Your Guide to Managing These Common Minecraft Bugs

Posted on July 26, 2022

Minecraft currently maintains over 126 million players each month. It's easy to see why: the gameplay provides unlimited hours of combat, creativity, and block-building fun for gamers of all playstyles.

Like all games, however, Minecraft has its share of bugs, breakdowns, and visual glitches. Read on for a guide to common Minecraft bugs and their quick fixes!

Minecraft Bug: Ghost Lighting

Direct and ambient lighting is big deal in Minecraft. The game has a day/night cycle and several light sources, including:

  • Torches
  • Lanterns
  • Fires
  • Candles
  • Cave vines
  • Sea pickles
  • Glow lichen
  • Lava
  • Light blocks (glowstone, shroomlight, etc.)

Each light source emits a level strength of ambient light. This determines how strong your light source is and how far it travels. A lantern has a light level of 15, for example, while a magma block is only 3.

These light sources affect mob spawns and other important in-game mechanics. Mobs spawn at light level 0, so you can reduce creepers, zombies, and other hostile attackers by strategically adding light sources around an area.

With the ghost lighting glitch, certain blocks won't emit their proper light level. This has to do with the Minecraft game mechanics for loading chunks and sub-chunks.

The Ghost Lighting Fix

Minecraft is made up of an elaborate chunk system. Some chunk sections skip on automatic loading to save processing power. This means there are no "air" chunks to activate light blocks on the border of a chunk.

To activate a chunk, simply place a block within it and restart the game. Minecraft will now load the chunk and the light block should activate. If you remove the block, however, it will become dark again.

Minecraft Bug: Chunk Glitching

Chunks have other well-known errors, like lag pits. Missing blocks can be client-side or server-side, and usually involve restarting the game or the server.

Chunk glitching occurs when Minecraft rapidly switches between biomes, causing everything to discombobulate. This visual glitch essentially breaks your Minecraft map and your mind.

The Chunk Glitching Fix

Luckily, the solution to chunk glitching is relatively simple. Simply flip your Vertex Buffer Object (VBO) to ON in your menu settings. Your Minecraft world should reassemble itself once you log back in.

Minecraft Bug: Black Loading Screen of Death (Windows)

PC players may encounter a black screen glitch while attempting to load the game. This glitch presents players with an indefinite and eternal blank screen of darkness instead of the load screen. The black screen bug recently started appearing with the latest Minecraft update.

The Black Screen Fix

There are several possible solutions to this glitch for Windows 10 and 11. They include:

  • Adjusting your antivirus or firewall settings
  • Uninstalling and reinstalling the game
  • Adjusting or upgrading your graphics card
  • Reinstalling graphics card drivers
  • Disabling fullscreen optimization
  • Disabling 3D display mode
  • Updating your current Java version
  • Using the CTRL+ALT+DEL shortcut 

Unfortunately, there are many different causes of the black screen issue. If these solutions don't work, you may have to dig into the support forums for a solution.

Minecraft Bug: Error Code 500 (Private Realms)

Minecraft Realms is a subscription-based service that allows you to set up your own Minecraft map. This private server is invitation only, so you can relax and build stuff with your friends without any outside drama (inside drama may still apply).

You can also tweak realm settings with different modes and preference options. You won't be able to enjoy the full range of Minecraft mods using Realm's vanilla servers, however.

When you attempt to connect to a Realm, you may encounter Error Code 500. This glitch tells you to resolve an internal server error instead of letting you connect.

The Error Code 500 Fix

There are several reasons why this glitch can occur on your end. It can stem from a compatibility issue, which means checking and disabling your plugins and mod packs.

This code also appears with a faulty internet connection. You can restart your router and run troubleshooting checks to see if there's a connection issue lurking somewhere.

If you aren't running the latest version of Minecraft, that could also be the culprit. Installing a new update may remove the error code.

If this glitch occurs from server-side issues, unfortunately, there's not much you can do on your end. You'll have to put in a ticket or a report and wait for the servers to come back up. You can also check out different server services if this error keeps persisting. 

Minecraft Bug: Code Builder Glitches (Education Edition)

Minecraft developed an educational version that can be used right in the classroom. They even offer a curriculum developed with the Nobel Peace Center.

The game offers students new ways to learn:

  • Collaboration and sharing
  • Leadership
  • Creativity
  • Problem-solving
  • Principles of math
  • Cultural knowledge
  • Spatial skills
  • Computational skills

The positive impact of Minecraft as a learning tool in the classroom has been demonstrated from the Atlanta suburbs to indigenous students in Australia. It helps all students become more confident in their STEM abilities.

Like other Minecraft versions, MinecraftEdu has its own host of bugs. One of the most common errors comes from the code builder, which may fail to launch or open.

The Code Builder Fix

There are several ways the code launcher can bug out. The code builder may launch but not open. Or it may open but not run. Your students may encounter an eternal white loading screen.

In either case, clearing out your cache is the first step. Some users also report fixing it by uninstalling and reinstalling the software.

How to Report Microsoft Bugs

There are many other errors and glitches out there waiting to sneak into your Minecraft gameplay. Many of them can only be fixed by official patches and updates.

Minecraft has reporting tools to track bugs. You can upload images and videos highlighting the game mechanic breakdown.

This helps Minecraft prioritize which bugs to fix immediately. It also helps you see which bugs already have tickets open.

Fixing Your Minecraft Bugs for Seamless Gameplay

Now that you know how to fix and report common Minecraft bugs, these glitches won't indefinitely interrupt your Minecraft enjoyment.

Are you looking for an even smoother gameplay experience? How about 24/7 support for glitches, bugs, settings malfunctions, and other gameplay interruptions? 

We offer premium dedicated server hosting at flexible and affordable rates. Check out our services today! 

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