Chunks Guide
This changes the server-side chunks sent to your client. Set your preferred render distance in your Minecraft client too. Bobby or Distant Horizons can still show cached scenery after you lower /chunks; this menu does not clear their caches.
What It Does
Section titled “What It Does”Chunks changes the server-side chunk data sent around your player. Your client video settings still control how far your game renders. This feature never changes simulation distance.
How Players Use It
Section titled “How Players Use It”Open /chunks and choose a displayed Less or More option, or Reset to follow the server default for your current world. The default choices are Less 4 and 6, Reset, and More 12 and 16. Wait for confirmation before making another change. The words less and more select preset groups; repeating more does not keep increasing the number.
Available features include:
- A small menu with a light blue border, your player head at the bottom left, a help book at the bottom center, and a glowing Back to /menu star immediately left of the close barrier at the bottom right.
- Two lower-distance choices, Reset, and two higher-distance choices by default.
- Familiar /chunks less, /chunks more, and /chunks reset shortcuts.
- A remembered personal preference that survives reconnects after confirmation.
- A short cooldown while the server saves and confirms your choice.
- Status and paginated help explaining your setting and available choices.
Choosing a Distance
Section titled “Choosing a Distance”Start with 4 or 6 on Bedrock devices, older Java computers, or a limited connection. Builders with a capable computer and a fast connection can try 16 for wide screenshots. Set your client render distance high enough and give terrain time to arrive.
For Java players, we recommend a compatible Fabric Loader and Bobby setup to keep a low server-side distance while seeing previously visited terrain farther away. Try 32 chunks in your client if your computer handles it comfortably, or choose a lower setting. Check your client version and the mod’s dependencies before installing.
Bobby stores chunks the server has already sent, so you need to explore before that scenery can be cached. Distant Horizons can retain distant terrain between sessions. Neither makes this menu request 32 live chunks. Cached scenery can be old and does not keep distant farms, entities, or redstone active.
Quick Start
Section titled “Quick Start”- Run
/chunksto see the current choices. - Try Less 4 or 6 for a lighter server-sent view, or More 12 or 16 for a wider view.
- Wait for the change to finish, then check your client render-distance setting.
- Use
/chunks resetto follow the server default, or/chunks statusto review your setting.
Commands
Section titled “Commands”| Command | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
/chunks | Opens the view-distance menu. | /chunks |
/chunks less [preset] | Selects an enabled Less preset; defaults to 4 when omitted. | /chunks less 6 |
/chunks more [preset] | Selects an enabled More preset; defaults to 12 when omitted. | /chunks more 16 |
/chunks reset | Returns to the server default for your current world. | /chunks reset |
/chunks status [page] | Shows your preference and current view-distance state. | /chunks status |
/chunks info [page] | Explains server-sent chunks, client settings, and this guide. | /chunks info |
/chunks help [page] | Lists the commands and choices available to you. | /chunks help 1 |
Examples
Section titled “Examples”/chunks/chunks less/chunks less 6/chunks more 16/chunks reset/chunks status/chunks help 1
Player FAQ
Section titled “Player FAQ”How do I start, and which option should I choose?
Section titled “How do I start, and which option should I choose?”Run /chunks. Try 4 or 6 for Bedrock devices, slower computers, or a limited connection. Try 12 or 16 for a wider view on a capable computer and connection. Use Reset whenever you want the server’s normal choice for your current world.
For help, click Help me choose (the writable book above the bottom information book), or run /chunks choose. Hover over Lower distances, Server defaults, or Wider views and screenshots. The cards list only currently enabled values. Clicking a card returns to the normal preset menu with a short reminder; it does not save a preference. Click the actual preset button there and wait for confirmation. You can also keep using /chunks less, /chunks more, and /chunks reset directly.
Lower values send less terrain data and may ease loading on Bedrock or slower clients. Higher values can be useful for building and screenshots when your client and connection can handle more. Neither is a promise of smoother play, higher FPS, or lower ping. Your client render setting and cached scenery still matter. Saved choices keep their normal relog behavior, and simulation distance is unchanged.
Why is a Help me choose card unavailable?
Section titled “Why is a Help me choose card unavailable?”Staff controls the offered presets. If no enabled numbers fit a card, it is grey and cannot be selected. Reset is also grey if this world’s default falls outside the allowed 4–16 range; ask staff to check that world. The guide never adds a missing preset or substitutes a different default. Use Back to /chunks to see all available choices. /chunks info [page] gives text guidance using the current preset list if you prefer commands.
Why can I still see far away after choosing fewer chunks?
Section titled “Why can I still see far away after choosing fewer chunks?”Bobby can show chunks saved on your computer, and Distant Horizons can show saved distant terrain. /chunks changes new chunk data sent by the server; it does not clear those client caches. Lower your client render distance or the mod’s own distance setting as well if you want less scenery rendered.
