How do you delete a map in Minecraft?

If one goes into the Minecraft files and deletes some of the map files would that affect the game in major ways? Also would that affect any current existing maps. (Such as deleting map_02 which does not exist would that impact map_14 which does exist?)

pstwoorbust 9 years ago#2

Step 1: Backup your minecraft save
Step 2: Delete the file in question
Step 3: Try playing the game and recreating the map, checking the other maps, etc

If Step 3 breaks game, go to Step 4

Step 4: Overwrite save with backup save.

My username is "PS2 or bust." Funny how hardly anyone guesses that-ah well, I was young and stupid when I thought of it. At least it looks interesting

This article is about the craftable map. For maps showing the locations of certain structures, see Explorer Map. For other uses, see Map (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with World.

Map

Common

Yes

Yes (64)

A map is an item used to view explored terrain and mark landmarks.

Contents

• 1 Obtaining
  • 1.1 Crafting
  • 1.2 Natural generation
    • 1.2.1 Chest loot
  • 1.3 Cartography table
  • 1.4 Starting map
  • 1.5 Trading
• 2 Usage
  • 2.1 Mapping
  • 2.2 Map content
  • 2.3 Player marker and pointer
  • 2.4 Zooming out
    • 2.4.1 Zoom details
  • 2.5 Cloning
  • 2.6 Crafting ingredient
  • 2.7 Marking points
  • 2.8 Locking
• 3 Sounds
• 4 Data values
  • 4.1 ID
  • 4.2 Metadata
  • 4.3 Item data
  • 4.4 Map icons
• 5 Achievements
• 6 History
• 7 Issues
• 8 Trivia
• 9 Gallery
  • 9.1 The Nether
  • 9.2 The End
  • 9.3 Maps in item frames
• 10 See also
• 11 References

Obtaining[]

Crafting[]

This variation is called an "empty locator map" in Bedrock Edition, or an "empty map" in Java Edition.

Maps crafted without a compass do not show location markers. Markers can be added later by combining the map with a compass on an anvil, crafting table, or cartography table. This variation is called an "empty map".

Natural generation[]

Chest loot[]

1. ↑ Named unknown map, but changed to map 0, the scale level is 1:4, Maps from the same stack are stackable, but maps that are not stacked are unstackable despite looking identical.

Cartography table[]

A map can also be created using a single paper on a cartography table to create an empty map, or a paper with a compass for an empty locator map.‌[Bedrock Edition only]

Starting map[]

This feature is exclusive to Bedrock Edition. 

When creating a new world in Bedrock Edition, the player can enable the "Starting Map" option to spawn with an empty locator map in the hotbar. The map's zoom scale is 1:8. The map is updated only while the player holds it.

Trading[]

Novice-level cartographer villagers sell a single empty map for 7 emeralds as their trades.

In Java Edition, cartographer villagers may give players with the Hero of the Village effect an empty map.

Usage[]

See also: Tutorials/Mapping

Mapping[]

Crafting a map creates an empty map. The map is drawn for the first time when it is held and used (with use item). This map can then be adjusted to different zoom levels. After conversion to a drawn map item, it starts to draw a top-down view of the player's surroundings, with North pointing to the top of the map. A pointed oval pointer indicates the player's position on the map, and moves in real-time as the player moves across the terrain shown on the map. The map does not center on the player when created, rather, the world is broken up into large invisible grid squares, and the map displays the area of whichever grid square it is in when it is first used. For example, if a player uses a new map in a certain grid square, and then moves a distance away and uses another fresh map but is still within the same grid square, both maps appear identical. To make a map that is not identical to the first one, the player would have to move outside of the edges of the first map (because then they would be in a new grid square). This way, no two maps of the same size can ever partially overlap and every map can display only a fixed area.

To record the world on a map, that specific map must be held in the player's hands while the player moves around the world. The world is recorded as-is during exploration, meaning that if the world is modified, a player must revisit the area while holding the map to update the map's view. Maps can also be cloned. If a player holds a map whose clone is on display in an item frame, then that map updates while holding its clone.

Other players are displayed on the map only if they have a map in their inventory cloned from the one being looked at. When placing a map into an item frame, the map displays with a green pointer shown at the location of the item frame. This is to help the player see where they are in relation to the area that the map is showing. If the player leaves a map in an item frame and views a clone of it, the green pointer remains in the spot of the framed copy. This can be used to set up waypoints. Unexplored areas are transparent, making the item frame visible.

When the player leaves the area shown on a specific map, the player pointer transforms into a white dot on that map. The marker shrinks to a smaller white dot if the player is far from the map's center: the radius is 320 blocks per scale factor. The dot moves along the edge of the map to show the relative location of the player. However in Bedrock Edition, the pointer remains as an arrow but shrinks until the player is near the area shown on the map.

