Updated October 2026.
If shaders run badly on a PC that should handle them, check first that Minecraft is using your graphics card. Iris shaders need OpenGL, and Mojang says its Vulkan renderer prefers the dedicated GPU, “a change from OpenGL”, so on OpenGL a laptop can end up on integrated graphics. Then keep Graphics API on Default or Prefer OpenGL, update Iris and Sodium, and lower the shadow distance.
Key facts
- Current release: Minecraft Java 26.3 (15 Sep 2026)
- Graphics API on 26.3: Default works the same as Prefer OpenGL
- 26.4 snapshots: Default becomes Vulkan, which Iris doesn’t support
- Newest Iris for 26.3: 1.11.7, which requires Sodium 0.9.2
- Launcher RAM default: 4 GB since 26.1
Shaders always cost frames. Still, a gaming laptop or a solid desktop shouldn’t struggle with a mainstream pack, and Minecraft’s graphics have changed a lot this year. Mojang added a Vulkan renderer in 26.2, its 26.4 snapshots make Vulkan the default, and Iris, the mod that loads shader packs on Fabric and NeoForge, still works only on OpenGL. This guide goes through the causes in the order worth checking, using Mojang’s patch notes, Iris’s own documentation and NVIDIA and Microsoft support pages, all checked on 22 Oct 2026. We haven’t benchmarked these fixes ourselves, so there are no FPS promises here, only what the developers say each setting does.
Low FPS with shaders: check these in order
1. Make sure Minecraft runs on your graphics card
This is the easiest one to miss, and the 26.2 patch notes explain why it matters. Mojang wrote that “under Vulkan, we will prefer your dedicated graphics card over any integrated graphics, which is a change from OpenGL” (Mojang 26.2 notes). Shader packs loaded through Iris run on OpenGL, so they don’t get that automatic preference. On a gaming laptop with both Intel or AMD integrated graphics and an NVIDIA or AMD card, Java can end up on the weaker chip, and shaders on integrated graphics will crawl no matter how good the rest of the laptop is.
The fix: Windows Graphics settings
Add Java (javaw.exe), open Options, pick High performance, then restart Minecraft.
Step by step on Windows 11:
- Open Settings, then System, Display and Graphics.
- Add the Java program your launcher runs the game with (javaw.exe). To find it, start the game, right click the Java process in Task Manager and choose Open file location.
- Select it, open Options and choose High performance, which names your dedicated card.
- Close Minecraft fully and start it again. The setting only applies to a fresh launch.
NVIDIA says that since Windows 10 version 20H1, Windows decides which GPU an app uses, so this Windows setting is the one to change first. The Preferred graphics processor option in the NVIDIA Control Panel only applies when Windows has no preference set for that app (NVIDIA support). To confirm it worked, open Task Manager while you play, turn on the GPU engine column in the Processes tab, note the GPU number next to Java, then match that number to your card in the Performance tab.
2. Check the Graphics API setting: Prefer OpenGL for Iris
Minecraft 26.2 added a Graphics API option in Video Settings with three choices: Default, Prefer Vulkan (Experimental) and Prefer OpenGL (Mojang). On 26.2 and 26.3, Mojang says Default “is the same as Prefer OpenGL”, so if you’ve never touched it, you’re already on OpenGL. Mojang also warns that Prefer Vulkan “might reduce performance or cause instability on some systems” while it’s experimental.
Iris lists Vulkan mods as incompatible and says they “will crash the game” (Iris). For Minecraft’s own Vulkan renderer, an Iris contributor reported a crash on 26.3 (on a Mac) when the game is forced to Vulkan with a launch argument, and wrote: “I know Iris doesn’t work with Vulkan” (Iris issue 3357). So if you switched to Prefer Vulkan to try it, switch back to Prefer OpenGL before you launch the game with Iris installed.
Heads up: the 26.4 update
Watch3. Update Iris and Sodium: the 26.2 GPU usage problem
User reports, not a confirmed cause
The fix: matching versions
The low risk move is to get current versions. For 26.3 that’s Iris 1.11.7, released on 30 September with a changelog that says it “fixes a lot of 26.3 bugs” (Iris on Modrinth), and Sodium 0.9.2, which is the Sodium version Iris 1.11.7 lists as required on Modrinth (Sodium on Modrinth). A 0.9.3 beta came out on 15 October, but Iris shows an error when it finds a Sodium version it doesn’t support, so stick with the version Iris asks for. Iris’s installer adds both; if you download from Modrinth, get both.
Two more things users in that thread mention. A couple of them saw smoother frame pacing with the HUD hidden (press F1). And one user reported better FPS after changing three NVIDIA Control Panel settings for javaw.exe: Threaded optimization off, Vulkan/OpenGL present method on Auto and Max Frame Rate off. That’s one person’s result, not a confirmed fix, so treat it as a last thing to try and note your old values first.
