Screenshot 1 of 5. Split-screen scene of a pink cherry tree and plaza comparing Elixir at 390 FPS with vanilla at 154 FPS.
What Elixir works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.19.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
| Environment | Client |
Elixir is a performance-focused modpack for Minecraft Java that keeps play close to vanilla. It is client-side, so it joins any multiplayer world that accepts vanilla clients.
Loaders and versions
- Fabric: Minecraft 1.19.2 to 26.3.
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.21.8.
- Forge: Minecraft 1.21.8, builds stopped after September 2025.
- Quilt: Minecraft 1.21.5 to 1.21.8, builds stopped after July 2025.
What Elixir changes
The optimization mods target FPS, memory use and chunk loading. The creator reports that they more often than not beat OptiFine and similar alternatives for results and compatibility. Shaders go through Iris, which handles both old and new shaderpacks, and early releases of Sodium and Iris arrive for snapshots when available.
Vanilla parity is the design rule. Nothing in the pack should alter world generation, random number behaviour, mob spawning or entity pathfinding, so redstone contraptions and farms behave as expected. Quality-of-life additions stay small, such as a zoom mod or a targeted mob's health on the F3 screen.
Resource pack support covers Fresh Animations, Dramatic Skys and Redstone Tweaks. Elixir also works as a base: it ships without extra content, so you add your own client-side mods, such as camera or brightness mods, on top.
How to install Elixir
- 1.Open the Modrinth page and pick the release that matches your loader and Minecraft release.
- 2.Import it into the Modrinth App, or into Prism Launcher or another launcher that reads .mrpack files.
- 3.Let the launcher fetch the listed mods and the loader, then start the profile.
- 4.Add any extra client-side mods you want. The full mod list for each release is on the wiki.
New to modpacks? The guide to installing a modpack from Modrinth covers the launcher steps. Release names follow a x.v# pattern, so 26.1-v5 is the fifth pack release for Minecraft 26.1.
Questions about Elixir.
4 questions
Is Elixir client-side or server-side?
Elixir is client-side only and has no server component. You install it on your own machine, and you can then join any multiplayer world that allows vanilla clients. Installing it on a server is unsupported, so other players do not need it.
Does Elixir support shaders?
Yes. Elixir uses Iris for shader support and works with both older and newer shaderpacks. It also updates live with snapshots, including early releases of Sodium and Iris when available. Resource pack support, including Fresh Animations, Dramatic Skys and Redstone Tweaks, depends on the mod dependencies being updated to the latest Minecraft versions.
Is Elixir better than OptiFine?
The creator states that the optimization mods in Elixir more often than not give better results and compatibility than OptiFine and some other alternatives. Elixir also keeps vanilla gameplay behaviour, so worldgen, mob spawning and redstone should stay unchanged.
Can I add my own mods to Elixir?
Yes. Elixir is designed as a clean base without extra bloat, so you can add client-side mods such as camera or brightness mods on top. The wiki lists the mods included in each release, which helps you avoid duplicates.
