Custom Skin Loader Mod — Guide
Skin Loaders (APIs)
Custom Skin Loader supports several API types to communicate with different skin server implementations.
| API Type | Description | Required Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| MojangAPI | Fetches skins from the official Minecraft servers. | name |
| CustomSkinAPI | The standard JSON-based API used by modern third-party skin servers. | name, root (URL) |
| UniSkinAPI | A legacy API format used by older skin systems like SkinMe. | name, root (URL) |
| ElyByAPI | Specifically designed for the Ely.by skin system. | name |
| Legacy | Loads skins directly from a URL pattern or local path. | name, root (URL/Path) |
ExtraList System
Skin server owners can provide an ExtraList JSON file. When users place this file into the .minecraft/CustomSkinLoader/ExtraList folder, the mod automatically adds that server to the loading priority without requiring manual editing of the main config file.
Local Skin System
One of the most popular features of the mod is the ability to use skins stored locally on your hard drive. This is ideal for testing new skins or playing in offline mode.
Directory Structure
Local textures must be placed in the following subfolders within .minecraft/CustomSkinLoader/LocalSkin/:
- Skins:
LocalSkin/skins/{username}.png - Capes:
LocalSkin/capes/{username}.png - Elytras:
LocalSkin/elytras/{username}.png
Usage Example
If your in-game name is Steve, place your skin file at .minecraft/CustomSkinLoader/LocalSkin/skins/Steve.png. Ensure that LocalSkin is at the top of your loadlist in the configuration file to prioritize it over online sources.
Advanced Mechanics
Profile Caching
To improve performance and reliability, the mod caches player profiles and textures. This prevents the mod from making constant network requests to skin servers. If a server is down, the mod will attempt to use the cached version of the skin.
Dynamic Skull Loading
In vanilla Minecraft, player skulls often fail to load skins correctly in certain versions or environments. Custom Skin Loader intercepts the skull rendering process, applying the same loadlist logic to skulls as it does to player entities. This ensures that decorative heads in builds or player-head items always show the correct skin.
Spectator Menu Fix
In the Spectator Mode menu, player icons often default to the standard Steve or Alex textures. This mod patches the menu to ensure that the actual custom skins are rendered in the player list.