Do I need OptiFine for Photon Shaders?

Yes, OptiFine HD is required. Photon Shaders is built for OptiFine and won't work without it.

Can I use Photon Shaders with other mods?

Yes, Photon Shaders works fine with gameplay mods. Just don't load multiple shader packs at the same time.

What's the difference between Original and Random Shaders?

Original Photon Shaders is the standard version. Photon Random Shaders adds randomization to certain effects for more visual variety.

Do I need a powerful GPU for Photon Shaders?

You need a decent graphics card with OpenGL 4.1 support. Most gaming GPUs from the last several years will run it, though very old cards may struggle.

Which Minecraft versions does Photon Shaders support?

Photon Shaders supports Minecraft 1.16.5 through 1.20.4. Download the version matching your Minecraft installation.

Photon Shaders for Minecraft 1.20.4 & 1.19.4

Photon Shaders for Minecraft Java Edition

Photon Shaders is a free shader pack for Minecraft Java Edition that looks seriously good without needing ray tracing. It works with OptiFine and supports versions from 1.16.5 all the way to 1.20.4, giving you dynamic weather effects and realistic water that actually looks like water.

What Makes Photon Shaders Stand Out

Cloud Effects That Actually Look Real

The clouds are fully dynamic and react to weather and time of day. They shift colors at sunset in a way that makes you stop and just look for a minute. Fly up higher and you’ll see them from above with the sky reflected below. It’s genuinely impressive for a non-raytraced shader.

Water You’ll Actually Want to Look At

The water is clean and transparent with solid reflections. The surface moves and shifts with the light, bouncing the sky back at you like actual water would. This is some of the best looking water in any shader pack.

Good Lighting with Room for Improvement

Photon Shaders has solid lighting and shadows overall. There’s a known quirk where trees look overly bright when viewed from high angles, but it doesn’t kill the experience. Most other stuff looks great.

What You Need

OptiFine HD (required)
Minecraft Java Edition
A GPU with OpenGL 4.1 support (most gaming cards from the last 5-10 years work)

How to Install Photon Shaders

Download and run OptiFine for your Minecraft version
Download the Photon Shaders .zip file
Launch Minecraft with OptiFine at least once
Go to your .minecraft/shaderpacks folder
Move the Photon Shaders .zip file into that folder (don’t extract it)
Launch the game and go to Options > Video Settings > Shaders
Select Photon Shaders from the list

For the full walkthrough, check out our guide: How To Download & Install Shaders with OptiFine

Version Support

Photon Shaders supports Minecraft 1.16.5 through 1.20.4. Download the version that matches your game. Available versions include 1.20.4, 1.20.2, 1.20.1, 1.19.4, 1.19.2, and 1.16.5.

Download Photon Shaders

Original Photon Shaders:
Photon-Shaders-All-Versions.zip
This file is part of Photon Shaders for Minecraft 1.20.4 & 1.19.4. Visit the main page for features, installation guide, screenshots, and more download options.

Size: 3.6 MB
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Photon Random Shaders:
Photon-Random-Shaders-All-Versions.zip
This file is part of Photon Shaders for Minecraft 1.20.4 & 1.19.4. Visit the main page for features, installation guide, screenshots, and more download options.

Size: 1.5 MB
Download Now!