Distant Horizons + Iris Shaders Modpack FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I turn on Distant Horizons so I can actually see far terrain?
Open the Distant Horizons config screen from the mod list or its in-game menu and enable the mod, then set your LOD render distance. Vanilla render distance stays low while DH draws the far terrain, so both settings work together.
Why does my game still look like normal Minecraft after installing this modpack?
Distant Horizons is off by default and Iris needs a shader pack selected. Enable DH in its config and pick a shader pack in Video Settings > Shader Packs, otherwise you're just running vanilla rendering.
What's the difference between vanilla render distance and Distant Horizons render distance?
Vanilla render distance controls fully detailed chunks near you, while DH render distance controls the simplified LOD terrain drawn beyond that. Keep vanilla low for performance and push DH distance high for the far view.
How do I make the far DH terrain blend with my normal chunks instead of looking blocky?
Enable the DH blending/overdraw options in its config so LODs fade into vanilla chunks, and match your DH quality preset to your vanilla distance. Mismatched quality settings are the usual cause of a visible seam.
Why is my game stuttering when I use shaders with Distant Horizons?
Shaders plus large LOD distances are heavy, so lower your DH render distance and LOD quality first, then reduce shader settings like shadow resolution. Also make sure you've allocated enough RAM, since too little causes constant stutter.
How much RAM should I give this modpack?
Around 6GB is the recommended amount for Distant Horizons, with 4GB as a workable minimum that may stutter. Going much higher than needed can actually hurt performance, so don't max out your allocation.
Does Distant Horizons work with shaders, or do I have to pick one?
They work together, which is the whole point of this modpack. Iris handles the shader rendering while DH supplies the far LOD terrain, and DH has shader-compatible settings you should leave enabled.
Why do I see holes or missing terrain in the distance with DH enabled?
This usually means LODs haven't finished generating yet, so wait for the generation to complete or move around to trigger it. Lowering your LOD distance or quality also reduces how long generation takes.
Can I use Distant Horizons on a server or with other mods?
DH works on servers, but the server has to send the chunk data for LODs to build, and some servers restrict this. It's generally compatible with other mods, though heavy world-gen or rendering mods can conflict.
My FPS tanked after enabling DH — what should I change first?
Lower the DH render distance and drop the LOD quality preset, since those have the biggest impact. If it's still bad, reduce shader settings or disable shaders to confirm DH is the cause.