Tracing in Minecraft for Xbox One

It is possible that ray tracing technology will be successful in the future, regardless of the current status on Minecraft XBOX One S/X. AMD is making progress with ray tracing, too.

Turning Ray Tracing on or off

1. Go to Settings in Minecraft.
2. Next, choose Advanced Video.
3. Click DirectX Ray Tracing.
4. It's possible.
Alternativly, you can use the semicolon key (.) on your keyboard to toggle ray tracing on or off as needed.

Note - Not all Minecraft worlds support ray tracing. Only RTX-enabled ones are supported for now. There are many options in the Minecraft Marketplace. You can also use your ray-tracing-enabled resource package.

Is it worth it?

You don't have to buy the game if you have the right build. Try the free trial and decide if you want $30.

You might not be tempted to upgrade if you don't have the right setup. Ray tracing will be the industry standard for new games. You might want to upgrade.

You can enable ray-tracing in Minecraft as long as you have the correct hardware components and are willing spend $30. It's not difficult at all. It is as simple as downloading and installing two Microsoft Store applications and tweaking within them.

Additional FAQ

What is Minecraft using ray tracing?

Ray tracing is the same in Minecraft as in other games. This technology is used to render graphics by bouncing light off of in-game objects. Ray tracing is a completely autonomous technology that performs all lighting functions in real time, unlike the guesswork technology of the past. This is a very hardware-intensive process, which is why a completely different Minecraft was released - Minecraft RTX.

Is ray tracing a big deal?

Ray tracing is an important technology for the future of console and PC gaming. This technology is expected to be the norm in all future big game titles. Only a few GPUs are capable of supporting the technology at this time. Gamers and consoles still have a lot of work to do before they can use ray-tracing technology effectively.

Take Minecraft to the Next Level

Are you able to enable ray-tracing for Minecraft on your computer. How are you liking it so far? We'd love to hear about your experiences with Ray Tracing in the comments section.