Minecraft anticheat guide
Can an Anticheat Detect X-Ray in Minecraft?
Can a Minecraft anticheat detect X-ray? It can flag mining patterns, but it cannot see the client screen. Anti-xray belongs to server software like Paper.
Can an anticheat see X-ray on the client screen?
Usually not directly. An anticheat reads packets and player actions. It does not see what the client draws, so it cannot confirm that a player can see ores through stone. Behavioral checks can flag mining that looks unusual, and staff can review those flags.
Anti-xray is a different control. Paper documents an anti-xray feature in its server software that changes which block data the server sends to clients. Check the Paper documentation for your version before you change its settings.
Anti-xray and behavioral detection compared
Server anti-xray and anticheat detection work at different points. One limits what the client receives. The other reviews what the player does. Neither proves what a specific player saw on screen.
| Control | Where it runs | What it addresses | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server anti-xray (Paper) | Server software | Limits which block data the client receives | Does not judge player behavior |
| Behavioral anticheat check | Anticheat plugin, using packet and action data | Flags mining patterns that look unusual | Cannot confirm what the client rendered |
How behavioral X-ray evidence is built
A behavioral check sees a sequence of events, not a picture of the player's screen. The useful evidence is the order and pattern of block breaks, not the ore count alone. Staff often look at the route a player takes through a cave or quarry, how often the player moves toward hidden ore, and whether valuable blocks keep appearing without much searching.
Those observations are context, not proof. A skilled miner, a player who knows the map, or a player following a shared coordinate list can produce similar patterns. A flag should start a review, not end one.
What to look for in logs and configuration
Read the alert history together with the server configuration. Record the anti-xray state and the world settings before you read any alert, because both change what the client receives. Paper keeps world-level anti-xray settings in a configuration file. The file name and keys depend on your version, so confirm them in the Paper docs before you edit anything.
# Replace the placeholder with the player name and your log path.
grep "<player-name>" logs/latest.log | tail -n 100A numbered check procedure for an X-ray alert
Follow these steps in order. Do not skip the first two, because later changes can overwrite the evidence.
Edge cases that change the result
Several ordinary setups can look like X-ray in logs. Caves with exposed ore, ore clusters near spawn, and players who share a base coordinate list can all produce mining patterns that look unusual. A resource pack changes how blocks look on the client, but it does not change the block data the server sends, so it is a reason to check the setup and not an automatic explanation.
A mod that displays ore positions would change the evidence entirely. Ask which mod and version the player uses, and test that same mod on staging with a test account before you decide.
Which action fits which evidence
Match the next step to the evidence you actually hold. A single alert and a pattern over several days call for different responses.
| Evidence on hand | Reasonable next step | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One alert with no other context | Review logs and the session history | Punishing on one alert |
| Repeated alerts in the same world over days | Start a staff review with a second reviewer | Naming the player publicly |
| Anti-xray settings changed recently | Re-check the alert against the earlier settings | Assuming the alert predates the change |
| Alert plus a player report with evidence | Combine both and document each source | Treating the report as proof on its own |
What we have not verified
We have not measured how any anticheat reports X-ray. Accuracy, false-positive rates, and bypass resistance depend on the server, the world, and the client. Test a known scenario on a staging server before you rely on an alert, and treat this page as a checklist for your own evidence, not a prediction of results.
FAQ
Does anti-xray slow the server down?
The cost depends on the Paper version and its settings. This page does not give a performance figure. Measure tick time on your own server with the setting on and off.
Can logs alone prove X-ray?
No. Logs show mining activity and alert history. They do not show what the player's screen displayed, so use them as evidence for review.
Should I turn on anti-xray?
That is a choice for your server. Anti-xray changes the world data the client receives, so test it with your world generation before you enable it for players.
Can a resource pack cause an X-ray flag?
A resource pack changes textures on the client, not the block data the server sends. It is a reason to check the setup, not a complete explanation. Ask the player which pack they use and test that pack on staging.
What if a player says they use an ore finder mod?
Ask for the mod name and version, then test the same mod on staging with a test account. The answer changes the evidence you need, so do not decide from the claim alone.