How to use shaders in Minecraft 1.20.3

Minecraft 1.20.3 was recently released by Mojang with several new features and changes. Despite not being a major update, it is still the de facto version that everyone plays. The graphics in this game are renowned for being the most simplistic. Although intermediate players may grow disinterested in the title due to that, novices may find it intriguing.

To please both parties, the community has created shaders that entirely alter how the game's graphics engines function. Lighting, reflections, shadows, particles, and the water texture engine are the key areas of concentration for these graphics mods. Here is a short guide on how to download and install shaders for Minecraft 1.20.3.

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Steps to install shaders for Minecraft 1.20.3

1) Download and install OptiFine or Sodium with Iris Shaders

It is important to realize that shaders are limited to working with specific Minecraft mods that must also be installed. OptiFine and Sodium are two of the most well-known extensions that provide support for shaders, offer a variety of additional video settings, and significantly boost frame rates.

Sodium requires Iris to run shaders, although OptiFine can run them without the need for any other companion tool like Iris. Players only need to search online and download one of them. On OptiFine's website, you can obtain its most recent version. On the other side, the Iris Shaders website offers Sodium for download as a bundle.

To install either mod, run the file after downloading a mod version compatible with 1.20.3. In essence, it will produce a modified Minecraft version that runs on the official game launcher.

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2) Search for desired shaderpack

Next, you can browse several shader packs for Minecraft 1.20.3 that are available online. Not all of them will be compatible with 1.20.3. If these extensions have been updated for the first 1.20 release, they should still function in 1.20.3 as well.

Some great shader packs are BSL, Complementary, Sildur Vibrant Shaders, SEUS, and more. With the exception of a few minor variations here and there, almost all of them provide similar features and looks.

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3) Open the modded game and transfer shaders to game folder

Launch the official Minecraft launcher and open the game's modified version after downloading your desired shader pack. This variant of the title will have a different symbol on the launcher's list. After entering it, go to the video settings and choose Shader Pack.

A file explorer window will pop up when you select the option to open the Shader Pack folder. You need to drag and drop the recently downloaded shader pack into this folder. Keep in mind that the title requires the zip file to be compressed to function, so do not extract it. After that, just turn it on, go into the world, and have fun.