Screenshot 1 of 4. Player stands in a landscape with clear sky, mountains, and trees rendered with Outline Shader's outline effect.
What Outline Shader works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Iris, OptiFine |
| Minecraft versions | 1.7.2, 1.16.5, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
Outline Shader is a cartoon-leaning shader pack for Java Edition players who want thick, hand-drawn outlines around blocks and mobs rather than realistic lighting. It runs on Iris or OptiFine and sits in the low performance tier. It's a client-side pack only, with no server component involved.
Shader loaders and versions
- Iris and OptiFine: Minecraft 1.7.2 to 26.3.
Effects and presets
The pack ships a handful of toggles rather than fixed presets. Turning on Shadow adds shading, Texture Outline traces a line around block and mob silhouettes, and Cel Shading flattens colour bands for a stronger cartoon look. Outline width and outline colour are both adjustable in the shader settings menu, so the line can be tuned from a subtle sketch effect to a bold cartoon border.
- Shadow toggle for the base shading layer
- Texture Outline for thick outlines around blocks and mobs
- Cel Shading for flattened, cartoon colour bands
- Paper World mode, which removes standard shading and keeps only the outline pass
- Adjustable outline width and outline colour
Installation
Installing this pack follows the standard routine for either loader: unzip it into the shaderpacks folder, then select it from the shader menu in Video Settings. The shader install guide covers folder locations for both Iris and OptiFine, and the troubleshooting guide is worth checking if the outline effect doesn't appear as expected after selecting the pack.
Questions about Outline Shader.
5 questions
How do I install Outline Shader?
Place the pack's .zip file in the shaderpacks folder used by Iris or OptiFine, then open Video Settings and pick it from the Shader Packs list. No other files are required for the outline effect to appear.
Does Outline Shader work with Iris and OptiFine?
Yes, the listed builds run on either loader across the same range, so pick whichever one is already set up in your instance rather than needing a separate copy for each.
Is Outline Shader good for low-end hardware?
Modrinth places it in the low performance tier, which reflects its outline and flat-shading focus rather than the heavier lighting and reflection effects found in realistic packs.
What does Paper World mode do?
It removes standard shading entirely and leaves only the outline pass, turning the world into a flat, sketch-like render. It suits screenshots more than regular play, since normal lighting disappears.
Can I change the outline colour and width?
Yes, both are adjustable from the shader pack's in-game settings menu, letting you tune the line from a subtle sketch to a bold cartoon border to match personal taste.
