What are Minecraft shaders?
Shaders are graphics add-ons that change how Minecraft draws light, shadows, water and the sky – they don't change blocks or gameplay. In Minecraft Java Edition you need two things: a shader mod that can load shaders (Iris or OptiFine) and a shader pack, the .zip file with the actual look.
| Part | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Shader mod | Adds the "Shader Packs" menu and the rendering code | Iris (with Sodium), OptiFine, Oculus for older Forge |
| Shader pack | The visual style: lighting, shadows, fog, water | Complementary, BSL, Photon, MakeUp, Sildur's, SEUS |
| Resource pack (optional) | Textures; some packs add extra surface detail for shaders | See How to install texture packs |
Shader packs made for OptiFine also work with Iris – Iris was built to load OptiFine-format packs, so the same pack usually works with either mod.
On Bedrock Edition (phones, consoles, Windows Bedrock) Java shader packs don't work. Bedrock has its own built-in graphics mode called Vibrant Visuals, which you switch on in the game's video settings on devices that support it. Mojang has said Vibrant Visuals is planned for Java too, but until then Java players use shader packs.
Best Minecraft shaders
For most players, Complementary Reimagined is the best place to start: it keeps the vanilla feel, runs well and works with both Iris and OptiFine. The table below lists the most downloaded and best-known shader packs and what each one is good at.
| Shader pack | Author | Style | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complementary Shaders – Reimagined | EminGT | Vanilla-like, polished | Everyday survival, first shader pack |
| Complementary Shaders – Unbound | EminGT | More dramatic, more "next-gen" | Screenshots, players who want a big change |
| BSL Shaders | CaptTatsu | Bright, colourful, clean | A classic look with lots of settings |
| Photon Shader | sixthsurge | Semi-realistic, gameplay-focused | Realistic sky and clouds without going overboard |
| Solas Shader | Septonious | Stylised fantasy, coloured lighting | Fantasy worlds, glowing builds |
| Bliss Shaders | Xonk | Fantasy, very customisable | Players who like tweaking every slider |
| MakeUp – Ultra Fast | KDXavier | Light, simple | Laptops and weaker PCs |
| Sildur's Vibrant Shaders | Sildur | Vibrant, high contrast | Choosing a quality level per download (Lite to Extreme) |
| SEUS PTGI | Sonic Ether | Path-traced lighting | Strong graphics cards and cinematic screenshots |
A few honest notes before you download everything:
- "Best" depends on your PC. A pack that looks amazing on a gaming desktop can be unplayable on a laptop. Start with Complementary or BSL, and if your frame rate drops too far, try MakeUp – Ultra Fast or the Lite version of Sildur's.
- Most packs have quality presets. Open the pack's settings in the Shader Packs menu and pick a lower profile before giving up on a pack.
- Path tracing (SEUS PTGI) is the heaviest kind of shader. It simulates how light bounces, which looks great and costs a lot of GPU power.
- Download shader packs only from the author's page, Modrinth or CurseForge. A shader pack is always a
.zipfile. If a site gives you an.exe, close it.
Iris or OptiFine: which shader mod should you use?
Use Iris with Sodium unless you specifically need an OptiFine feature: Iris is usually faster, gets updates for new Minecraft versions sooner and works with other Fabric and NeoForge mods. OptiFine is the older all-in-one option that still has fans, mostly for its zoom and connected textures.
| Iris + Sodium | OptiFine | |
|---|---|---|
| Mod loader | Fabric, Quilt or NeoForge | Runs on its own (or with Forge) |
| Performance | Usually better – Sodium rewrites chunk rendering | Good, often a bit slower |
| New Minecraft versions | Usually supported quickly | Often arrives later – check optifine.net for your version |
| Works with other mods | Yes, most Fabric/NeoForge mods | Limited |
| Toggle shaders in game | Press K | Through the menu |
| Extra features | Install separate mods (zoom, connected textures) | Built in |
Iris needs Sodium – they are designed to run together. Don't install OptiFine and Sodium together; pick one setup.
How to install shaders in Minecraft with Iris
Run the Iris installer, choose your Minecraft version, start the new Iris profile in the launcher and drop shader packs into the shaderpacks folder. This is the easiest way to get shaders in Minecraft Java.
- Go to irisshaders.dev, open Download and get the installer. You need Java on your PC to run it.
- Run the installer, select your Minecraft version and click Install. The installer adds Iris and Sodium for you.
- If you want to use other Fabric mods too, choose the Fabric install option in the installer instead – then your Fabric mods go into the same
modsfolder. - Open the Minecraft Launcher, pick the new Iris & Sodium (or Fabric) profile and click Play.
- In game, go to Options → Video Settings → Shader Packs.
- Click Open Shader Pack Folder, put the shader pack
.zipin there (don't unzip it) and go back to the game. - Click the pack in the list and Apply. Press K any time to turn shaders off and on.
Manual install works too if you already use Fabric: download Iris and Sodium for your exact Minecraft version from Modrinth and put both .jar files in the mods folder. If you've never installed a mod loader, How to install Minecraft mods explains it step by step.
How to install shaders with OptiFine
Download the OptiFine .jar for your Minecraft version from optifine.net, run it, click Install and start the OptiFine profile.