While maps in the Nether work, they show only the red-and-gray pattern, regardless of the blocks placed. The only useful function is finding where the player is in relation to placed framed maps, which show as green pointers. Additionally, the player pointer rapidly spins and is not a good indicator of direction. Placing a banner in the Nether still shows it on the map as usual. Having a smaller map image while riding a strider in the Nether can help one to see one's footing while traveling over lava.

In Java Edition, when using a map from another dimension, the map shows the player's position and direction when they were last in the dimension of the map. In Bedrock Edition, however, the player can use maps from one dimension while in another dimension. For locator maps, the place marker changes color depending on the dimension that the player is currently in (white for the Overworld, red for the Nether, and magenta for the End). An Overworld map in the Nether shows the player's corresponding location and direction in the Overworld.[1] Similarly, a Nether Map in the Overworld shows the player's corresponding location in the Overworld, but the place marker spins, just like a Nether map in the Nether. An overworld map in the End shows the world spawn.[1] A Nether map cannot be used in the End — the map appears, but the place marker is not shown anywhere — and similarly, an End map cannot be used in the Overworld or the Nether.

A player can make a large piece of pixel art (128×128) facing upward, center a map on it, and place that map in an item frame to create a custom picture. Locking is recommended. See Map item format#Map Pixel Art for details on the techniques.

Maps display as a mini-map when held in the off-hand, or if the off-hand slot is occupied; the map is full-sized only when held in the dominant hand with both hands free.

Map content[]

Main article: Map item format

Maps consist of square pixels arranged like pixels in a 128×128 square pattern, with each pixel representing a square portion of land. Generally, the color of a map pixel matches the color of the most common opaque block in the corresponding area, as seen from the sky. 'Minority blocks' in the target area have no effect on the color of the pixel, thus small features tend to be undetectable on zoomed-out maps.

In Bedrock Edition, grass, foliage and water colors that are biome-dependent are represented accurately on a map.

Maps also show ground up to about 15 blocks below the surface of the water in oceans as slightly lighter blue, to show where the ground rises. This is not true with land above water. Higher elevations in the world mean lighter colors on the map. The map records the surface even as the player moves below the surface.

A standard map represents 128x128 blocks (1 block per pixel, 8x8 chunks) but maps can be zoomed-out to represent up to 2048x2048 blocks (16 square blocks per pixel, 128x128 chunks).

Some relevant distances: 64 blocks (4 chunks) is the update radius from a player in the overworld and the End. However, it is half this (32 blocks) in the Nether. Also, 1024 blocks is the minimum Overworld distance from a nether portal, at which players can build another portal and expect to reach a new location in the Nether. This is the distance across a 1:8 map, and also from a 1:16 map's center to its edge.

Player marker and pointer[]

In Java Edition, every map contains a marker that marks the position of the player, and points in the same direction as the player. When a player moves out of a map, a big white dot appears and moves relative to the player's position. The pointer either disappears when the player moves away a certain distance from the border of the map or, in case of explorer maps, the big white dot changes to a smaller white dot. The distance required for the small white dot to appear(explorer maps) or for the big dot to vanish (normal maps) changes with the scaling of the map.

• Level 0/4 : 128×128 blocks (each map pixel represents 1 block)
• Level 1/4 : 256×256 blocks (2×2 blocks per map pixel)
• Level 2/4 : 512×512 blocks (4×4 blocks per map pixel)
• Level 3/4 : 1024×1024 blocks (8×8 blocks per map pixel)
• Level 4/4 : 2048×2048 blocks (16×16 blocks per map pixel)

In Bedrock Edition, a map can be crafted with or without this marker, and a map without a position marker can add one later by adding a compass to the map. When a map is crafted without a compass, it's simply called an "empty map", but when crafted with a compass, it's called an "empty locator map". The marker also turns red if the player enters the Nether with an Overworld map and shows the player's Overworld location relative to the Nether location. A map created in the End has a purple marker showing the player's location. If an Overworld map is used in the End, a magenta dot appears on the player's spawn point.

Repair & NameMap

Maps crafted with only paper do not show the location marker; to add it, a compass must be added to the map.

Maps crafted from only paper do not show the location marker; to add it, a compass must be added to the map.

In Bedrock Edition, a cartography table can also be used to adding pointer to create locator map or empty locator map, by adding compass with paper, empty map or map.

Zooming out[]

In Java Edition, cartography table's UI, showing the map is being zoomed out.

A cartography table can also be used to zoom out, taking only one piece of paper per zoom level.

