LootHighlighter
by ruszek09
LootHighlighter gives dropped items a colored glow, so players can spot loot on the ground from a distance, in dark caves or murky water after a fight.
What it does
Dropped items stay visible at range because each one is wrapped in a colored halo. The color follows the item's category or rarity, so a player can read what a drop is before walking over to pick it up. Weapons and tools, consumables such as totems and golden apples, and blocks like obsidian and crying obsidian each get a distinct shade, while other items follow the standard Minecraft rarity colors, for example epic items glowing purple.
The mod is a client-side tool. Only the player's own game needs it, and servers run without it. It is written for Fabric and published for Minecraft 1.21.4, with 1.0.0 as the latest file, dated 2026-01-11. The code is licensed under the MIT License, but the project is not open source. The author describes it as a lightweight addition, built with optimized Mixins so it has no measurable impact on game performance.
Key features
Dynamic item outlines
Dropped items are outlined with a glow that remains readable at a distance and in low light.
Category color coding
Swords, tools, pickaxes, axes, shovels and shears each get a fixed color, so tool types are recognizable on sight.
Rare consumable highlights
Totems of undying and golden apples use a bright red, marking valuable drops in a crowded area.
Rarity fallback colors
Other items use the vanilla rarity colors, so an epic item glows purple and a common one stays uncolored.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Who it’s for: Players on Fabric who want to tell loot apart from across a room or a cave. Because the mod is client-side, it can be used on single-player worlds and on multiplayer servers without any server installation.
How it compares
GlowUp is a client-side Fabric mod under the MIT License, with files for 1.21 – 26.3, so it covers a wider range of versions than LootHighlighter. LootBeamsFabric is client-side and released under the MIT License, but its files only target 1.18.2. Item Glow takes a different approach: it runs as server required with client optional, on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt for 1.21 – 26.2, and is released under the MIT License.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LootHighlighter | Fabric | 1.21.4 | Client-side only | 2026-01-11 |
| GlowUp | Fabric | 1.21 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-09-21 |
| LootBeamsFabric | Fabric | 1.18.2 | Client-side only | 2022-07-12 |
| Item Glow | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21 – 26.2 | Server required, client optional | 2025-02-15 |
Questions
Does LootHighlighter need to be installed on the server?
Which Minecraft version does LootHighlighter support?
Does LootHighlighter affect game performance?
More from ruszek09
What the author says
LootHighlighter - Visual Loot Identification LootHighlighter is a lightweight, client-side mod that adds a colored glow to items dropped on the ground, making them much easier to see in dark caves, water, or after intense combat. 💡 Main Features Dynamic Outlines: Items on the ground emit a glow that helps you spot…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/loothighlighter
- Owner
- ruszek09
- Published
- 2026-01-11
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-01-11
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15