Why did choosing 16 not make me see farther?
Section titled “Why did choosing 16 not make me see farther?”Check Video Settings > Render Distance in your Minecraft client. For example, a confirmed server choice of 16 with a reported client request of 6 now shows Client request is below your 16-chunk choice in the status item and your player-head hover text. The preset itself also notes the mismatch before you select it. Use /chunks status [page] for the explanation in chat.
This is advice, not an error or a reason to block the preset. Keep a lower client setting if it suits your device; raising it is optional. Changing /chunks cannot raise your client setting for you, and matching numbers does not prove that terrain has arrived or rendered.
Why does the reported client distance differ from my slider?
Section titled “Why does the reported client distance differ from my slider?”Bedrock bridges, proxies and mods may report a different request than the setting you see. The plugin reads what Paper reports; it does not inspect your screen or detect your device. Paper can also return 2 before receiving the client setting. Chunks marks that value as a possible initial default and asks you to check your settings instead of asserting a mismatch. Unavailable values are labelled unavailable.
Your saved server preference, reported client request, and cached scenery are separate. Bobby and Distant Horizons can display previously saved scenery beyond the live distance. Chunks cannot measure or clear those caches.
Does this change simulation distance or keep distant farms running?
Section titled “Does this change simulation distance or keep distant farms running?”No. This menu changes view distance only. Simulation distance is controlled separately by the server, and cached terrain does not keep distant gameplay active.
Will my choice survive leaving the server?
Section titled “Will my choice survive leaving the server?”In Always mode, a successfully saved preference is remembered across reconnects. This is the default, including after every login. This session lets you try another offered value while keeping your saved preference for your next login. A temporary choice also ends on restart, Chunks reload, preset update, or feature disable. Changing worlds keeps it for the same session; a temporary Reset follows that world’s default.
How do I try another distance without losing my usual preference?
Section titled “How do I try another distance without losing my usual preference?”Open Preference options (the repeater in /chunks), or run /chunks options. First save a preset or Reset in Always mode if you have never used Chunks. Then select This session, return to /chunks, pick an offered preset and wait for confirmation. The regular less, more, and reset commands also follow the mode you selected. The mode button glows; the status and options page show the session choice and what applies after relogging.
For example, save your usual 6, select This session, then choose 16 for screenshots if staff offers it. Your next login returns to 6. Use Use my saved preference or /chunks restore to return sooner. To keep 16 for future logins, wait for confirmation and cooldown, then use Save this choice or /chunks save. This explicitly replaces the saved 6. It does not change the mode for subsequent choices.
Changing Always / This session only controls the next choices. It does not save or restore the current choice by itself. The saved-preference shortcut returns to your saved baseline, not an unlimited history of previous clicks. Staff can retire a preset; a retired value is never offered or restored. Choose an available preset or Reset if the saved one is no longer offered.
All these controls use the existing onembcmi.chunks.use permission on Java and Bedrock. No extra permission is needed. Closing the menu leaves an accepted choice in progress and does not end session mode.
Can I briefly use more chunks for a screenshot?
Section titled “Can I briefly use more chunks for a screenshot?”Yes. Open /chunks options and click Temporary screenshot mode, or run /chunks screenshot. It uses the highest currently enabled preset between 12 and 16 that is higher than your confirmed current distance. First choose a normal preset or Reset and wait for confirmation and cooldown. If you already use 16, or staff offers no higher screenshot preset, there is nothing to increase and the button is unavailable.
The five-minute countdown starts after the wider view is confirmed. You can close the menu and take screenshots normally. The option changes only the server’s view distance; it does not take or save an image for you. Keep your client Render Distance high enough for the wider live view. Bedrock/proxy reports, your device and connection, and Bobby/Distant Horizons caches still affect what you see; this mode cannot promise that all terrain has arrived or rendered.
The menu and /chunks status [page] show the countdown and return choice. Click End screenshot mode or use /chunks screenshot stop to return early. Your saved preference is unchanged. For example, saved 6 → screenshot 16 → return 6. If you were temporarily using 4 with saved 6, the timer returns to that temporary 4 during the same login; relogging still uses saved 6. Always / This session continues to control your next ordinary preset choice and is not changed by screenshot mode.
Repeated starts do not extend the timer. Choosing another valid preset, Save this choice, or Use my saved preference ends it. Save explicitly makes the confirmed screenshot choice your saved preference; Restore goes directly to your saved baseline. Invalid input and cooldown rejections do not cancel the timer. Manual stopping respects cooldown; automatic expiry does not wait for it.
