Photon Shader
Shaderby sixthsurge
A gameplay-focused shader pack with a semi-realistic style
Type
Shader
CurseForge Downloads
0
CurseForge ID
1312687
Modrinth Downloads
17,140,654
Modrinth ID
lLqFfGNs
Last Updated
Apr 27, 2026
Description
Community
- Join my discord server for questions, suggestions and development updates
- You can also donate if you would like to say thanks
Frequently asked questions
"When will Photon be released for new Minecraft version?"
- Shader packs are generally not very dependent on MC versions; as long as Iris is available, Photon should just work.
Features
- Fully revamped sky, lighting and water
- Detailed clouds with several layers and many different cloud types
- Immersive weather system providing different skies each day
- Voxel-based colored lighting (enabled with Ultra profile, requires Iris)
- Screen-space reflections
- Volumetric fog
- Soft shadows with variable-size penumbras
- Detailed ambient occlusion (GTAO)
- Camera effects: bloom, depth of field, motion blur
- Much improved image quality with TAA, FXAA and CAS
- Advanced temporal upscaling (disabled by default) for low end devices
- Extensive settings menu allowing you to customize every aspect of the shader
- Full labPBR resource pack support
Compatibility
Shader loaders
- Iris (recommended)
- Iris is a modern shader loader with far better performance, mod compatibility and developer features than OptiFine
- Some features (Colored Lighting) will only work on Iris
- OptiFine
GPU vendors
- Nvidia
- AMD
- Intel
- NOT compatible with Apple GPUs (Metal) by default
- Disable SH Skylight and Colored Shadows
Mods
Acknowledgments
- Settings menu translations: NakiriRuri and OrzMiku (Chinese), Jmayk (Italian), Timtaran (Russian)
- Emin - Shadow bias method from Complementary Reimagined (fully fixes peter panning and light leaking underground!)
- DrDesten - Depth tolerance calculation for SSR (helps to prevent false reflections)
- Jessie - f0 and f82 values for labPBR hardcoded metals
- Sledgehammer Games - Bloom downsampling method used in Call of Duty Advanced Warfare (described here)
- http://momentsingraphics.de/ - Blue noise texture
- NASA Scientific Visualization Studio - Galaxy image
Screenshots
Similar Shaders
Complementary Shaders - Reimagined
Preserving the elements of Minecraft with exceptional quality, detail, and performance.
MakeUp - Ultra Fast | Shaders
High performance shaders. Gameplay oriented. Lightweight.
Sildur's Vibrant shaders
Very optimized shaderpack for MC: Java edition, around since 2012
Complementary Shaders - Unbound
Transforming the visuals of Minecraft with exceptional quality, detail, and performance.
BSL Shaders
Shaderpack for Minecraft: Java Edition. It's bright, colorful, and distinct.
Super Duper Vanilla Shaders
A shader pack created to convey the style of the cancelled Super Duper Graphics Pack and other popular Minecraft titles.
Included in Modpacks
Batoon's Modpacks: Building Utility's
Vanilla Paste
verdant dreams
create simple cool
Better look
LCLP's Mini Game Pack
Usefully Optimized
Virtual-Yellow
Prominence™ II: Hasturian Era
Aged
红石生电优化【Redstone Survival Optimization】
BattleArmory TACZ
月亮工厂MCF 【Moon Create factory】
LebaneseMC
Azure Visuals
Kart's Chaotic Kit
Christmas Dreams
Storm Chasers Saga 2
StarLeader's Satisfying Pack
Fidelity
Socky's Create Modpack
Cyclo's Gearbound
PvP Perfect
Animated & Fun
Wonders Reimagined
Create: SatisFactory
Distantly Optimized
duziy's PvP Optimized
Adventure Mod
Destiny's Kitchen Sink
RuneCraft SMP
ContentCreatorsTool
Cobblemon Pals
Wen's Create Experience
The Panda Foundry
JJK Cursed Fate Survival+ (Full)
Sestain's Optimizations
MytoEvent
JouTak
Amethyst
Cobblemon: Unbound
Horizons Edge
vibrant experience
Turtle's Auxiliar Modpack
InventMC Modpack
Tomato Performance Pack
Barely Modded
Clarity
Brassworks SMP modpack
PacPack Voxydized
Felix's QOL Modpack
Simple Survival Immersion - SSI
Smooth Pack
Farwater: Create Basics
The Iron Frontier
Create & Electrics
Raion's Vanilla Plus
CreateAbility
Cataclysmic
SR Remade&Remastered (modified)
Friendgroup create server
Cobblemon Trailblazer's Modpack
LunarFox
Windows Edition