4. Still on OptiFine? Move to Iris and Sodium
Iris’s own README says OptiFine is “mutually incompatible with Sodium”, and Iris lists OptiFine as incompatible too (Iris on GitHub, Iris FAQ). So you can’t stack them. Iris was built to load OptiFine format shader packs, and its stated goal is to “fully utilize your graphics card when paired with optimization mods like Sodium”. Iris runs on Fabric and on NeoForge (1.21.1 and newer); its FAQ says Forge isn’t supported.
Iris aims for existing OptiFine packs to work without changes. If one doesn’t, Iris suggests contacting the pack’s developer, since some packs don’t support every device.
5. Lower the shader settings that cost the most
With the basics fixed, the remaining frames are in the settings. Iris’s own tooltip for Max Shadow Distance says it plainly: “Lowering the shadow distance can significantly increase performance.” It also notes that the shadow distance is capped by your View Distance, and that some packs set their own shadow distance, in which case Iris won’t let you change it. Iris adds the slider to the game’s Video Settings, on the Sodium options screen.
| Setting | Where | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Max Shadow Distance | Video Settings (Iris adds it) | Lower it first. Iris says it can significantly increase performance |
| Shader profile | Shader Options (pack menu) | Drop one step. Complementary, for example, has profiles from Potato to Ultra |
| Render distance | Video Settings | Lower it; it also caps the shadow distance |
| Graphics API | Video Settings | Default or Prefer OpenGL on 26.3 |
Complementary’s official page says it offers “profiles ranging from Potato to Ultra” and keeps every setting in Shader Options (Complementary on Modrinth). Change one setting at a time so you know which one helped.
Watch6. Laptops: plug in and use Best performance mode
The fix: power mode
Under Plugged in, choose Best performance, and keep the charger connected while you play.
Windows keeps separate power modes for battery and for plugged in. Plug in the charger, then set Windows to Best performance under Settings, System, Power and battery, Power mode (Microsoft). Set it for Plugged in, since that’s the mode you game in. If you can’t change the power mode, Microsoft says a custom power plan might be selected: open Control Panel, Power Options and select Balanced, then try again. If your laptop maker has its own performance app, its gaming or performance profile matters too.
Shopping for a laptop that handles shaders better? Our gaming laptops under 70,000 list covers models with dedicated graphics.
7. RAM: what the launcher gives you
Official launcher default
Since 26.1, the official launcher gives Minecraft 4 GB of RAM by default, up from 2 GB, and switched to the ZGC garbage collector on compatible devices. Mojang says it made the change “to make the game run smoother and reduce stutters” (Mojang 26.1 notes). Mojang adds that third party launchers may not support these changes, so in Prism or the Modrinth App, check the instance’s memory setting yourself. For a shader setup with a handful of mods, 4 GB is a sensible place to stay. Big modpacks can need more, which you set in your launcher’s memory or JVM settings; leave plenty for Windows and the graphics driver, and change it in small steps.
If your PC is short on memory, our gaming RAM guide covers the kits worth buying.
Still slow with shaders? What is left
Update the graphics driver
Get it from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel directly. Mojang notes that older drivers can’t run its Vulkan renderer at all, and a current driver rules out one more variable.
Remove extra rendering mods
Iris says mods like Nvidium switch themselves off with shaders, and Distant Horizons and Voxy only work with packs that support them.
Try a second pack
If one pack runs badly and another is fine, the problem is that pack’s settings or support for your GPU.
Your card may be at its limit
Heavy packs on high profiles push even good cards hard. See the best graphics cards under 30,000 and under 40,000, or buying a used GPU.
Play other games on PC as well? Our CS2 FPS commands guide covers a similar set of checks for Counter Strike 2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Minecraft FPS so low with shaders on a good PC?
One cause that’s easy to miss is the game running on integrated graphics instead of your graphics card. Iris shaders use OpenGL, and Mojang says its Vulkan renderer prefers the dedicated GPU, a change from OpenGL, so set Java to High performance in Windows Graphics settings.
Does Iris work with Vulkan or OpenGL?
OpenGL only. Iris renders through OpenGL, and an Iris contributor has reported crashes when Minecraft is forced to Vulkan. On 26.3, Default already means OpenGL; in the 26.4 snapshots, Default means Vulkan, so pick Prefer OpenGL.
Why did my shader FPS drop after updating to 26.2?
Many users report low GPU usage with shaders on 26.2 and 26.3 in an open Iris issue. The cause isn’t confirmed. Update to Iris 1.11.7 with the Sodium version it requires (0.9.2) first.
Does OptiFine work with Sodium?
No. Iris’s README says OptiFine is mutually incompatible with Sodium, and Iris lists OptiFine as incompatible. Use Iris with Sodium, on Fabric or NeoForge.
Which shader setting gives the most FPS back?
Start with Max Shadow Distance. Iris’s own tooltip says lowering it can significantly increase performance. Then drop the shader profile one step.
How much RAM should Minecraft have for shaders?
The official launcher has used 4 GB by default since 26.1. That suits a shader setup with a few mods; give more only for big modpacks, in small steps.
How do I check which GPU Minecraft is using?
Open Task Manager while you play and check the GPU engine column for Java, then match that GPU number in the Performance tab. The F3 debug screen also shows if you’re on OpenGL or Vulkan.
