Vanilla Tweaks: the best data pack collection for Minecraft

Vanilla Tweaks is a community-made Minecraft project that gathers dozens of small data packs and resource packs in one place. The idea is simple: each tweak solves one specific problem, keeps the feel of the game intact and runs on plain vanilla Minecraft without a mod loader.

What sets Vanilla Tweaks apart from other sources of data packs is its interactive picker. Instead of downloading dozens of separate files, you tick the checkboxes next to the tweaks you want and the site generates a single ZIP file containing exactly what you chose. No unnecessary changes, no conflicts between data packs.

Our top 6 Vanilla Tweaks data packs

After testing the whole collection on a survival server, we picked six data packs that we think every player should have:

1. Timber - Chopping the bottom block of a tree brings down the whole trunk. The leaves decay naturally. Saves a huge amount of time, especially early in the game.
2. Graves - When you die, your items go into a grave instead of scattering on the ground. The grave shows its coordinates. No more losing your inventory to lava.
3. Coordinates HUD - Shows your X, Y, Z coordinates on the action bar, so you don't have to open the debug screen (F3). Discreet and convenient.
4. More Mob Heads - Every mob in the game can drop its head as a rare loot. You can display the heads on armor stands, which is great for decorating bases and collecting.
5. AFK Display - The names of AFK players are grayed out in the player list. Simple, but handy on multiplayer servers.
6. Multiplayer Sleep - You don't need everyone in bed to skip the night.

Resource packs: a companion to data packs

Besides data packs, Vanilla Tweaks offers a separate picker for resource packs. These change the look of the interface, blocks and items, but they don't touch the game mechanics. You can combine them with data packs without conflicts.

The most popular texture tweaks are transparent interfaces (a lower hotbar), alternative block textures (connected textures without OptiFine), colored redstone signals, ores that are easier to see in the dark and more readable fonts. The picker works exactly like the data pack one: tick what you want, download a single file and drop it into the resourcepacks folder.

How to use vanillatweaks.net

1. Go to vanillatweaks.net/picker/datapacks.
2. Choose your Minecraft version (1.21.x for the latest).
3. Browse the categories and tick the tweaks you want. Each one has a short description.
4. Click the "Download" button at the bottom of the page. A ZIP file with your configuration is generated.
5. Put the downloaded archive in the .minecraft/saves/WorldName/datapacks/ folder (don't unzip it!).
6. Join the world and type /datapack list to confirm it loaded.

If you need detailed installation steps, read our data pack installation guide, which walks you through the whole process step by step, both in singleplayer and on a server.

Compatibility and updates

Vanilla Tweaks is updated for every new Minecraft version, usually within a few days of release. The site automatically shows which tweaks are available for the version you select: anything incompatible simply doesn't appear in the picker. Vanilla Tweaks data packs are fully compatible with Paper, Spigot and Purpur servers, as well as with Fabric and Forge (although with mods, rare conflicts can occur with mods that change the same mechanics).