SMAA MC Shaders Wiki › FAQ
SMAA MC Shaders FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I turn on SMAA shaders after installing the mod?
Open your shader options menu through Iris (usually accessible in video settings), find SMAA MC Shaders in the list, and select it to activate. You should see the effect take place immediately on block edges throughout your world.
Will SMAA shaders make my game lag?
SMAA MC Shaders is designed to run smoothly even on older computers with minimal performance impact. If you do experience lag, try adjusting the SMAA quality settings to a lower preset or disabling other resource-heavy mods.
What's the difference between SMAA and regular anti-aliasing?
SMAA 1x is a post-processing anti-aliasing technique that smooths jagged edges after the game renders, rather than during rendering, making it much lighter on your GPU while still cleaning up block edges effectively.
Can I use SMAA shaders with other shader packs?
No, you can only have one shader pack active at a time in Iris. If you want to use SMAA, you'll need to disable any other shader pack you have loaded.
Why don't I see any difference when I enable SMAA?
The effect is most noticeable on block edges and distant objects; try looking at the horizon or zooming in on block edges to see the smoothing in action. If you still see no change, verify that SMAA is actually selected in your Iris shader menu.
Does SMAA change the colors or brightness of my world?
No, SMAA MC Shaders preserves the exact vanilla lighting and colors—it only smooths the edges of blocks and items without altering how they look otherwise.
What do I do if SMAA is causing weird visual artifacts or glitches?
Try lowering the SMAA quality setting or temporarily disabling it to see if the artifacts disappear. If the problem persists, check that your Iris mod and Java are up to date, as compatibility issues can sometimes cause visual problems.
Can I adjust how strong the SMAA effect is?
Yes, SMAA MC Shaders includes quality and intensity settings that you can adjust through the shader options menu to find the balance between smoothness and performance that works best for you.
Is SMAA better than turning up my game's render distance?
They do different things: SMAA smooths edges on blocks at any distance, while render distance controls how far away you can see. You can use both together for the best visual result.
Will SMAA work on servers or only in single-player?
SMAA works on both single-player worlds and multiplayer servers since it's a client-side visual effect that only changes what you see on your screen.