The Tool Desk
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What Paper Anti-Xray can and cannot do
Paper Anti-Xray changes the block data sent to ordinary clients. Instead of revealing every underground ore and container in a chunk, the server sends selected blocks as harmless or randomized substitutes until the player legitimately exposes the area. The setting is configurable per world, so a survival world, a resource world and a creative world can use different policies.
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This stops the common form of X-ray that searches the client’s received chunk data for diamond, ancient debris, chests or other valuable blocks. It does not prove that every client is honest. A modified client can extend the range at which it displays real blocks, and a client that obtains the world seed can calculate generated ore positions. Paper describes Anti-Xray as preventing the majority of X-raying while explicitly warning that it is not infallible.
- It protects only worlds where the setting is enabled and correctly loaded.
- It does not retroactively change a client’s already cached view until chunks are resent.
- It does not detect suspicious movement, mining speed, inventory activity or coordinated player behavior.
- It can conceal blocks only within the configured height range and block lists.
Use Anti-Xray as one layer: obfuscation protects the data stream, seed-hardening reduces predictable world-generation information, and anti-cheat or staff review handles behavior that block replacement cannot see.
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Choose the right engine mode
Paper provides three Anti-Xray engines. The practical choice is a trade-off between concealment, server work, network behavior and client performance.
| Mode | How it replaces blocks | Exposure to cave air or water | Cost and side effects | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listed hidden blocks become dimension-appropriate common blocks such as stone, deepslate below Y=0, netherrack or end stone. | Ores that are directly exposed to air or water remain visible. | Least computationally intensive and usually the safest for performance. | Small servers where performance matters more than hiding exposed ore, or as a conservative starting point. |
| 2 | Hidden blocks and replacement blocks are replaced with randomly generated hidden blocks. | Can hide ores exposed to air when air is included in hidden-blocks. |
More work than mode 1; hiding air can increase client FPS load. | Most survival servers that want stronger concealment without mode 3’s chunk-layer behavior. |
| 3 | Works like mode 2 but randomizes replacements per chunk layer. | Provides the same stronger exposure protection as mode 2 when configured with air. |
Layer-based randomization can reduce network load during joining and improve chunk-packet compression; Paper notes an approximately twofold reduction in join network load as a design result, not as a universal benchmark. | Servers prioritizing strong concealment and efficient chunk delivery, after testing client FPS and CPU use. |
For most public survival servers, start with mode 3 if the server and clients tolerate the visual and rendering cost. Choose mode 2 when you want the same basic concealment model but prefer simpler per-chunk behavior. Choose mode 1 only when the lower overhead is more important than hiding ores visible from caves and water.
Before editing: prerequisites and safe preparation
- Run Paper rather than an unrelated server implementation. Exact file names and available keys vary by Paper release, so check the configuration reference for the version you actually run.
- Stop the server before editing world configuration. Keep a copy of the configuration and a recent world backup.
- Identify every world that needs protection. The setting is per world; changing the default does not necessarily override an existing world-specific file.
- Have a non-administrator test account. A player with the Anti-Xray bypass permission will not see the same result as a normal player.
- Record the Minecraft version’s ore distribution before setting the height limit. A value that covers ores in one version may omit newly introduced or relocated blocks in another.
Do not paste a configuration fragment into a random YAML file. Paper’s current distributions commonly expose global defaults in a config directory and per-world overrides alongside each world, but the exact path and precedence depend on the Paper version. Open the world-configuration reference for that release and edit the file Paper reports for the target world.
Enable Anti-Xray for a world
In the relevant Paper world configuration, set the Anti-Xray section as follows. YAML indentation is significant; use spaces, not tabs.
anticheat:
anti-xray:
enabled: true
engine-mode: 3
max-block-height: 64
update-radius: 2
use-permission: false
hidden-blocks:
- air
- stone
- deepslate
- netherrack
- end_stone
- coal_ore
- deepslate_coal_ore
- iron_ore
- deepslate_iron_ore
- copper_ore
- deepslate_copper_ore
- gold_ore
- deepslate_gold_ore
- redstone_ore
- deepslate_redstone_ore
- lapis_ore
- deepslate_lapis_ore
- diamond_ore
- deepslate_diamond_ore
- emerald_ore
- deepslate_emerald_ore
- ancient_debris
- chest
- trapped_chest
- barrel
- spawner
replacement-blocks:
- stone
- deepslate
- netherrack
- end_stone
- granite
- diorite
- andesite
- tuff
- calcite
- dirt
- gravel
- sand
- sandstone
- oak_planks
- spruce_planks
- cobblestone
- mossy_cobblestoneThe sample follows Paper’s documented mode-3 pattern: it includes air, valuable ores and container-like blocks in hidden-blocks, uses a height limit of 64, sets an update radius of 2 and leaves permission-based activation disabled. Treat the lists as a template, not a universal final list. Add blocks that matter on your server and remove blocks you deliberately want players to see.
