Chat Heads is a client-side Minecraft Java mod for Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge that draws each player's head next to their chat messages. On a busy server you can see who said what at a glance, without reading every username. It only needs to be installed on your own client, and it has kept up with Minecraft releases from 1.16.5 through the latest 1.21 versions.
What Chat Heads changes in chat
The mod pulls each player's current skin and renders their face as a small icon in the chat window. It is a purely visual change: message text, timestamps, and any server formatting stay exactly as they were, with the head added alongside.
- A player head icon appears next to every chat message, matching that player's current skin.
- Heads can sit before the whole chat line or directly before the player's name.
- The icon can use the flat face or the raised hat layer for a slightly 3D look.
- An optional drop shadow makes the heads easier to read against bright chat backgrounds.
- Useful in singleplayer for command feedback and on any multiplayer server you join.
How to install Chat Heads on Fabric, Forge, or NeoForge
- 1.Install the mod loader that matches your Minecraft version: Fabric, Forge, or NeoForge.
- 2.Download the Chat Heads jar for your loader and version from the source page.
- 3.Place the jar in your Minecraft mods folder.
- 4.Optionally add Cloth Config API to unlock the in-game settings screen for placement, offset, and shadow.
- 5.Launch Minecraft and join a world or server to see heads appear beside chat.
Compatibility and configuration
Because Chat Heads runs entirely on the client, it does not need to be installed on the server and works on servers you do not control. It has no required dependencies. Cloth Config API is optional: install it if you want a settings screen to change where the head sits, adjust its offset, and toggle the drop shadow.
- Loaders: Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge.
- Side: client only; the server does not need the mod.
- Optional dependency: Cloth Config API for the in-game settings menu.
- Minecraft versions: releases from 1.16.5 up to the current 1.21 line.
Questions about this entry.
How do I install Chat Heads?
Install Fabric, Forge, or NeoForge for your Minecraft version, then drop the matching Chat Heads jar into your mods folder and launch the game. It runs on the client only, so you do not add it to the server. Optionally install Cloth Config API to get an in-game settings screen for head placement and the drop shadow.
Does Chat Heads work on multiplayer servers?
Yes. Chat Heads is client-side, so it works on any server you join, including ones you do not own or control. The server does not need the mod installed, and other players do not need it to see their own heads on your screen.
Does Chat Heads need Fabric API or Cloth Config?
It has no required dependencies. Fabric API is not needed for Chat Heads itself. Cloth Config API is optional and only adds an in-game settings screen where you can change head placement, offset, and the drop shadow. Without it the mod uses its default layout.
Which Minecraft versions does Chat Heads support?
Chat Heads has builds spanning from Minecraft 1.16.5 through the current 1.21 releases across Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge. Always download the file that matches both your loader and your exact Minecraft version from the source page.