A blank map can not be zoomed out. A map has to have something already marked on it for the zooming to be possible.

Repair & Name MapLocator Map

Supplying 8 sheets of paper results in a zoomed-out version of the input map.

Zoom details[]

The zooming function starts from when the map is created (zoom level 0) up to its fourth zoom step (zoom level 4).

Maps are always aligned to a grid at all zoom levels. That means zooming out any different map in a specific area covered by that map always has the same center. As such, maps are aligned by map width (1024 blocks for a level 3 maps) minus 64. A level 3 map generated at spawn covers X and Z coordinates from -64 to 959. All maps generated in this area zoom out to the same coordinates, guaranteeing that they are always 'aligned' on a map wall. For a zoomed out map to cover a new area, it must start with a base (level 0) map that is in that area.

At zoom level 0, a map created on the point (0,0) has (0,0) at the center of the map. At higher zoom levels of the same map, the coordinate (0,0) is in the top left square of the map.

In Java Edition, zoom level can be seen on a map by turning on Advanced Tooltips (a Debug screen option that can be toggled by holding F3 and pressing H). The tooltip of the map then shows the zoom level and scaling factor.

Cloning[]

In Java Edition, cartography table's UI, showing the map is being cloned.

A mix of empty maps and empty locator maps may be used. Whether the cloned maps show position markers is dependent only on the input map.

A cartography table can also be used to clone a map.

The parts of the world that have already been explored and mapped are copied, and newly explored areas appear on both instances. If one of the maps is later zoomed out, then the maps lose their connection to each other and function as completely separate maps that have to be individually filled by exploring.

In Creative mode, a map in an item frame may be cloned by using pick block on it, as long as that map is not also in the player's inventory.

It doesn't matter if the map to be cloned is at a higher zoom level (made of more paper) than the blank map. Upon copying the map, both resulting maps have the same magnification as the starting map.

Repair & Name MapLocator Map22

Only one copy can be made at a time.

The input map must be a locator map for the output to be a locator map; an empty map has no effect.

Crafting ingredient[]

23456789

Marking points[]

In Java Edition the player has the ability to mark spots on a map. To do this, use a map on a placed-down banner, and the spot of the banner gets marked on the map. The mark takes the color of whatever the base color is for the banner, and if the banner has a name, the mark shows that name. Banner marks on a map are always oriented with their top facing north, regardless of the banner's actual orientation. If the banner is destroyed, the mark of the banner remains at first, but if the player gets closer to where the banner previously was, it disappears as the area is updated on the map.

If a map is mounted on an item frame and is within the area it depicts, the mounted map displays its current location with a green indicator rotated to match its orientation.

In Bedrock Edition this is what a map lying on an item frame looks like, while showing markers.

In Bedrock Edition the player can place copies of locator maps in item frames in order to create a land mark. The marker is a green dot that resembles the shape of the player's marker, but in green color. The position the marker points at depends on the direction the item frame is facing. It is worth noting that the markers work only on copies of the same map. Other maps of the same area do not show the existing markers that the player(s) had placed.

If a player has a cloned map in their inventory, their pointer appears white when viewed on the same map held by another player. Hence, if all players have the same cloned map in their inventory, all markers would appear white when the clone map is viewed.

Locking[]

In Java Edition, cartography table's UI, showing the map is being locked.

Maps can be locked when using a glass pane in a cartography table. This creates a new map containing the same data and locks it. All copies of this new map are also locked. A locked map never changes, even when the depicted terrain changes. In Bedrock Edition, locked maps have a unique texture.

Sounds[]

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition: None

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Metadata[]

See also: Bedrock Edition data values

In Bedrock Edition, maps use the following data values:

Empty map:

Filled map:

Item data[]

Java Edition:

Main article: Player.dat format

•  tag: The item's tag tag.

• •  map: The map number.
  •  map_scale_direction: Only internally used when scaling a map, after that directly removed: The amount to increase the current map scale by when crafting. Always 1.
  •  map_to_lock: 1 or 0 (true/false) - true if the map should be locked after being taken out of the cartography table. Only internally used when locking a map, after that directly removed.
  •  Decorations: A list of optional icons to display on the map. Decorations that are removed or modified do not update until the world is reloaded.
    • An individual decoration.
      •  id: An arbitrary unique string identifying the decoration.
      •  type: The ID of the map icon to display.
      •  x: The world X position of the decoration.
      •  z: The world Z position of the decoration.
      •  rot: The rotation of the symbol, ranging from 0.0 to 360.0, measured clockwise. A rotation of 0 displays the icon upside-down compared to its appearance in the icon texture.
  •  display: The display tag.
    •  MapColor: The color of the markings on the item's texture.