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Understand each key
enabled: trueturns the feature on for this world.engine-modeaccepts 1, 2 or 3. Paper’s documented default is disabled with mode 1 as the default engine value, so explicitly set both instead of relying on defaults.hidden-blocksidentifies blocks whose real locations should be obfuscated. Include every ore variant used by your Minecraft version, including deepslate variants, and include valuable containers if your server wants them protected.replacement-blockssupplies ordinary blocks that can be shown instead of hidden data in the stronger engines. Use blocks that are visually plausible in the dimension and biome range where they may appear.max-block-heightlimits how high the obfuscation is applied. Paper’s example uses 64; raise it if valuable blocks on your version generate above that level, and lower it only after confirming that no protected block remains outside the range.update-radiuscontrols how far around a block update Paper refreshes obfuscated data. The documented example uses 2. A larger value can refresh more surrounding blocks but may increase work.use-permission: falsemeans Anti-Xray is applied without requiring a player permission. If you turn it on, verify the permission model carefully so ordinary players do not accidentally receive an exemption.
After saving, start the server and watch the console for YAML parse errors or configuration warnings. If Paper rejects the file, restore the backup, correct indentation or block names, and restart again. Avoid treating a hot reload as proof that the world configuration was applied; a full stop and start is the dependable way to load changed world settings.
Why mode 1 still shows ores in caves
Mode 1 replaces hidden blocks with predictable, dimension-appropriate material. It does not conceal an ore that is already exposed to air or water. A player who enters a cave, ravine or underwater opening may therefore see real ore faces even though ore deeper inside the rock is replaced.
This is expected behavior, not necessarily a failed installation. If cave exposure is the reason players can still find visible ore, switch to mode 2 or 3 and add air to hidden-blocks. Paper documents that, with air included, mode 2 can effectively hide ores even when they are exposed to air. Mode 3 uses the same basic concealment approach with layer-specific randomization.
The FPS trade-off when hiding air
Sending fake blocks in place of air creates more geometry for some clients to render. Paper warns that players may experience FPS drops when air is hidden. The impact depends on client hardware, view distance, resource packs and the amount of underground terrain being loaded; there is no single FPS percentage that applies to every server.
Test with the lowest-end hardware commonly used by your community. If the visual protection is worth keeping but performance is poor, reduce the configured simulation or view distance through the server’s normal performance settings, narrow the protected height only where your ore distribution allows it, or compare mode 2 with mode 3. Do not remove air blindly if exposed-ore concealment is your primary goal.
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Set the height and block lists for your version
A list that omits a block variant creates a specific hole in protection. Modern worlds commonly have separate stone and deepslate forms of several ores. Nether and End dimensions also need different replacement material to avoid implausible results. Review the complete block registry for the Minecraft version you run and include:
- Every valuable ore variant, including stone and deepslate forms where both exist.
- Rare Nether materials such as ancient debris if players have a reason to X-ray for them.
- Emerald and other biome-dependent ores if they have economic value on your server.
- Containers, spawners or custom blocks that should not be revealed through chunk data.
airwhen you need protection against ore faces exposed in caves or water and accept the possible client cost.
Set max-block-height high enough to cover the vertical distribution you intend to protect. Paper’s example value of 64 is a starting point, not a guarantee for every release or custom world generator. If your server uses amplified terrain, custom ores or a modded dimension, verify that the relevant blocks do not generate outside the selected range.
Remove accidental bypasses
Paper documents paper.antixray.bypass as the permission that allows a player to bypass Anti-Xray. Restrict it to trusted administrators who genuinely need to inspect un-obfuscated worlds. Do not grant it to a broad staff group merely because that group has unrelated moderation permissions.
Check permission inheritance as well as direct assignments. A permissions plugin, an operator role or a wildcard node can grant the bypass indirectly. Test with a normal account after every permissions change. If an administrator needs to inspect real blocks, use a separate, explicitly documented account or remove the bypass immediately after the inspection.
