How to Fix Minecraft OpenGL Error 1281

In a Nutshell

OpenGL error 1281 is mainly reported by players using visual mods, shaders, and other visual customizations.

To fix OpenGL Error: 1281 in Minecraft, you have to update Optifine, disable or update shaders, update your computer’s graphics drivers, or turn off the “Show GL Errors” option.

After a long tiring day, you finally had some free time to play Minecraft. But for some reason, an annoying error called OpenGL Error 1281 repeatedly keeps popping off in your chatbox. In this guide, we will outline the different methods to fix Minecraft OpenGL Error: 1281.

Experiencing glitches and errors is not an unusual case in video games, and a technically complicated game like Minecraft is bound to have some issues. Out of all the errors, OpenGL error 1281 in Minecraft is one of the most common errors players face.

The error is related to the graphics configuration of Minecraft. It can occur for several different reasons, ranging from old graphic drivers to corrupted mods and shaders, and can lead to Minecraft showing the “OpenGL Error: 1281 (Invalid operation)” message in the chatbox.

If the error is left unresolved, players might end up facing visual glitches in their Minecraft worlds.

Without further ado, let us dive straight into the guide to fix the Minecraft error 1281.

Table of Contents

What does OpenGL Error 1281 mean in Minecraft?

OpenGL error 1281 is mainly reported by players using visual mods, shaders, and other visual customizations. If you are facing this error, it is most likely that your installed mods are conflicting with the game files. This could happen due to using older versions of mods, shaders, or graphic drivers.

Most times fixing or removing the cause is enough to get rid of the error. Many Minecraft players like to tinkle with game features by installing various mods and this can lead to new errors such as the 1281 error. This error does not seem to happen in vanilla Minecraft.

How to fix OpenGL Error 1281 in Minecraft?

The method to fix OpenGL error 1281 depends on why it is happening in the first place. But since there isn’t exactly a way to find the cause of error 1281, players will have to rely on the hit and trial strategy to fix the error.

Here are some ways to fix the error.

1. Update Optifine

Optifine is arguably the most popular Minecraft mod. It significantly improves the game’s visuals and performances and gives access to beautiful shaders.

OpenGL errors are common among Optifine users. If you use Optifine mod and unfortunately came across OpenGL error 1281, then see if your Optifine version is updated or not.

When a new Optifine version is released for your Minecraft version, you will automatically see a text message in the chatbox informing you about the latest release. Follow these steps to update Optifine:

Go to Optifine’s official website.
Go to the Downloads page from the menu.
Select the Optifine version for your Minecraft version.
Download the file and open it to create a new profile with the latest version of Optifine.

Launch the newly created profile with the latest Optifine version and see if the error continues to show up. If yes, then the issue might be due to shaders.

2. Disable or update shaders

Shaders improve lighting and shadows in Minecraft by giving the game a realistic look and feel. Using old versions of shaders can result in many glitches, and OpenGL error 1281 can be one of them.

If you use shaders and face error 1281, perhaps try updating the shaders or completely disabling them.

You can find the latest shaders version on their respective official websites or Github repositories. As for disabling shaders, follow these steps:

Go to Options in Minecraft.
Open Video Settings.
Go to Shaders.
Click on OFF to disable shaders.

Once you have switched off shaders, load a Minecraft world and see if the issue is resolved or not. If OpenGL error 1281 is still there, the last step would be to update your graphics drivers.

3. Update graphics drivers

Having older versions of graphics drivers can not only affect Minecraft but other games as well. In many cases, updating graphics drivers fixes most graphics-related bugs and issues.

Depending on your graphics card, the steps to update drivers vary a lot. You can go to Device Manager and search for your graphics card to check if there is an update available or not.

4. Disable “Show GL Errors” option

Unless you see glitched blocks and textures, there is no need to worry about OpenGL error 1281.

However, the continuous reminder of the error can be annoying to many players. Luckily, you can prevent Minecraft from showing GL errors in Optifine.

Go to Options > Video Settings.
Click on Other….
Turn off Show GL Errors.

After switching off this option, you won’t see any GL errors in your chatbox. But if you start experiencing more visual glitches and errors, it is recommended to reinstall both Minecraft and Optifine. Reinstallation will repair the game and download any file that might have been missing. Please remember to make backups of your valuable worlds before reinstalling Minecraft.

Suggested readings: