ZoomEx
by F9rO
A player who wants a closer look at distant terrain can hold a key and let ZoomEx bring the view in with a smooth cinematic camera zoom.
What it does
ZoomEx glides the camera in and out when the zoom key is held, instead of snapping to the new field of view. Mouse tracking is smoothed automatically during the zoom, which makes distant objects easier to aim at and inspect. Zoom speed is calculated from frame time, so the motion stays the same whether the game runs at 30 FPS or 300 FPS.
The mod runs entirely on the player's computer, so a server does not need it and multiplayer servers can be joined without installing anything. Installation is a matter of placing the file in the mods folder, and the zoom key is then set in Options under Key Binds, where the entry named ZoomKey can be found by scrolling down. The default binding must be set before the zoom works.
ZoomEx is published for Forge only, in two release versions, 1.19.2 and 1.20.1, and the latest file is 1.0.0 for 1.20.1. The code is under the MIT License, but the project is not open source. The design takes inspiration from zoom features in OptiFine, while keeping the footprint small.
Key features
Smooth camera animation
The camera eases out during a zoom rather than jumping to the new view.
Smoothed mouse tracking
Mouse movement is smoothed while zoomed, which helps when lining up distant objects.
Frame-rate independent speed
Zoom speed is computed from delta time, so it stays identical across different frame rates.
Key bind control
The zoom is activated by a key bind named ZoomKey, set under Options and Key Binds.
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 who want a zoom feature on Forge for 1.19.2 or 1.20.1 without installing a larger package. It suits single-player and multiplayer clients, since a server does not need the mod.
How it compares
A Simple Zoom is also a Forge zoom mod for 1.20.1 that runs on the client only, and it is open source under the MIT License. Zoooom covers 1.21.1 – 1.21.4 on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, is client-side only, and is under the MIT License without being open source. FluxZoom is the only option here that needs both client and server, and it is open source under the Open Software License 3.0 for 1.7.10.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZoomEx | Forge | 1.19.2 – 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2026-06-25 |
| A Simple Zoom | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2026-07-11 |
| Zoooom | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.21.1 – 1.21.4 | Client-side only | 2025-03-03 |
| FluxZoom | Forge | 1.7.10 | Client and server | 2026-05-08 |
Questions
Does ZoomEx need to be installed on the server?
Which Forge versions does ZoomEx support?
How is the zoom key set up?
In the catalog
ZoomEx is one of 29,952 Game mechanics mods on ModsFinder, and one of 13,316 Game mechanics mods for Forge. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
More from F9rO
Similar mods
What the author says
ZoomEx is a lightweight, highly optimized client-side mod that adds a smooth cinematic camera zoom to Minecraft. Inspired by classic features like OptiFine zoom, it provides a seamless transition without bloating your game.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/zoomex
- Owner
- F9rO
- Published
- 2026-06-25
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-06-25
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15