SmoothMaps
by Barnaby
SmoothMaps changes how smooth lighting is applied to framed maps, paintings and rails, so that these blocks and entities light more evenly.
What it does
Smooth lighting for framed maps, paintings and rails is handled by the mod, which reduces the work done for each painting by dropping faces that sit inside the wall. Map rendering on the server side is reported to run up to 60% faster, and partial texture updates reduce GPU bandwidth used while maps are drawn.
The mod respects the smooth lighting setting already chosen in the game, so turning that option off returns the visuals to their default. It works on either side, and neither needs it, so installing it on one side is enough.
SmoothMaps is released under the MIT License and is open source, with the source code and issue tracker public. Files are published for Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt across 14 release versions, 1.21.2 – 26.2, with snapshot builds included.
Key features
Smooth framed maps
Framed maps receive smooth lighting, so their light falls off gradually across the frame.
Fast painting rendering
Interior faces of paintings are removed from the render, which lowers the cost of drawing them.
Smooth rail lighting
Rails pick up smooth block lighting like other blocks, matching the rest of the scene.
Server-side map rendering
Map rendering on the server is made faster, with partial texture updates cutting GPU bandwidth use.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
26.x4 of 4 versions with builds
1.21.x10 of 10 versions with builds
This mod also publishes snapshot builds. Snapshots are not shown in the matrix.
Use cases
Map-heavy builds
Worlds with many framed maps on walls get smooth lighting on each one without a heavy cost per frame.
Gallery halls
Rows of paintings are lit smoothly and render with fewer faces drawn, which suits large galleries.
Who it’s for: Players who use framed maps and paintings in their builds, and server owners who run many map frames, will find the rendering changes most useful.
How it compares
Item Frame Cache is a client-side only mod for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt across 1.21 – 26.3, under a custom license and not open source. Framed is a client-side only Fabric mod for 1.21.11 – 26.1 under the MIT License and open source. SmoothMaps works on either side, and neither needs it, and also covers rails and paintings.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmoothMaps | Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21.2 – 26.2 | Client or server, optional | 2026-07-26 |
| Item Frame Cache | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-10-03 |
| Framed | Fabric | 1.21.11 – 26.1 | Client-side only | 2026-04-03 |
Questions
Does SmoothMaps need to be installed on the server?
Which loaders does SmoothMaps support?
Will SmoothMaps change how smooth lighting looks?
In the catalog
SmoothMaps is one of 3,545 Optimization mods on ModsFinder, and one of 2,575 Optimization mods for Fabric. 13,894 mods support Minecraft 26.2.
More from Barnaby
Similar mods
What the author says
Respects your smooth lighting setting and won't cause a noticeable performance hit.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/smoothmaps
- Owner
- Barnaby
- Published
- 2025-05-02
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-07-26
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15