For Java Edition, Mojang lists 8 GB of system memory with a discrete GPU, or 12 GB with an integrated GPU, as the minimum, and 16 GB as the recommended tier. Separately, Mojang's 26.1 Snapshot 2 raised the default allocation to 4 GB, up from 2 GB. System memory is what the computer has. Allocation is what Java may use. This page keeps the two apart.
What Mojang lists as minimum and recommended memory
Mojang's Java requirements table on its store page (read 11 October 2026) gives two tiers for system memory. The minimum is 8 GB with a discrete GPU or 12 GB with an integrated GPU. The recommended tier is 16 GB. Each tier has a target.
| Tier | System memory | Target | Graphics memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 8 GB with a discrete GPU, 12 GB with an integrated GPU | 1080p at 30 FPS, Fast preset | At least 2 GB VRAM |
| Recommended | 16 GB | 1080p at 60 FPS, Fancy preset | 6 GB VRAM |
Bedrock Edition is a separate game with its own, lower figures: 4 GB minimum and 8 GB recommended, per the same page. Mojang also answers that the game is more CPU-intensive than GPU-intensive. The full table, with processors and graphics cards, is in our Minecraft system requirements article.
How much memory Java Edition allocates by default
Mojang changed the default in 26.1 Snapshot 2, published 7 January 2026. The game now allocates 4 GB of RAM by default, up from 2 GB. In the same change, garbage collection moved from G1GC to ZGC for compatible devices. Mojang's developer note says the bump is meant to make the game run smoother and reduce stutters.
Two limits come from the same note. Third-party launchers may not support these changes, so they can still apply their own allocation. And a machine with less than 4 GB of RAM needs Mojang's separate memory help article. The steps for changing the number are in our guide to allocating more RAM.
What mods add to memory use
None of the pages we read gives a figure for how much memory mods add, so we give none. Mojang's note on the 4 GB default does not mention mods, so it offers no guidance for a modpack or a long mod list.
Some mods target memory directly. Memory Leak Fix patches memory leaks, on the client and the server, and is listed here for Fabric, Forge and Quilt up to 1.20.4. Its creator states that every leak it fixed is fixed in Minecraft 1.20.5 and later, which makes the mod obsolete there. He also pairs it with FerriteCore, which he describes as memory usage optimizations.
Memory Leak Fix
Java Mod by FxMorin
For newer versions, see our list of optimization mods.
What shaders and resource packs add
The sources do not say that shaders raise RAM use, and we did not measure it. Mojang's requirements table lists graphics memory on its own line, apart from system memory, and does not mention shader packs.
Shaders need a loader. On Java Edition that is Iris, whose newest builds for Fabric and NeoForge require Sodium, or OptiFine. Iris is client-side only.
Iris Shaders
Java Mod by coderbot
Shader packs can ship tiers for weaker hardware. The Complementary Reimagined page lists profiles from Potato to Ultra, and its Modrinth categories include low, medium and high. Setup is in our guide to installing shaders, and the Iris vs Oculus article covers the loader choice.
Complementary Reimagined Shaders
Shader by EminGT
When more RAM stops helping
No page in our sources names a point where extra allocation stops helping, and finding it would take benchmarks we did not run. The only stated purpose of the 4 GB default is smoother play with fewer stutters. Mojang's own FAQ calls the game CPU-bound more than GPU-bound, so a slow processor or weak graphics card is not fixed by raising the allocation. If lag is the problem, our lag and FPS guide starts from the cause rather than the number.
How we read these figures
The figures come from Mojang's store page and its 26.1 Snapshot 2 post, and the mod and shader details from their Modrinth pages, all read on 11 October 2026. We did not run the game, measure memory or benchmark any mod or shader.
