Installing Shaders

TODO

This document is a work in progress. Contributions welcome!

DANGER

Always download mods and shaderpacks from trusted sources. Every link on this page is official.

WARNING

Shaders are GPU-heavy. Without a capable GPU and decent CPU, expect low framerates and lag spikes.

This guide covers the common ways to install shaders. Different shaderpacks target different shader mods, which target different mod loaders, so pick the path that matches what you have.

Installing shaders through Iris

Iris is a shader mod compatible with all existing OptiFine shaders. You can install it as a standalone profile or as a Fabric / Quilt / NeoForge mod.

Through the Iris installer

This option installs Sodium alongside Iris.

1. Open the official Iris site and download the installer.
2. Run the installer and click Download.
3. An Iris profile appears in SKlauncher. Restart the launcher if it doesn't show up.
4. Move on to installing shaders.

As a mod (Fabric / Quilt / NeoForge)

This option requires one of Fabric, Quilt, or NeoForge. It doesn't matter which unless you plan to combine Iris with other mods.

1. Open the Iris page on Modrinth.

2. Download the build matching your mod loader and Minecraft version (e.g. Fabric 1.21.4 means Minecraft 1.21.4, platform Fabric).

3. Drop the Iris .jar into your mods folder inside .minecraft. Create the folder if it doesn't exist.

   If you set a custom game directory, look for mods there instead.

4. Launch your Fabric / Quilt / NeoForge installation in SKlauncher.

5. Move on to installing shaders.

Installing Iris shaders

You can find Iris shaders on many sites, but stick to trusted sources like Modrinth or CurseForge.

1. Download the shaderpack from a trusted site.

   Shaderpacks are usually .zip archives. Don't extract them. On macOS, the download may arrive as a folder. Compress it back into a .zip before continuing.

2. Move the shaderpack .zip into your shaderpacks folder. Create it if it doesn't exist:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\.minecraft\shaderpacks
   • Linux: ~/.minecraft/shaderpacks
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/shaderpacks

   If you set a custom game directory, look for shaderpacks there instead.

3. Launch your Iris installation (Iris + Sodium) or your mod-loader installation (Iris mod), whichever you set up.

4. In the main menu, go to Options > Video Settings > Shader Packs and pick your shader.

5. Done. Tweak settings to taste for performance.

Installing shaders through OptiFine

OptiFine includes its own shader system. You can run it as a standalone profile or as a Forge mod.

Installing OptiFine shaders

You only need OptiFine itself. See the OptiFine guide to install it.

1. Download the shaderpack from a trusted site like Modrinth or CurseForge.

   Shaderpacks are usually .zip archives. Don't extract them. On macOS, the download may arrive as a folder. Compress it back into a .zip before continuing.

2. Move the shaderpack .zip into your shaderpacks folder. Create it if it doesn't exist:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\.minecraft\shaderpacks
   • Linux: ~/.minecraft/shaderpacks
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/shaderpacks

   If you set a custom game directory, look for shaderpacks there instead.

3. Launch your OptiFine installation, or your Forge installation with the OptiFine mod.

4. In the main menu, go to Options > Video Settings > Shaders... and pick your shader.

5. Done. Tweak settings to taste for performance.

Troubleshooting

Laggy game

A common issue with several causes:

1. Weak hardware. Shaders need a capable GPU. If your hardware is fine but the game still lags, Minecraft may be using your iGPU instead of your dGPU. See How to change the GPU used in the game.
2. High shader settings. Lower them under:
   • OptiFine: Options > Video Settings > Shaders... > Shader Settings
   • Iris: Options > Video Settings > Shader Packs > Shader Pack Settings

My game just crashed

Multiple possible causes (mod conflicts, drivers, etc.).

1. If you have other mods, a conflict may be the cause. Check the crash log to identify the culprit. Verify you downloaded the right mod versions.

Need more help?

1. Check the Game troubleshooting guide.
2. Or ask the SKlauncher community on the Discord server.