The Minecraft 1.18 update is taking over the internet and only for all the right reasons. It has new terrain generation, beautiful biomes, and the most scenic worlds among all the versions of Minecraft. And the users on Bedrock edition can take the graphics to a new level with RTX for Minecraft. Unfortunately, Java users can’t use RTX or similar technology with their games. But worry not, as we have the right solution. Just like mods, the Java edition exclusively supports shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2, and many of them can even compete with the RTX upgrade for the Bedrock Edition. And before you fear for your FPS, some of these shaders listed below are also designed to improve your performance. Irrespective of your specs, there’s something for everyone among our curated list of best shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2. So, if you are ready to experience next-gen graphics on your Minecraft, let’s get started.

Shaders in Minecraft are used to render realistic graphics. Once activated, the shaders take over the rendering of water, environment, lights, and other graphical elements in this game. You can find technical details about the same online, but, in the simplest terms, shaders generate in-game graphics with separate, usually better, properties than the default in-game settings.

  • Project LUMABSL ShadersMakeUp – Ultra Fast ShadersDrDestens ShadersAstraLex ShadersYoFPS – Best Low-end Shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2Stereo’s Default+ ShaderBeyond Belief ShadersAcid – Best Effect-Based Shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2SEUS ShadersSildurs Vibrant ShadersSimplicissimusRedHat ShadersJelly World Shaders

How to Install Shaders in Minecraft 1.18.2

You can only use shaders after you install OptiFine in Minecraft 1.18.2. OptiFine is a mod that gives total graphical access to the players, and in our case, allows them to use shaders in the game. Do keep in mind that it is also exclusive to the Java edition of this sandbox game, like most other Minecraft mods. Once you have installed OptiFine, installing shaders is easy.

  1. Then, you need to download and copy shaders into this folder. We have provided download links for each shader, along with a brief description and screenshots showcasing the visual changes down below. You can use them to download the .zip files for the shader, which you can then copy (Ctrl + C) and paste (Ctrl + V) into the shaderpacks folder.

How to Enable Shaders in Minecraft 1.18.2

After you are done copy-pasting the shaders’ ZIP files in the Minecraft directory, it’s time to install them. For that, you need to run the game on your PC and follow the steps below:

  1. From the video settings page, click on the “Shaders” option. It’s present on the bottom left side of the settings page.

  2. Finally, select the shader pack you want to activate from the list by clicking on it. You don’t have to change any of the settings on the right pane if you are unsure about their impact. Click “Done” after selecting the shader pack to exit. And voila! That’s how you use shaders in the Minecraft 1.18.2 update.

List of Best Shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2

Now that you know how to install shaders in this sandbox game, let’s focus on the best shaders that Minecraft 1.18.2 supports. We have tested each of these shaders on Minecraft 1.18.2 and included daytime + nighttime screenshots to give you a better idea of their impact on in-game graphics. With that said, let’s dive in:

1. Project LUMA

Our first shader wasn’t originally designed for the Minecraft 1.18.2 update, but it fits right in. That’s because instead of individual blocks, it depends upon the light properties. That means you can add new blocks with default light properties to the game, and the shader will adjust to them automatically. Because of this property, you can use the LUMA shader, made for 1.14, on the latest 1.18.2 update too. But worry not, this is the only and the best non-updated shader on our list.

Among all the go-to shaders, BSL was one of the first ones to get an update for the Minecraft 1.18.2 caves and cliffs Part 2 update. It’s unique in the way it handles all the environments in the game. You don’t only feel the lighting, materials, and shadows to be more realistic, but it also makes the air realistic. The Minecraft atmosphere gets air particles that you can’t see, but their interaction makes the light look more real.

Similar to how morning mist interacts with sunshine during the daytime, you can witness light scattering in this shader. The one thing it can do better is how the water is rendered. Instead of making it transparent, the shader tries to add some depth to the water bodies. This effect feels believable at many locations, but it makes the water look dark at certain times.

As the name suggests, this is one of the best shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2, even for low-end PCs. Other than making the world look better, this shader pack’s focus is to keep your FPS high. So, if you want a shader that is reliable but not demanding, MakeUp shaders are the ones that you should choose. But don’t dismiss it as a low-quality shader yet. As you will see in the screenshots below, it can generate worlds that can be subjectively better than many other shaders.

Extra dark nights are a constant theme among many shaders. But this takes it to a bit extreme by eliminating light entirely from unlit areas. It means that if the forest is deep enough, even the moonlight won’t reach its surface. Now, horror fans like me will appreciate this dark Minecraft world. Though, surviving in it might be an issue.

If you have played other video games or know anything about computer graphics, you might know how impactful shadows can be. From a visual point of view, they add depth and details to your digital world. But from a technical viewpoint, they demand high graphical power because of constantly changing light sources. This shader primarily focuses on the technical weight of shadows.

