Screenshot 1 of 4. Daytime grassy valley with cherry trees on cliffs in Energy Shaders.
What Energy Shaders [Java] works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Minecraft versions | 1.20.1, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.1, 26.2, 26.3 |
Energy Shaders is a vanilla-like shader pack for Minecraft Java Edition by LinusDev. It is the Java successor to the former Bedrock pack of the same name, completely rewritten from the older Java releases. It runs on Minecraft's own shader system, so OptiFine is not supported.
Shader loaders and versions
- Minecraft 1.20.1 to 26.3.
What it changes
- Custom lighting that differs between day, night and caves.
- Custom fog with the same day, night and cave split.
- Custom torch light, also tuned per time of day and cave.
- A reworked Nether and a reworked End.
- A vignette effect.
Lighting, fog and torch glow each shift between day, night and caves, so the surface and the underground read as distinct places. The Nether and the End get their own treatment as well.
Install and settings
Follow the steps in our shader install guide for the general routine, and check fixing shaders that do not work if the pack does not load. The newest release, 2.9.1 from late September 2026, lists no required dependencies.
Settings are edited by hand, and there is no in-game settings menu. Open the .zip and change assets/minecraft/shaders/include/settings.glsl in a text editor.
Known gaps
Custom rain and thunder, custom water and custom clouds are all missing. Underwater and lava fog may be buggy. The creator notes that vanilla Minecraft's shader system is very limited, which explains the narrow feature set. Feedback goes through LinusDev's Discord.
The pack has passed 186,000 downloads on CurseForge, and its source code sits in LinusDev's MinecraftShaders repository on GitHub.
Questions about Energy Shaders [Java].
4 questions
Does Energy Shaders work with OptiFine?
No. Energy Shaders is a vanilla shader pack built on Minecraft's own shader system, and the creator states it does not work with OptiFine. If you run Sodium, the Sodium Core Shader Support mod is required for the pack to apply.
Does Energy Shaders work on Bedrock?
No. This pack is for Java only. It is the Java successor to an older Bedrock pack of the same name, but it is a separate project and uses a format Bedrock cannot read.
How do I change Energy Shaders settings?
Because it is a vanilla shader pack, settings are not in a menu. Open the .zip and edit assets/minecraft/shaders/include/settings.glsl in a text editor.
What does Energy Shaders not include?
It has no custom rain or thunder, no custom water and no custom clouds. Underwater and lava fog may be buggy. Its strengths are lighting, fog, torch light, the Nether, the End and a vignette.