- Make sure you've started the same Minecraft version once without mods, so the launcher has downloaded it.
- Download OptiFine for that version from optifine.net and double-click the
.jarfile. - Click Install. OptiFine adds its own profile to the Minecraft Launcher.
- Start the game with the OptiFine profile.
- Go to Options → Video Settings → Shaders, click Shaders Folder and put the pack's
.zipinside. - Select the pack. The game may freeze for a few seconds while it loads.
If the newest Minecraft version isn't on the OptiFine downloads page yet, it simply isn't out for that version – use Iris instead or stay on the previous Minecraft version.
Shaders with Forge, NeoForge and modpacks
On NeoForge, Iris and Sodium are available as NeoForge mods; on older Forge versions players use Oculus (an Iris port) together with Embeddium (a Sodium port). Check which loader your modpack uses before you add anything:
| Your setup | What to add for shaders |
|---|---|
| Fabric or Quilt | Iris + Sodium |
| NeoForge | Iris + Sodium (NeoForge builds) |
| Older Forge versions | Oculus + Embeddium |
| Modpack from CurseForge or Modrinth | Check the pack's mod list first – many packs already include Iris or Oculus |
Don't mix Fabric and Forge files. If you're unsure which loader is which, see Forge vs NeoForge vs Fabric. In launchers with separate instances (CurseForge app, Modrinth App, Prism), each instance has its own shaderpacks folder – open it through the instance's folder button, not the main .minecraft folder.
Where is the shaderpacks folder?
The shaderpacks folder is inside your Minecraft game folder; it's created the first time you open the Shader Packs menu. The quickest way is always the Open Shader Pack Folder button in game.
| System | Path |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\.minecraft\shaderpacks |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/shaderpacks |
| Linux | ~/.minecraft/shaderpacks |
Do shaders need a good PC?
Shaders run mainly on the graphics card, so a dedicated GPU makes the biggest difference; on integrated graphics stick to light packs and low presets. No shader pack has one official requirement list – it depends on the pack, the preset, the render distance and your screen resolution.
Ways to get more FPS with shaders:
- Lower the render distance. With shaders every extra chunk costs more than in vanilla.
- Turn down shadow quality and shadow distance in the shader pack's settings – shadows are usually the heaviest part.
- Pick a lighter pack or preset, e.g. MakeUp – Ultra Fast or Sildur's Lite.
- Laptops: in Windows go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics and set Java (
javaw.exe) to High performance, so the game uses the dedicated GPU, not the integrated one. - Update your graphics drivers. Black screens and missing shadows are often driver issues.
- Don't confuse FPS with memory. Shaders need graphics power; giving the game more RAM won't raise FPS unless it was actually running out of memory – see How to allocate more RAM to Minecraft.
macOS has limited support for some shader features, so a few packs look different or don't work on Macs.
Why are my shaders not working?
Most problems come from starting the wrong launcher profile, a wrong mod version or an unzipped shader pack.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Shader Packs button in Video Settings | Iris/OptiFine not loaded | Start the Iris, Fabric or OptiFine profile, not the default "Latest release" |
| Game crashes on start | Iris or Sodium for a different Minecraft version, or a mod conflict | Download the files for your exact version; remove other rendering mods |
| Pack isn't in the list | Wrong folder, or the zip contains another zip | Put the pack's .zip straight into shaderpacks |
| Black or white screen | Pack not compatible with your driver or with Iris | Update drivers, try another pack |
| Very low FPS | Preset too high | Lower the preset, shadows and render distance |
| OptiFine and Sodium installed | They conflict | Use only one of them |
Can you use shaders on a Minecraft server?
Yes – shaders run only on your own computer, so they work on any server, from vanilla to Paper and modded servers. The server doesn't need Iris or any plugin, and other players don't see your shaders. Only you see them, and only if you installed them.
That also means a server can't force shaders on players. What a server can send is a resource pack – how that works is in How to install texture packs.
If you play a modpack with friends on your own Spot.gg server, the server only has the pack's server-side files. Shaders, minimaps and other client mods stay in your own launcher instance, so everybody can choose their own shader pack. Paid Minecraft servers on Spot.gg start from $3.90 per month, and a new account can try a server free for 24 hours first.
FAQ
What is the best shader for Minecraft?
For most players Complementary Reimagined: it looks great, keeps the vanilla style and runs on mid-range PCs. BSL and Photon are popular alternatives. On weak PCs try MakeUp – Ultra Fast.
How do I install shaders in Minecraft?
Install a shader mod (Iris with Sodium, or OptiFine), start the game with that profile, go to Options → Video Settings → Shader Packs, open the shader pack folder and put the pack's .zip inside.
Are Minecraft shaders free?
Most are. Complementary, BSL, Photon, MakeUp and Sildur's can be downloaded for free. Some packs offer extra versions to supporters of the author.
Do I need to unzip shader packs?
No. Put the .zip file into the shaderpacks folder as it is.
Do shaders work on Minecraft Bedrock?
Java shader packs don't. Bedrock has its own built-in graphics mode, Vibrant Visuals, on supported devices.
Can I use shaders without OptiFine?
Yes. Iris with Sodium is the most common way to use shaders today and loads the same shader packs.
How do I turn shaders off?
With Iris press K. With OptiFine choose "OFF" in the Shaders menu.