Sodium gives you the best FPS in Minecraft. Iris gives you shader support on top of it. Together, Iris and Sodium replace OptiFine and perform significantly better. Here is how to set them up on Fabric or NeoForge, for Minecraft 26.x and 1.21.x.
Download Iris and Sodium
Both mods are free on Modrinth:
- Iris: modrinth.com/mod/iris
- Sodium: modrinth.com/mod/sodium
Iris needs Sodium, so you always download both. On each page, pick the file for your Minecraft version and your loader (Fabric or NeoForge). If you only want shaders and no other mods, the Iris Installer from irisshaders.dev downloads and installs Iris and Sodium for you.
Builds that go together, taken from Modrinth on 30 September 2026:
| Minecraft | Iris for Fabric | Iris for NeoForge | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.3 | 1.11.7 | 1.11.7 | 0.9.2 |
| 26.2 | 1.11.4 | 1.11.4 | 0.9.2 |
| 26.1.2 | 1.11.4 | 1.11.4 | 0.9.2 |
| 1.21.11 | 1.10.8 | 1.10.8 | 0.8.14 |
| 1.21.1 | 1.8.14 beta | 1.8.14 beta | 0.8.13 |
Sodium uses the same version number on Fabric and NeoForge. Three things to know about this table:
- NeoForge on 26.3: Iris 1.11.7, published on 30 September 2026, is the first Iris release with a NeoForge file for 26.3. The earlier 26.3 builds (1.11.5 and 1.11.6) were Fabric only, so update if your launcher still offers one of those.
- 1.21.11: Iris 1.10.8 came out on 29 September 2026 and asks for Sodium 0.8.14. Update both together. Sodium 0.8.13 and later refuse to load next to Iris 1.10.7 on Fabric, so an old Iris with a new Sodium will not start.
- 1.21.1: The newest Iris for this version is a beta built for Sodium 0.8. The last full releases (Iris 1.8.8 on Fabric, 1.8.12 on NeoForge) are built for Sodium 0.6, so pair those with Sodium 0.6.13 instead.
Can Sodium run shaders?
No, Sodium cannot run shaders by itself. You need Iris installed next to it. Sodium is a rendering engine replacement that raises your frame rate, and it has no shader loader, so a shader pack in a Sodium-only install does nothing. Iris is the shader pack loader, and it runs on top of Sodium. Install both with the steps below, then add a pack in Step 5.
Sodium, Iris, and shader support explained
Quick answer: Sodium is the performance renderer. Iris is the shader loader. Sodium by itself does not add shader packs, and Iris needs Sodium installed next to it, on Fabric or on NeoForge.
| Search question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does Sodium support shaders? | Not by itself. Install Iris with Sodium to use shader packs. |
| Does Iris need Sodium? | Yes. Iris lists Sodium as a required dependency. Install both for the same Minecraft version. |
| Is Iris client side? | Yes, Iris is a client-side shader mod. Players install it locally. |
| Is Sodium client side or server side? | Sodium is client-side for FPS. It does not improve server TPS. |
| Sodium vs Iris | They solve different problems. Sodium improves performance, Iris enables shaders. |
| How to enable shaders with Sodium | Install Iris, put the shader zip in .minecraft/shaderpacks, then choose it in Video Settings. |
| Best shader packs for Sodium and Iris 2026 | Start with Complementary Reimagined, BSL, Sildur's, Bliss, or other packs tested on your Minecraft version. |
For a pure shader-pack list, see our best shader packs for Iris and Sodium.
What You Need
- Minecraft Java Edition
- Fabric Loader (or Quilt), or NeoForge
- Fabric API (only on Fabric)
- Sodium
- Iris Shaders
The mods are free and available on Modrinth.
Step 1: Install Fabric Loader or NeoForge
Download the Fabric installer from fabricmc.net. Run it. Select your Minecraft version (26.x or 1.21.x). Click Install.
Fabric Loader appears as a new profile in the Minecraft Launcher.
