The Minecraft 1.20 update, packed with a bunch of amazing features, is right here. But, before you get on top of your camel and start exploring, it's time to take your Minecraft experience to a new level. To assist you in this, we have hand-picked some of the best Minecraft shaders for Minecraft 1.20.1. From realistic lighting to immersive worlds, each of them offers something unique for you to experience. So, hop onto your favorite Minecraft 1.20 server, and let's experience the best version of this game.
Best Shaders for Minecraft 1.20.1 (July 2023)
The segment of our guide focuses on the best shaders for the Java edition of Minecraft. To use them, you have to install OptiFine in Minecraft and enable shaders through them.
1. Rethinking Voxels Shaders
An impressive edit of Complementary Shaders, our first entry packs a massive collection of features under the hood. It differentiates itself by adding unique lights that cater to the color of the blocks. Moreover, it also introduces sharp and pixel-perfect ray-traced shadows, further enhancing realism.
You also get volumetric block lights and life-like light scattering. Plus, to take the experience further, the shaders also deliver a gorgeous sky. Combined, these features add a real depth and immersion to your world.
- Download Rethinking Voxels Shaders
2. Sildur's Shaders
Due to its technical limitations, Minecraft Java doesn't support ray-tracing capabilities. But, this doesn't mean that you can't enjoy realistic lighting in your game. Enter, Sildur's Shaders, a shaderpack that allows you to enjoy lighting that replicates the way light travels in real life.
Moreover, realism isn't only limited to light sources like lanterns. But, even natural lighting, including sunlight, behaves in an incredibly realistic manner. Though, you must have a powerful GPU to get the most out of this shaderpack. This ensures that you get great FPS while enjoying remarkable graphics.
- Download Sildur's Shaders
3. BSL Minecraft 1.20.1 Shaders
BSL shaders are easily the most popular and one of the best shaders for Minecraft 1.20.1. Alongside basic visual upgrades, BSL also adds a bunch of advanced features to your game. These include volumetric lighting, dynamic liquids, real-time shadows, and much more.
But, what truly sets BSL shaders apart is the exceptional level of customizability. From the amount of glow to how the water moves, you can control every aspect of these shaders. Because of this, you can fine-tune these shaders to match the limits of your system.
4. Naelego’s Cel Shaders
If you love animated shows then this shaderpack is going to be your favorite. It takes the world of Minecraft and adds cartoonish outlines around all of its items and mobs. The end result looks like something out of an anime and offers a truly fresh way to experience the game. Furthermore, since the shaders don't affect the game's lighting system, it is extremely good for performance too.
- Download Naelego’s Cel Shaders for Minecraft 1.20.1
5. Insanity Minecraft 1.20.1 Shaders
Here to take your breath away, the Insanity Shaders bring a thrilling twist to the world of Minecraft. They add a dark haze to your world and reduce the glow of light sources to their lowest. In certain biomes, you can't even differentiate between day and night.
Even the Potion of Night Vision doesn't seem to have any against the horrors of this shaderpack. But, if the gloomy world isn't enough to scare you then we suggest you check out the scary Minecraft 1.20 seeds and test your courage.
- Download Insanity Shaders
6. SEUS PTGI
If you only want to bring realism to your world of Minecraft then, look no further than SEUS PTGI (Sonic Ether’s Unbelievable Shaders). These shaders pride themselves on a reliable ray-tracing system that does not require an RTX graphics card.
Unlike other shaders, SEUS PTGI goes all out in all aspects of visual improvements for Minecraft. From stunning water reflections to lifelike shadows, every element of the game gets a major upgrade.
- Download SEUS PTGI
7. AstraLex Minecraft 1.20.1 Shaders
From believable lighting to reflective water, AstraLex packs all the features of a good shader. But, the place where it really stands out is its sky rendering. During the day, a mesmerizing sun and cheerful clouds greet you and load your journey with vibrant energy.
Once the sun sets, your world comes alive with massive planets, shooting stars, and dynamic constellations. Moreover, all the light sources appear identical to neon rays. The same even gets reflected in the water of Minecraft.
- Download AstraLex Shaders
8. Lagless Shaders
The Lagless Shaders, true to their name, offer a range of enhancements to the game without negatively impacting your FPS (frames per second). Its features cater to players with weaker systems and limited specifications.
While these shaders might not make your game look realistic, they offer a bunch of quality-of-life improvements. You get access to a custom sky, dynamic water, and a truly vibrant lighting system. Moreover, none of them affect your performance, making these shaders an ideal choice for the Minecraft Bedwars servers.
- Download Lagless Shaders
Best Shaders Minecraft 1.20.1 Bedrock and MCPE
The following set of shaders are made for Minecraft 1.20.1 Bedrock edition. You can use them on mobile, console, Windows, and Chromebook devices. Moreover, they don't require any third-party software for activation.
9. EBIN Shaders
EBIN shaders rely on Minecraft Bedrock's RTX capabilities to deliver a vibrant and inviting world. These shaders offer a lot of stunning visual effects. You get beautiful reflections, intricate shadows, and a system for realistic light interactions.
There is even a mesmerizing custom sky to tie it all together. The end result looks like popular adventure games, offering an inviting environment.
- Download EBIN Shaders
10. Waving Leaves and Water
As the name reveals, this shader pack only unlocks dynamic features for the water and plants of Minecraft. These are often the most sought-after upgrades that players desire. So, you get the best of visual upgrades but without any compromises or performance issues.
- Download Waving Leaves and Water
11. Legendary Bedrock RTX
Modern features need modern textures to make an impact, and this shaderpack offers exactly that. It adds 3D, glossy, matte PBR (Physically Based Rendering) textures to all the objects in the game.
Your world doesn't only look better but also gets 3D models that create an immersive and captivating experience. The final results
- Download Legendary Bedrock Shaders
12. X-Ray+
While the Minecraft 1.20 ore distribution guide helps a lot, finding ores in Minecraft is never an easy journey. But what if you could see all the ore blocks before your pickaxe even hits the ground? That's exactly what the amazing X-Ray+ shaders offer. While giving you a few visual upgrades, it turns all the slid blocks transparent and gives you direct access to all in-game ores.
With X-Ray+, you can easily locate the specific ore you're seeking and make a beeline for it. Though, for fair gameplay, please avoid using them on the best Minecraft serves. Some servers may consider their usage as a violation of their rules and ban you.
- Download X-Ray+ Shaders
Download Top Shaders for Minecraft 1.20
With access to these amazing shaders, you are now ready to unlock the most visually appealing part of Minecraft. But, to unlock great sceneries you have to be in iconic locations. So, don't forget to check out the best Minecraft survival seeds while testing these shaders. Though, if you want to witness something truly breathing then the Cherry Grove seeds might be a better pick. Having said that, which of these amazing shaders are you downloading for your Minecraft 1.20? Share your picks and join the discussion on our Discord server to see what others are choosing.