Bedrock Edition:

Map icons[]

See also: Player.dat format, Map item format and map_icons.png

Note: map icons are 8×8 in Java Edition, but 16×16 in Bedrock Edition. As such, there are minor misalignment issues in Java Edition: MC-214649

Map icons texture in Java Edition

Map icons texture in Bedrock Edition

It should be noted that even if the player used a NBT editor to add an additional icon on the map, Minecraft shows only the first one listed when the player loads up their world.

Achievements[]

History[]

See also: map_icons.png and Java Edition history of textures § Map icons

This section would benefit from the addition of more images. 

Please remove this notice once you've added suitable images to the article.
The specific instructions are: MC-72962

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Map" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

• Use of the F1 key can allow the player to hold a map without blocking their view at all.
• In Java Edition, a map created using item.minecraft.map8 can be any map by using the Map parameter to specify the map number desired. E.g. item.minecraft.map9 gives the specified player map_5. If no data value is supplied it defaults to map_0. If map_0 has not ever been crafted, it is centered on x=0, z=0.
• The maps are stored separately as their own data (filled_map0) file as filled_map1 with (x) being the map number, see map item format for more info. By manipulating this number, players can organize their maps to suit them, or if they accidentally create a map in the same location, they can delete their extra map so as to save the number they make.
• Certain programs can be used to make customized maps with images or text on them instead of actual maps, many people use these in adventure maps to show pictures or to tell a story.
• Since all copies of a map are links to the same file, copying an unfinished map keeps it synchronized with the copy as the player fills it in. Thus, a copy stored in a chest can act as a remote backup.
• A map that is in an item frame does not update itself until a player picks it up, lets it reload, and places it back again. However, if a player holds a clone of the map, both maps update.
• Filled maps are the only items that make 90 degree rotations in item frames, and also the only items that can expand the item frame into full block wide.
• On Legacy Console Edition, the player always spawns with a map in their inventory after creating a world. This was later added to Bedrock Edition as an optional feature in the world creation menu.
• Maps on Legacy Console Edition always show the player's current coordinates, as a substitute for the optional coordinate display in other editions.
• A map cannot be created on New Nintendo 3DS Edition. Instead, the map is always displayed on the bottom screen along with the coordinates.

Gallery[]

• 

  A fully zoomed map.

• 

  Having a map in hand does not stop the ability to see ahead.

• 

  A world being recorded onto a map.

• 

  Nearly fully explored map.

• 

  A map edited to the scale of 1.

• 

  A map mapping the Sky Dimension.

• 

  A village and how it is represented on a map.

• 

  A map containing a custom image made by placing a large number of blocks.

• 

  A completely explored map.

• 

  A diagram showing how maps zoomed out before Java Edition 1.8. Notice how the larger maps have borders made of half and quarter small maps.

• 

  From 1.8, zoomed maps are aligned to this grid exactly.

• 

  A map of a Large Biomes world.

• 

  A comparison of maps between versions in Pocket Edition Alpha 0.14.0 and 0.16.0.

• 

  A map view of a mushroom biome, showing that mycelium appears purple on a map.

• 

  Maps held in the off-hand or in either hand while dual wielding appear as mini-maps.

• 

  Partly filled treasure map with an odd area at the bottom left. Normally a partly filled map would look striped (as in the top left), but this map seems to be bugged and is possibly showing caves, or something, in the bottom left.

The Nether[]

• 

  A map in the Nether.

• 

  A map in the Nether; the arrow turns around itself, like in compass.

The End[]

• 

  A map in the End.

Maps in item frames[]

• 

  A map displayed on an item frame, as it looked before Java Edition 1.7.2.

• 

  Multiple maps in item frames. Notice a village, two desert temples and a lava lake.

• 

  A collection of 9 connected full maps.

• 

  A combination of 25 maps pasted together as one map.

• 

  Maps can be placed into item frames so they can be viewed together.

• 

  The comparison between 3 zooms of maps.

• 

  A map in a Superflat world, with some villages.

• 

  A 3x3 map wall with banner markers.

See also[]

• Explorer Map
• Clock
• Navigation

References[]

1. ↑ a b https://youtu.be/EpP1diZdEdI
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/jeb_/status/87815841160237056
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/notch/status/88155424880201728
4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/0/https://www.mojang.com/2013/10/minecraft-1-7-the-update-that-changed-the-world

   Can you delete maps on Minecraft?

   Back up Minecraft Worlds Choose the world or Realm you would like to delete. Select the edit icon to the right of the world or Realm name. On the game settings screen, scroll to the bottom and select Delete.

   How do you delete a location map in Minecraft?

   You can't unfortunately.