Logout, restart, Chunks reload, preset updates, feature disable, or disabling screenshot mode ends temporary choices and returns to the saved preference. A normal world change keeps the countdown; a previous Reset returns to the default of the world you are now in. If permissions changed, a return value was retired, or that world’s default is unsafe, Chunks removes its temporary override, attempts a safe recovery, and gives you a support reference if it cannot confirm the return. It never restores an unlisted or out-of-range value. Staff can disable the option or change its duration. The existing onembcmi.chunks.use permission is sufficient on Java and Bedrock.
Why does the menu ask me to wait before changing again?
Section titled “Why does the menu ask me to wait before changing again?”The server must save and confirm one preference before accepting the next. Wait for that operation and its short cooldown, then choose another option. Repeated clicks do not make the change faster. If it remains unavailable, give staff the message shown and use /chunks status.
The live status item and your player head show the current stage. A slow save keeps showing Saving… even if the usual cooldown duration has elapsed. The cooldown starts after the operation finishes; it never unlocks an unfinished save. Closing the menu does not cancel an accepted preference change.
What should I give staff when a change fails?
Section titled “What should I give staff when a change fails?”Share the Support reference printed with the failure message, along with what you tried. The reference identifies that exact attempt; it is different from your player UUID. You can also find your last retained reference with /chunks status [page]. Plain text remains usable on Java and Bedrock without a clickable chat feature; copying the full reference or sharing a screenshot is enough.
Staff can look up the original failure even if your old preference was restored or a later choice worked. An old reference in Status is labelled as a previous failed attempt, so it does not mean your current setting is broken. Normal cooldowns, invalid preset input, and an unfinished slow save do not create a new failure reference.
Can I use 7, 32, or another custom number?
Section titled “Can I use 7, 32, or another custom number?”Only the current menu choices are allowed. /chunks 32 is not supported, and this feature never offers a value outside 4–16. Run /chunks to see the available choices.
Can I keep /chunks less but see 32 chunks with Bobby?
Section titled “Can I keep /chunks less but see 32 chunks with Bobby?”On Java, yes: a compatible Fabric and Bobby setup can show previously visited chunks beyond the server’s live view distance. Try a client setting of 32 if your computer can handle it, and lower it if performance suffers. You still need to explore to receive and cache terrain. This does not increase the server-side /chunks limit.
What does the distance illustration do?
Section titled “What does the distance illustration do?”If staff has enabled the trial, click Distance explained (the spyglass beside the status item) in /chunks, or run /chunks explain. Your head sits at the centre of a small terrain sketch. Use the smaller/larger arrows to compare enabled presets, and the compass to illustrate Reset using this world’s default. The arrows change only the picture. Return with Back to /chunks to actually choose and save a preference.
Grass represents the growing terrain area; grey tiles mark the rest of the sketch. This is a compressed illustration, not a map, a count of loaded chunks, or an exact outline of what the server sends. One tile is not one chunk, and nearby values can look the same. Your client settings and cached scenery still affect what you see. It makes no FPS, bandwidth, or rendering guarantees. A Reset default outside 4–16 is labelled unavailable and shows no terrain instead of pretending to apply a safe value. Simulation distance is unchanged.
What is Connection advice, and should I follow it?
Section titled “What is Connection advice, and should I follow it?”When staff enables it, /chunks advice [page] and the Connection advice item in /chunks explain recent server ping estimates. Allow about a minute after joining, changing worlds, or a reload before checking. If estimates stay elevated and chunk loading feels slow, it may suggest trying a lower currently offered preset, usually 6 or 4. You choose whether to run the displayed command or use a preset button. Opening advice never changes your preference.
Sending less terrain data may help chunk loading, but it does not promise lower ping, higher FPS, or smoother play. High ping can occur on a usable connection; a low or unavailable estimate does not rule out problems. The plugin cannot measure your available bandwidth, measure your FPS, or diagnose the cause of lag. Bedrock and proxy connections can make the server’s estimate less representative. Keep your current choice if it works well for you. Simulation distance is unchanged.
There are no automatic advice messages in chat. If staff has disabled this optional feature, use /chunks info for general guidance. Players need only the existing onembcmi.chunks.use permission; there is no extra advice permission or client mod requirement.
Good To Know
Section titled “Good To Know”- Staff may change which presets are offered. Only the current choices are accepted, always within 4–16.
/chunks 32is not supported. Simulation distance is managed separately by the server.- Choosing Reset follows each world’s default; it is not a promise of one fixed distance in every world.
- Wait for confirmation and the short cooldown before changing again. Contact staff if an operation stays unavailable.
- Staff: use the full technical reference below for installation, permissions, preset administration, placeholders, and recovery.
Full Reference
Section titled “Full Reference”The full synced Chunks reference is available for exact technical details.