How To Optimize Minecraft 1.17-1.18.2 for M1

Mojang changed the internals of the game a lot in 1.17. The most important internal change they made was that they switched the minimum required Java version to Java 16. However, because they did that, the strategy for optimizing Minecraft for M1 also changed. This tutorial will show you how to optimize Minecraft 1.17 or 1.18.2 for M1. If you want to optimize 1.16.5 or below, see the other article: How To Optimize Minecraft for M1 (Java Edition). If you wish to optimize Minecraft 1.19 and above, please see: How to Optimize Minecraft 1.19 for M1.

Step 1: Install MultiMC

Like 1.16.5 and below, MultiMC must be installed. First, Download MultiMC from their website. Go ahead and extract the tar.gz file and move the MultiMC.app file to your Applications folder in the Finder. Don’t start it just yet. We still need an M1-optimized JDK.

Step 2: Get an M1-Optimized JDK to Optimize Minecraft 1.17 for M1

Now, you need a JDK that is optimized for M1. Luckily, the Azul JDK has just what you need. As Minecraft 1.17 and 1.18.2 requires Java 16, you will have to download Java 16. Go here to download the JDK: https://www.azul.com/downloads/?package=jdk. Select Java 16 (STS) as the Java version, macOS as the Operating System, and ARM 64-bit as the architecture. This time, instead of downloading the .dmg file, download the tar.gz folder.

NOTE: Azul has discontinued Java 16. However, Java 17 will work fine. Please download Java 17 (LTS) instead. This is also a requirement for 1.18.2.

Now that you’ve downloaded the JDK, extract the .tar.gz file downloaded, and then go into the folder the Archive Utility created. There should be a folder called “zulu-16.jdk”. Copy that folder to your home directory.

Step 3: Set up MultiMC to Optimize Minecraft 1.17 for M1

Next, start up MultiMC. Select your language. It will then ask you about your Java version. Type this path in for the Java version:

/Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/zulu-16.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java

It will then ask you about analytics. You can choose your preference on that one. Head over to Profiles at the top and select “Manage Accounts” in the dropdown. Click add and enter your Minecraft account credentials.

Step 4: Managing lwjgl

Thanks to the work of tanmayb123 on GitHub, we’re able to fix lwjgl for M1. Info Toast has a minimal package that contains everything you need to follow this tutorial.

Download M1 Lwjgl Patch

Once you have downloaded our patch, extract it and go into the folder created. Copy the “lwjglnatives” folder and place it in your home directory.

Now, in MultiMC, create a new instance. Use 1.17 or whatever later version as your Minecraft version. Press OK and it will download the stuff needed.

Now, right-click Edit Instance and go down to the settings tab. Click the checkbox next to the Java arguments and paste these arguments in:

-Dorg.lwjgl.librarypath=/Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/lwjglnatives/ -Dfml.earlyprogresswindow=false

Now, head over to your Version tab. Click on LWJGL 3, then Edit.

It will open up a text editor. Delete everything in there already and paste in the following:

{
    "formatVersion": 1,
    "libraries": [
        {
            "name": "lwjgl:lwjglfat:1",
            "MMC-hint": "local",
            "MMC-filename": "lwjglfat.jar"
        }
    ],
    "name": "LWJGL 3",
    "releaseTime": "2019-06-24T12:52:52+00:00",
    "type": "release",
    "uid": "org.lwjgl3",
    "version": "3.2.2"
}

Now that that’s pasted in, you will have to import the lwjglfat.jar from the download earlier. Click “Open libraries” and paste the lwjglfat.jar file in the Finder window it shows.

That’s it; you’re done! You have Optimized Minecraft 1.17 or 1.18.2 for M1. Click Launch to start Minecraft, and if it doesn’t work, we’re happy to help you on the Info Toast discord: https://discord.gg/infotoast.