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Harden the seed and add behavior detection
A client that learns the world seed may derive generated ore locations and work around block obfuscation. Paper recommends seed-hardening measures involving feature-seeds together with Spigot structure-seed options, while also stating that these measures are not complete. Enable the relevant settings for your Paper and Spigot versions, then treat them as risk reduction rather than a guarantee.
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Anti-Xray cannot identify every suspicious action. Add an anti-cheat layer that evaluates mining patterns, movement, reach, interaction rate and other behavior. Configure alerts conservatively and review false positives, especially for experienced players, unusual tunnels and laggy connections. Staff should preserve logs and investigate patterns instead of banning solely because a player found a small number of ores quickly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apply and test the configuration
- Back up the world and configuration. Keep a copy made before editing and note the Paper build and Minecraft version.
- Edit the correct world file. Confirm that the file belongs to the world players use, not only to a global default that an existing world overrides.
- Set the mode and lists. Enable Anti-Xray, choose mode 2 or 3, set an appropriate height, and include all ore and container variants you want hidden.
- Stop and start the server. Read the startup log for malformed YAML, unknown block names or warnings about ignored keys.
- Use a non-bypass account. Ensure the test account does not inherit
paper.antixray.bypass. - Load fresh chunks. Travel into terrain that the account has not already cached, or disconnect and reconnect after the server has resent the relevant chunks.
- Check several environments. Test solid underground stone, a cave opening, water exposure, the Nether and the End if those worlds are part of your server.
- Check legitimate gameplay. Mine toward a hidden ore with ordinary tools and confirm that the real block appears when the player legitimately reaches it.
- Measure impact. Watch server tick behavior and memory while several players join and explore. Ask players on lower-end hardware whether underground FPS changed.
Do not use an operator account for the acceptance test. An apparently perfect result on a bypassed account can conceal a permission mistake, while a failed result on a cached chunk can make a working configuration look broken.
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Only cave-exposed ores are visible
This is the normal limitation of mode 1. Use mode 2 or 3 and include air in hidden-blocks if hiding exposed faces is worth the client-performance cost.
All underground ores are visible to one player
Check that the player does not have paper.antixray.bypass, directly or through inherited permissions. Then confirm that the server loaded the file for the correct world and that enabled is true in the active configuration.
Some ore types are hidden but others are not
Compare the missing type with your list. A deepslate variant, a newly introduced ore or a custom block must be listed separately when its block ID differs from the stone form. Also verify that the ore is inside max-block-height.
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The configuration appears to do nothing after editing
Look for YAML indentation errors, misspelled keys and edits made while the server was running. Stop the server, restore a known-good file if necessary, apply the change again and restart. Confirm in the startup log that Paper recognized the world configuration.
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Players report visual glitches or FPS loss
Hiding air can increase client rendering work. Compare mode 2 and mode 3, test with a smaller community view distance, and identify whether the problem affects only older hardware or all clients. Do not replace the hidden list with a short list until you understand which protection is being removed.
Players still appear to know ore locations
Anti-Xray may be working while a client uses seed-derived locations, extended-range rendering or a different information leak. Review seed-hardening settings, verify that bypass permissions are restricted, and use behavior-focused anti-cheat and staff investigation for the remaining cases.
Performance and maintenance checklist
- Keep the mode, height and block lists documented beside the world’s version and generator settings.
- Revisit the lists after every Minecraft upgrade that adds, renames or relocates ores and containers.
- Test a representative join burst because mode 3’s layer randomization is intended to improve chunk packet compression, while the exact result depends on the server and clients.
- Monitor CPU, memory, tick timing and client FPS separately; a setting can be acceptable for the server but uncomfortable for players.
- Keep
paper.antixray.bypasslimited and audit inherited permissions after staff-role changes. - Combine obfuscation with seed-hardening and anti-cheat rather than treating any one control as a complete defense.
Recommended starting profile
For a normal public survival world, enable mode 3, use a height that covers the ores generated by your exact Minecraft version, include air plus all valuable ore variants and protected containers, and start with Paper’s documented update-radius: 2 and use-permission: false. Test on fresh chunks with a non-bypass account. If players on modest hardware experience unacceptable FPS loss, compare mode 2 and adjust performance settings before reducing the hidden-block coverage. If your server cannot tolerate either engine’s cost, mode 1 remains useful for concealing ores buried inside solid blocks, but you must accept that cave-exposed ores will remain visible.
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