Vanilla Plus Shader is a free Minecraft shaderpack that adds visual effects while retaining a vanilla-style look. It includes dynamic soft shadows, lighting with dynamic colours, and volumetric clouds that use the resourcepack’s cloud texture. Optional effects include custom water, screen-space reflections, godrays, depth of field, lens flares, and vignette; temporal anti-aliasing is also included. It supports resourcepack materials based on the labPBR standard and provides color profiles inspired by Minecraft Alpha and older shaderpacks, including SEUS v08 and Chocapic v3. Version 3.3 added Minecraft 1.21 block mappings, improved wind handling, and settings for blocklight colour and brightness and minimum ambient light. Compatibility is listed for Minecraft Java Edition versions 1.16.x through 1.21.4 with Iris or OptiFine. Requirements include OptiFine for Minecraft 1.16 or newer, or Iris 1.5.0 or newer, and a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or newer. Listed operating systems are Windows and Linux. Downloads are available through CurseForge or Modrinth. Private modifications are allowed, but redistributing modified versions requires explicit permission.
Who it is for
Vanilla Plus Shader suits Minecraft Java Edition players who want added lighting and visual effects while keeping a vanilla-style aesthetic. It requires Iris or OptiFine and a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or newer.
What is good
- Includes dynamic shadows and coloured lighting.
- Volumetric clouds use the resourcepack texture.
- Supports labPBR resourcepack materials.
- Private modifications are allowed.
What to know first
- Requires Iris or OptiFine.
- Requires a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or newer.
- Modified versions cannot be redistributed without permission.
Verdict
Vanilla Plus Shader offers optional visual effects and resourcepack material support across the listed Minecraft versions. Check the graphics and mod requirements before downloading.
Get started with Vanilla Plus Shader
- Visit the Vanilla Plus Shader website.
- Download the shaderpack through CurseForge or Modrinth.
- Use OptiFine for Minecraft 1.16 or newer, or Iris 1.5.0 or newer.
- Run it on Windows or Linux with a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or newer.
- For support or development updates, use the creator’s Discord server.
Questions about Vanilla Plus Shader
Is Vanilla Plus Shader free?
Yes. Its pricing model is free, and the listed plan costs 0.00 USD per free.
Which Minecraft versions are listed as compatible?
The Modrinth page lists Minecraft Java Edition versions 1.16.x through 1.21.4 with Iris or OptiFine.
What does it require?
It requires OptiFine for Minecraft 1.16 or newer, or Iris 1.5.0 or newer, and a graphics card supporting OpenGL 4.3 or newer.
Which operating systems are listed?
Windows and Linux.
Can I redistribute a modified version?
Private modifications are allowed, but redistributing modified versions requires explicit permission.
Where can I get support?
The creator points users to the Discord server for support and development updates.
Vanilla Plus Shader plans and pricing
All plansCompared on Minecraft shader packs
- Free plan
- Yes
- PBR materials
- Yes
- Visual effects
- dynamic shadows, colored lighting, volumetric clouds, custom water, screen-space reflections, godrays, lens flares, motion blur, bloom, temporal anti-aliasing
