Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
ModernArch Minecraft Texture pack.
Category:
Minecraft
Lists

Best Minecraft Realistic Texture Packs

Which world is real and which one is Minecraft?
Image of Nicholas Fries
Nicholas Fries
|

Published: May 5, 2021 09:43 am

Realistic texture packs are a touchy subject for a lot of players because they are one of the few textures packs that can have a price tag. If you want to make your Minecraft world easily confused with the actual world, it takes a lot of work and attention to detail. With each texture pack listed below, you'll find supporting the developer more than worth the hours of effort they put into their art. Below, you'll find some of the best realistic Minecraft texture packs currently available!

Recommended Videos

Many of the more advanced Minecraft texture packs require Optifine to be installed for them to work. We strongly recommend installing it to improve gameplay performance and visual effects if you want to use the resource packs listed below.

All the texture packs we have listed are updated to accommodate for Minecraft version 1.16 and above. If you'd like to see how to install a texture/resource pack for your game, be sure to check under the list for instructions.

The Shortlist

If you are using this page to check out a specific texture pack, you can use the links below to go directly to that part of the page. The download links go directly to the PlanetMinecraft page where you can download the file based on its resolution.

Do you have suggestions for texture packs you'd like to see added to the list? Leave a comment below with a link to the medieval texture pack you like, and we might feature it the next time we update our list. Remember, all featured texture packs must work for the most recently released version of Minecraft!

Related: Best Minecraft Adventure Maps 1.16

Best Minecraft Realistic Texture Packs

Below you'll find a clearer description and previews of all the texture packs on our list. If there are any addons associated with the resource pack, we'll also mention them below.

Legendary RT Textures

The most enticing part about Legendary RT Textures is that all resolutions are completely free. However, this certainly doesn't take away from the value of this texture pack. Each block has been updated to include meticulous attention to detail. The rails in this pack are the best we've seen! This texture pack is nearly complete and recently published, so it will likely be updated for Minecraft version 1.17.

ModernArch R

ModernArch's initials MA should stand for Minecraft Amplified. It takes the original textures and improves on them to be higher resolution. This texture pack is faithful to the default texture pack, but improves it with minor differences that polish off the realistic part of this texture pack. The basic 256x resolution of this texture pack is free, but you'll want to support this creator's Patreon to get the higher resolutions!

Helheim

Unfortunately, there are no free resolutions for this texture pack. The lowest resolution is 1024x, which means you either go big or go home if you use it. Still, supporting the creator is worth every penny. This texture pack re-textures most blocks to completely new designs that liven up your gameplay and give you a fresh and photo-realistic view of your Minecraft experience.

Faithful PBR

Faithful PBR takes the vanilla Minecraft texture packs and improves the resolution to make each one look more realistic. All versions of this pack are completely free for download, even up to 2048x! The texture resolutions range from modest 32x improvement to a graphics-card-busting 2048x. If your computer can handle it, the higher resolutions are absolutely worth the RAM usage. If they could use this texture pack in VR, Minecraft would be an alternative universe to our own.

PhotoCraft

PhotoCraft emphasizes photo-realism within your Minecraft world. This is a free texture pack (with options to support) that brings real-world aesthetics into your game. However, it doesn't deter too far from the default texture pack that the blocks become unrecognizable. This pack is perfect for Survival players who like to focus on building cozy homes without too much flair. Still, this texture pack is so realistic that you can use the realistic imagery in your Minecraft home to inspire a real-world layout!

Related: Best Minecraft Puzzle Maps 1.16

Additional Info

The videos and images above mostly feature these texture packs with shaders that improve the visuals of Minecraft. These improvements include things like proper lighting, water effects, and particle effects. While installing the texture packs will improve the look of your game, you also need to install OptiFine and a decent shader to get the full effect. Use the directions or links below to make the most of your Minecraft experience.

Installing OptiFine

For detailed instructions, use our guide on How to Install Minecraft OptiFine. Alternatively, you can follow the basic instructions below.

  1. Make sure you have Java installed. If not, go to the Java Download Page and install it.
  2. Go to the OptiFine Download Page and download the version of OptiFine made for your version of Minecraft.
  3. Run the downloaded file to install OptiFine to your Minecraft source files. When given the option, click Install.
  4. In the Minecraft Launcher, go to the Installations tab and make sure OptiFine is selected as the version of Minecraft you'd like to run.

Installing Resource Packs

For detailed instructions, use our guide on How to Install Texture Packs in Minecraft. Alternatively, you can follow the basic instructions below.

  1. Use the links above to go to the download page for the Texture Pack you'd like to install.
  2. Open your Resource Pack folder from the Minecraft Main Menu (not the Minecraft Launcher).
  3. Open the folder containing your texture pack's folder (usually can be found in your browser's/computer's Downloads folder).
  4. Drag the file for the texture pack from the current folder to your Resource Pack folder.
  5. Select the Resource Pack from the Main Menu to use it.

Shaders

For detailed instructions, use our guide on How to Install BSL Shaders in Minecraft. Installing Shaders is a bit more complex than installing OptiFine and texture packs, so we recommend using the link above to see how to install shaders. If you have a different shader you'd like to install, you can follow the same process. The list below provides examples of a few of the best shaders.

That's it for now! Don't forget, you can easily switch between resource packs in the Minecraft Main Menu, so be sure to give all the textures packs in our list a shot!

Now that you know some of the best medieval texture packs, why not test them out on some of the best Creative maps? Use them on all the maps list on our Best Minecraft Survival Maps, Best Minecraft Challenge Maps, and Best Minecraft Parkour Maps!

Pro Game Guides is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
We have upgraded our commenting platform! Existing comments will be imported over the next few weeks.
related content
Author
Image of Nicholas Fries
Nicholas Fries
Freelance writer and jack-of-all-hobbyist-tech-development-trades (website, game, and program). My passion is to create content that entertains and makes people think critically.