Playing on NeoForge instead? Get the NeoForge installer from neoforged.net and skip Step 2. Fabric API is only for Fabric, and the NeoForge builds of Iris and Sodium do not need it. Check the table at the top first, so your Iris and Sodium files match your Minecraft version.
Step 2: Install Fabric API
Download Fabric API from Modrinth. Place the .jar file in your .minecraft/mods folder.
Fabric API is required by almost every Fabric mod. Install it first.
Step 3: Install Sodium
Download Sodium from Modrinth. Make sure you pick the version matching your Minecraft version and loader. Drop the .jar into your mods folder.
Launch the game. You should already see a massive FPS improvement. Most players report 2x to 5x higher frame rates compared to vanilla.
Step 4: Install Iris (For Shaders)
If you want shaders, download Iris from Modrinth. Drop it in the mods folder alongside Sodium.
Iris is designed to work with Sodium. They do not conflict. Iris needs Sodium: install both jars for the same Minecraft version. The Iris jar does not include Sodium, and current Iris releases list Sodium as a required dependency on Modrinth, so installing Iris alone is not enough. If the game will not start with the pair, compare your versions with the table at the top.
Step 5: Add a Shader Pack
Download a shader pack. Popular choices in 2026:
- Complementary Reimagined: The most popular. Beautiful and well-optimized.
- BSL Shaders: Classic look, smooth performance.
- Sildur's Vibrant Shaders: Multiple presets from lite to extreme.
- Bliss Shaders: Newer option with path-tracing features.
Place the shader .zip file in .minecraft/shaderpacks/. Then in-game, go to Options > Video Settings > Shader Packs and select yours.
Recommended Extra Mods
These work perfectly alongside Sodium + Iris:
| Mod | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Lithium | Optimizes game logic (mob AI, ticking) |
| Continuity | Connected textures (like OptiFine) |
| LambDynamicLights | Dynamic lighting from held items |
| Zoomify | Zoom feature (like OptiFine) |
| Entity Model Features | Custom entity models support |
| Mod Menu | In-game mod configuration screen |
Performance Tips
- Render Distance: 12 chunks is a good balance. Going above 16 hurts FPS significantly.
- Simulation Distance: Keep at 8 to 10 for smooth gameplay.
- Shader Quality: Start with the "medium" preset of any shader pack and adjust from there.
- Allocated RAM: 3 to 4 GB is enough for vanilla with shaders. Go higher only for modpacks.
Troubleshooting
Black screen after enabling shaders: Your GPU driver is outdated. Update it.
Low FPS with shaders: Some shader packs are demanding. Try Complementary Reimagined on the "medium" preset first.
Mod conflicts: Remove any other rendering mods. Sodium replaces the renderer entirely. Do not install OptiFine alongside Sodium.
Keeping Iris and Sodium Updated
When a new Minecraft version releases, update in this order to avoid crashes:
- Update Fabric Loader to the new version first.
- Download the matching new Iris and Sodium jars for that exact Minecraft version.
- Delete the old jars from your
modsfolder before adding the new ones. - Update Fabric API at the same time, since mismatched Fabric API versions are a common cause of startup failures.
Never mix jars built for different Minecraft versions. That mismatch, not a bad shader pack, is the most common cause of a crash on launch.
What About NeoForge and Forge?
On NeoForge, use the NeoForge builds of Iris and Sodium from the same Modrinth pages, as in the steps above. Do not add Embeddium to that install. Iris marks Embeddium as incompatible and says so directly: "Iris and Embeddium cannot be used together."
Embeddium (a Sodium port) plus Oculus (an Iris port) is the shader setup for older Forge modpacks. The newest Oculus build on Modrinth is for Minecraft 1.20.1, so on 1.21 and newer, use Iris and Sodium on NeoForge or Fabric instead.
Server Performance
Sodium and Iris are client-side mods. They improve your FPS but do not affect server performance. If your server is lagging, you need server-side optimization like Lithium, or better hardware.
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If a shader pack takes the whole game down with no crash report, that is exit code -1073740791, a native crash rather than a Minecraft one.