Download DrDestens Shaders

If you enjoyed the BSL shaders but wanted to push them to their limits, AstraLex is here for you. It takes the BSL shaders as a base and pumps out the best graphics possible. Now, do keep in mind that this shader isn’t exactly performance-friendly. So, if you are on a low or mid-range PC, this shader pack isn’t made for you. At least, not with all its settings activated.

6. YoFPS – Best Low-end Shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2

As the name suggests, our next entry is a shader created for the lowest-end PCs. If you want maximum FPS using shaders in Minecraft 1.18.2, this is the most reliable solution. Having said that, the world it creates might not live up to everyone’s tastes. However, it still comes across as a worthy upgrade from the regular vanilla Minecraft world.

One way to increase performance with Minecraft 1.18.2 shaders is by reducing all the graphics quality. But that’s common. However, another way involves only activating selective good things you want from a shader. That’s what this Minecraft 1.18.2 shader does. It only provides you with a handful of graphical features that are already popular among the players.

The shader pack provides us with waving liquid, better lighting, and softer shadows. There’s no heavy change in terms of water or the world textures. For most of the other shaders in this list, the nether dimension is either too dark or too bright. But this particular shader is one of the best shaders to explore the Nether dimension in Minecraft 1.18.2. It also has fire particles everywhere in the nether, creating a breathtaking view.

This shader lives up to its name. Once activated, the game changes beyond belief. From lighting to the environment, Minecraft feels like a completely new experience. It follows the same plan as many of the other shaders, but still somehow stands out in execution. Well, at least for the most part.

In contrast to the daytime, the nights have a tone of winter attached to them. The dark areas are extra dim, especially in caves and forests. But that allows you to seek light sources from a huge distance. They also have a sense of calm attached to them. That’s not all, though. The best part of this shader is the detailed weather, whose effects change how the world feels entirely.

Some shaders improve your graphics, while others improve performance, and then there is a shader that sends you on an acid trip. Yeah, you read it right. Consider yourself warned when we say this shader makes your Minecraft world trippy. Similar to the ending of the movie Interstellar, Minecraft’s world gets wrapped in a circular plain.

10. SEUS Shaders

Our next entry for the best shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2 list is a resource-heavy one. If you count its complimentary resource packs, it aims to replace the pixelated world of Minecraft altogether. Even though the shader in itself is complete, we would suggest you install it alongside the Vanillaccurate or similar resource pack. And as mentioned earlier, this shader pack is resource-heavy, so make sure your PC can handle what it has to offer.

11. Sildurs Vibrant Shaders

As the name suggests, the Sildurs’ shaders attempt to make the world of Minecraft more vibrant. As a result, we get better shadows, natural-looking textures, and an overall fresh vibe from every biome. Then to take this vibrant theme a step further, the shader also makes the trees and plants more dynamic with non-blocky leaves and wind interaction. It also has one of the best reflective water among all Minecraft shaders.

Our next Minecraft 1.18.2 shader aims to improve the world of Minecraft but only with simple touch-ups. It is a performance-effective shader pack that doesn’t change lightmaps, clouds, and more iconic vanilla Minecraft features. However, it does add wind effects, dynamic shadows, and temporal anti-aliasing to the game.

At first glance, the world looks the same during the day. But slowly and surely the motion blur kicks in making movements around the world smoother and more dynamic. Not to forget, the objects at a distance get washed over by a thin layer of fog. There is also a slight color correction going on that makes the world a bit brighter. It looks good in the flow but might not suit everyone’s taste.

The RedHat shader pack offers us a giant lot of features including light effects, a new environment, reflections, grains, realistic colors, and a lot more. But since you can easily turn most of them off, you can easily run it on even a medium-end system.

At the end of a dynamic day, my favorite feature of these shaders is the night. It is dark, grim, and somehow still welcoming. The tint of sea green color over our camera makes Minecraft feel like a part of a horror movie. Then to push it a step further, the torches and other light sources also get dimmed with these shaders on.

To close our list of best shaders for Minecraft 1.18.2 on a crazy note, we have the Jelly World. This pack of shaders is one of the most popular effects-based shaders. As the name reveals, once activated, Jelly World makes your whole world bouncy and wobbly. All entities, mobs, and even items like grass start bouncing. Even liquids like water and lava aren’t safe from this effect.

If you want to level up on the parkour maps, this shader pack is ready to give you a real challenge. Other than the visual effect, we also get slight lighting improvements. But that’s pretty much all it has to offer. However, if you combine it with the best Minecraft texture packs, especially the cartoonish ones, then your world can truly feel different.

  • What shaders are best for FPS?

There are plenty of Minecraft shaders that are aimed at getting better frame rates. You can try shaders like YoFPS, and MakeUp — Ultra Fast Shaders.

Many shaders for Minecraft give your graphics an impressive boost. Shaders like BSL Shaders, along with others including Ebin Shaders, Continuum Shaders, and others can bring RTX-like graphics to your Minecraft game. However, do note that these are resource intensive shaders, so you will get the best results on high-end PCs only.