Refract Shaders Wiki › FAQ
Refract Shaders FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I enable Refract Shaders after installing it?
Launch Minecraft, go to Options > Video Settings > Shaders, then locate and select Refract Shaders from your shader pack list. The shaders will activate immediately when you apply the selection.
Why do my shadows look too dark or too harsh?
Adjust the shadow softness setting in the shader options menu—look for shadow distance or penumbra controls to reduce harshness. If shadows are too dark overall, check your brightness slider and ensure your monitor isn't set too low.
Can I adjust how bright the colored lighting looks?
Yes, open the shader settings and find the colored lighting or light intensity slider to increase or decrease how much tint light sources cast on nearby blocks. Lower values make lighting more subtle; higher values make it more dramatic.
Water reflections are making my game lag—how do I fix this?
Reduce the water reflection quality in shader settings by lowering the reflection resolution or disabling reflections for distant blocks. You can also lower your render distance to improve performance while keeping reflections enabled up close.
Do torches and other light sources actually look different colors?
Yes—torches emit warm orange/yellow light, soul lanterns cast blue light, and other light sources have their own distinct tints that color the blocks around them. This is one of the core features of Refract Shaders.
Is Refract Shaders compatible with Optifine?
Refract Shaders is designed to work as a standalone shader pack and may have conflicts if Optifine shaders are also enabled; disable Optifine shaders before using Refract to avoid issues.
Why does the bloom effect make bright blocks look washed out?
Bloom intensity can be adjusted in the shader settings—lower the bloom strength to make glowing blocks appear more defined, or disable bloom entirely if you prefer a sharper look.
Can I use Refract Shaders on a low-end PC?
Refract Shaders is optimized for medium-tier systems, but you can improve performance by disabling or reducing water reflections, lowering shadow distance, and reducing render distance. Experiment with each setting to find your balance.
Why do my water reflections look wrong or glitchy?
Water reflection quality depends on your render distance and graphics card—try lowering reflection distance in shader settings or enabling "fast reflections" mode if available. Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date.
Does Refract Shaders work in multiplayer servers?
Yes, shaders are client-side only and work on any server or world without requiring server modifications. Other players won't see your shader effects, and the server won't be affected by your shader settings.