Litematica is a schematic mod that projects a transparent ghost of your planned build directly into your game world. Instead of constantly switching between a reference image and the game, you see exactly where every block should go, highlighted in your own world. It is indispensable for manual pixel art builds.
Litematica vs WorldEdit — What is the Difference?
WorldEdit pastes builds instantly. Litematica shows you where blocks should go so you can place them yourself. They solve different problems and most serious builders use both: WorldEdit for large automated pastes in creative mode, Litematica for guided manual building in survival or when you want more control.
Tip
Litematica works in survival mode with no operator permissions needed. WorldEdit typically requires op or a server plugin. If you are on a survival server, Litematica is often your only option.
What You Need Before Starting
- ▸Minecraft: Java Edition
- ▸Fabric Loader already installed (see our WorldEdit install guide if you have not done this yet)
- ▸Fabric API .jar already in your mods folder
Step 1 — Download Malilib
Malilib is a shared library that Litematica depends on. Without it, Litematica will not load. Go to modrinth.com and search for 'Malilib'. Download the version that matches your exact Minecraft version and Fabric loader. Save the .jar file — do not extract it.
Malilib is made by the same developer as Litematica (masa). Always download both from Modrinth or the official GitHub to avoid compatibility mismatches.
Step 2 — Download Litematica
On modrinth.com search for 'Litematica'. On the Versions tab, filter by your Minecraft version and Fabric. Download the latest compatible .jar file.
Step 3 — Copy Both .jar Files Into Your Mods Folder
Copy both Malilib.jar and Litematica.jar into your .minecraft/mods/ folder alongside the Fabric API .jar that is already there. The mods folder location:
- ▸Windows: %appdata%\.minecraft\mods
- ▸macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods
- ▸Linux: ~/.minecraft/mods
Step 4 — Launch the Game
Open the Minecraft Launcher, select your Fabric profile, and click Play. If Litematica loaded correctly, you will see it listed in the Fabric mod menu (press Escape → Mods if you have Mod Menu installed, or check the F3 debug screen for mod list).
Using Litematica — The Basics
Litematica is controlled through a keybind menu. By default, press M to open the main menu. The most important workflow:
- 1.Press M to open Litematica menu
- 2.Go to Load Schematics and select your .schem or .litematic file
- 3.Place the schematic in your world by clicking Placement and adjusting the position
- 4.Enable Schematic Rendering to see the ghost overlay
- 5.Switch to the Schematic Verifier mode to highlight correct, incorrect, and missing blocks
- 6.Place blocks where the ghost shows — Litematica highlights them in different colours based on status
Litematica Render Modes Explained
- ▸Ghost — shows a transparent version of the entire planned build
- ▸Schematic only — hides real blocks and shows only the planned build
- ▸Verifier — green = correct, red = wrong block, yellow = missing
- ▸Layer mode — shows only one horizontal layer at a time, perfect for building row by row
Tip
Layer mode is the most useful setting for pixel art. Lock it to one Y level at a time and work across each row without losing your place.
Loading a BlockBlueprint Export in Litematica
BlockBlueprint exports standard .schem files which Litematica can load directly. Download your .schem file from image2minecraft.com, then:
- 1.Copy the .schem file to .minecraft/schematics/ (Litematica creates this folder automatically on first run)
- 2.In game, press M → Load Schematics → navigate to your file and load it
- 3.Click Create Placement and position the ghost overlay where you want to build
- 4.Enable Ghost rendering and start placing blocks to match the overlay
Troubleshooting
- ▸M key does nothing — Litematica may not have loaded. Check for Malilib in your mods folder
- ▸Ghost overlay not visible — make sure Schematic Rendering is enabled in the Litematica settings
- ▸File not showing in load menu — place the .schem in .minecraft/schematics/, not a subfolder
- ▸Wrong Minecraft version error — Litematica and Malilib must both match your game version exactly