Skip to content

How big is a chunk in Minecraft?

  • by
  • 2 min read

Minecraft’s infinite terrain sure does make for a lot of fun while exploring but at the same time; it also makes the game a technological marvel. The game has mobs, villagers, animals, and several different blocks and locations to let players do other things. 

These things, especially the blocks, are managed by ‘chunks’ in Minecraft. While understanding chunks isn’t useful to your survival in the game, it can come in handy in specific situations.

In this article, we’re talking about chunks in Minecraft and how big they can get. 

Also read: What do horses eat in Minecraft?


What are Minecraft Chunks and how big are they?

Chunks in Minecraft are procedurally generated 16 x 16 x 256 segments of the Minecraft world. It’s simply a portion of the entire terrain consisting of 65,536 blocks in total.

Minecraft generates its infinite terrain by chopping the world up in chunks.

At any given point in time, the player can only see as many chunks as the game’s render settings allow them to (usually set at 12 but can be changed). This means that any chunks beyond the player’s line of sight aren’t loaded, so the game doesn’t have to worry about loading system resources.

How big is a chunk in Minecraft?
Minecraft worlds are infinite thanks to these chunks.

As you move around in the game, no matter which direction, the game will automatically load additional chunks in the direction that you’re moving, giving you the effect of an infinite world. If you’re in the Java edition, you can see chunk edges by pressing the F3+G advanced tooltip.

There are a few unique chunks in Minecraft, and the most important one to you as a player is the spawn chunk. This is the chunk you spawn on when you first created the world and is always kept loaded in the memory for you to respawn when you die. 

This is why it’s recommended to build farms, safe houses and other structures around your spawn chunk so that in the event you die in-game, you’ll at least be able to find your way back to your buildings.

Also read: How to make a ladder in Minecraft?

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah is a Computer Science graduate who writes/edits/shoots/codes all things cybersecurity, gaming, and tech hardware. When he's not, he streams himself racing virtual cars. He's been writing and reporting on tech and cybersecurity with websites like Candid.Technology and MakeUseOf since 2018. You can contact him here: yadullahabidi@pm.me.

>