Minecraft has given us years of fun but it is a game that, beyond the artistic section, does not stand out much in the graphics. Fortunately, shaders are tools that help elevate visual quality with new effects and graphics modifications. In this article we share 9 shaders that we recommend for Minecraft and, as far as possible, we clarify what requirements each one asks for.
Note : all shaders require OptiFine. At the end of the article we talk about this tool and how to install the shaders .
1. BSL Shaders
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: 1.7.10 or higher. It is recommended to use the latest available version of OptiFine.
- Requirements: graphics card similar or superior to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750.
BSL is one of the best shaders that you can activate for Minecraft. It is not as demanding as other shaders, and yet the result is incredible. You can modify quite a few parameters to your liking, such as the brightness level, the ambient occlusion, the shadows, the motion blur , etc.
It also integrates an antialiasing system and, if you want to play with a comic aesthetic, you can activate cel shading !
2. Chocapic13 ‘Shaders
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: 1.12 or higher for the V7, V8 and V9 versions of the shader . V6 works with any version of Minecraft.
- Requirements: if you are looking to have more than 120 FPS with all the options activated, it is recommended to have AMD Radeon RX 570 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. Other than that, it is a shader that runs well on many PC configurations, even on low-resource PCs. .
Chocapic13 ‘Shaders has several options for PCs with high requirements, such as volumetric clouds or better lighting and shadow effects. To use this shader in all its glory (with V8 Ultra), you need a good PC. There’s no turning back! However, the V6 and V7 versions can be configured so that you can achieve a good result without burning your computer.
If you are looking for the highest graphic quality, Chocapic13 ‘Shaders is one of the best options.
3. Sildur’s Shaders
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft Version: Vibrant and Enhanced variants are compatible with versions from 1.7.10 to 1.16.5. The Fabulous variant is only compatible with 1.16 and higher.
- Requirements: Requirements change depending on the version of Sildur’s Vibrant. Lite and Medium are perfect for low-resource PCs.
Sildur’s Shaders is made up of three variants: Vibrant, Enhanced, and Fabulous. In our case, we want to recommend Vibrant. In the image you can see an example of how each color is enhanced by a higher saturation. Although it is the most striking element, the characteristics of the shader do not end there! Also add volumetric highlights, bloom (brightness) or ambient occlusion, among other options.
If you’re curious, you can try Enhanced, which is an improved version of the standard Minecraft graphics. If you opt for Fabulous, a shader similar to Enhanced, be sure to read the instructions as it installs differently from most shaders.
4. Vanilla Plus Shader
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: 1.12 onwards.
- Requirements: a graphics card compatible with OpenGL 4.0 or higher. It is an ideal shader for PC with few requirements. Intel HD 5000 Graphics or earlier do not support this shader .
In case you are not interested in changing the Minecraft graphics much, Vanilla Plus is a good option. This shader is responsible for improving the shadows, clouds, fog and partly the lighting. It also modifies the colors so that the end result is slightly brighter than the standard game look.
5. Ocean Shaders
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: 1.7.10 onwards.
Oceano Shaders is definitely the brightest and most attractive of all shaders . The colors are very vivid, with water as the most important element (hence the name!). If you want to play Minecraft with a more tropical and cheerful touch and with a more than decent quality, Oceano Shaders gives you that without demanding a lot of power from your PC.
6. KUDA-Shaders
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: Any, but that depends on the version of OptiFine you want to use.
- Requirements: There are no official requirements, but it has been reported that a graphics similar to NVIDIA GTX 960 serves for the shader to work at the highest quality.
KUDA is a shader that focuses on modifying the lighting system, giving Minecraft a nice makeover. He has been looking for another project (ProjectLUMA) for several years, but it is a joy to play day after day with this shader . Due to the play of light, shadow and color ranges that KUDA uses, warm colors are enhanced.
And we have to say that the water looks impressive!
7. ProjectLUMA
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: for optimal performance, the latest version of OptiFine that is available should be used. Try to have the Minecraft version according to OptiFine.
ProjectLUMA is the continuation of KUDA-Shaders. Compared to the predecessor, it presents some changes in graphic options but the best point is that work is being done to make the shader , at a general level, less demanding. For our part, we recommend trying both this shader and KUDA and see for yourself which of the two you prefer.
8. SEUS Renewed
- Download the shader here .
- Recommended Minecraft version: 1.11 onwards, as it requires OptiFine HD U F5.
SEUS Renewed is a good compromise between performance and graphics quality. Of all the shaders , it is not the one with the best graphic quality nor the most optimized, but the result is formidable! Improves the quality of lighting and its interaction on surfaces. In a way, the graphic finish is similar to KUDA / ProjectLUMA, with a few changes.
Looking ahead, the author of SEUS Renewed is developing SEUS PTGI. This version will introduce graphical options such as ray tracing without the need for an RTX. It looks promising!
9. Continuum + Stratum
- Download the shader here . It is an expensive project, so you will have to pay to use the latest versions.
- Requirements: Read the requirements for Continuum and the requirements for Stratum well . They are both demanding!
Are you looking for a shader that gives you the highest possible visual quality? Use Continuum and Stratum! In the case of Continuum, we are talking about a shader that improves Minecraft to resemble a current game. Its effects are worthy of visual masterpieces, especially if you have a ray tracing compatible video card . But, for this, you will need a good PC!
Stratum is a resource pack that should be used in conjunction with Continuum. These resources enable a greater sense of depth in textures, in addition to increasing their resolution.
How to install shaders in Minecraft
First step
The first thing to do is download and install OptiFine . This tool allows Minecraft to go faster and adds support for graphical enhancements, such as HD textures and various effects. You will download an executable .jar file , so try to open it with Java .
The version of OptiFine will depend on the one you use in Minecraft and / or the shader you want to install. In any case, it is usually recommended to install one of the latest versions of OptiFine. Although not necessary for shaders , it is useful to use Forge if you are installing multiple mods.
Second step
Choose the shader you want, download the file and don’t extract it . Keep the shader inside the compressed file! Then start Minecraft with OptiFine. Go to ” Options “, then enter the video options and finally ” Shaders … “. At the bottom left you will see a button for the shaders folder . Click on that button!
Third step
A window will open with the folder ” AppData \ Roaming \ .minecraft \ shaderpacks “. Put the compressed file you downloaded in there and go back to Minecraft. If everything went well, the file you just added will appear in the Shaders list! Select it, and you have already activated the shader .
Although you can change the shader options in that same Minecraft menu, we recommend that you do so when you are in a game. So you can see the changes in real time. Feel free to play with the graphics settings until you find the optimal performance and the best visual quality. Enjoy it!