Better Voxels
ShaderA shader with lifelike lighting, changing skies, and detailed clouds.
Why gradeC
How grades workStrengths
Points lost
- First release only 2 months ago−7 points
- Many modpacks removed it−5 points
- Under 5 million downloads−1 point
All 10 criteria
Maintenance
Full points21 / 21Last releaseHow long ago the newest file came out, or an existing file was marked as working on a new Minecraft version.4 weeks ago (26 Sep 2026) 12 / 12Supports popular versionsWhether the project has a file for a Minecraft version that 15% or more of the popular mods updated in the last 6 months also support. A version many modpacks use, like 1.20.1 or 1.21.1, also counts after a release in the last 12 months.26.3 (latest) 9 / 9Regular releasesIn how many of the last 24 months a new file came out. Full points at 3 months.Does not apply. The project is under 6 months old.Stability
5 points lost5 / 10Removed from modpacksHow many modpacks removed it in a later version of the pack. We can only see this in modpacks with two or more versions. A pack that swaps it for another edition of the same project, or that is rebuilt from scratch, does not count.4 of the 9 modpacks with two or more versions removed it in a later one (44%) See the 4 modpacks0 / 5Quick fixesHow often a release needed a quick fix: a new release within 3 days to fix a problem in it.Not measured yet.Known conflictsHow many projects say they do not work with it, compared with how widely it is used. Packs, small projects, forks, ports, add-ons, alternatives and old versions do not count.None 5 / 5Transparency
Full points3 / 3Source codeWhether the project page links to its source code, so anyone can read what it does.Does not apply. A shader's files can be read in the download.Place to report problemsWhether the project page links to a place where players can report problems: an issue tracker or a Discord server.GitHub issues · FASTDROPX/BetterVoxels 3 / 3Popularity
1 point lost3 / 4DownloadsDownloads on Modrinth and CurseForge. Full points from 5 million.73,180 3 / 4Track record
7 points lost1 / 8AgeHow long the project has existed. It counts less when no new file came out recently.2 months, 2 releases 1 / 8
33 of the 46 points that apply = 72 out of 100.
Images
About
Better Voxels is a configurable shader fork of Rethinking Voxels that enhances Minecraft’s lighting, atmosphere, weather, water, foliage, and post-processing. Its voxel global illumination adds path-traced bounce lighting, while realistic water, interactive ripples, waving foliage, glowing ores, and texture-following block outlines add detail to the world. The sky features volumetric Nubis Extended clouds, with eight cloud types including cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and cumulonimbus; cloud regions drift and form in response to temperature, humidity, and atmospheric stability, and clouds cast shadows and reflect in water. Atmospheric effects include fog and haze, godrays, cave fog, auroras, rainbows, and seasonal color changes, alongside storm clouds that lower during thunderstorms and flash from lightning. Fog and light shafts can be tuned for 64 biomes, with crossfading at biome borders, and sunrise, sunset, clouds, shadows, stars, nebulae, and auroras follow a shared smooth time transition. Post-processing ranges from camera-inspired BodyCam and 2KS looks, scanlines and tape distortion, to a live ASCII view, color grading, film grain, cinematic bars, and 16 tonemappers. Auto exposure responds to bright objects in view, while optional effects include low-health and low-oxygen cues, water-plunge blur, lens fogging, heat distortion, and screen rain and dirt. Separate visual post profiles and eight quality profiles let players choose an overall look independently of performance, and extensive shader-menu controls allow individual effects to be adjusted or disabled. The shader also supports Distant Horizons and Voxy, applying fog, haze, seasons, lighting, shadows, and ambient occlusion to distant terrain.
Written from Modrinth and CurseForge . How we write it
In-game changes
Changes how the game looks: 55 shader programs, for the Overworld, the Nether and the End. Draws its own shadows, water, sky, clouds and weather.
Settings in English and French. Has programs for Distant Horizons and Voxy.
Details
- Creator
- _FastdropX_
- License
- Complementary Agreement 1.6
- Downloads
- 74K
- Created
- 6 Jul 2026
- Official pages
- Modrinth , CurseForge
- Links
- Source code , Issues , Discord
Security
No harmful code found
We checked what is inside its files, without opening them in the game.
Why we show this: a shader cannot run programs, but its file can hide one. Our checks look for known signs of harm. They cannot prove that a file is harmless. In the grade: malware means no grade.
How we checked
- FilesWe download the files from Modrinth or CurseForge and look at what is inside them and what their code can do, without running them. Fixed rules tell what is harmful.1 latest file, for a recent version. Recent versions: those released in the last 2 years, plus 1.20.1 and 1.21.1, among the most played in modpacks. See each file in Releases
- Author on ModrinthThe disclosure form on Modrinth, where the author declares that the project reads or edits things on your system outside the game. Since 13 Aug 2026, Modrinth's rules require it when this applies.Nothing declared about your system outside the game.
Privacy
Sends nothing
A shader has no code that can connect to the internet, so it cannot send anything about you.
AI
AI was used for its code
The author declares AI code on Modrinth.
We looked for AI tools in its texts, files and images and found none.
We have not read its code history yet.
Why we show this: some players and servers avoid projects made with AI. Not in the grade: using AI does not tell whether a project works well or is kept up to date.
How we checked
- Author on ModrinthThe disclosure form on Modrinth. Since 13 Aug 2026, Modrinth's rules require it when a substantial part of the code is AI output, when an asset is mainly AI output, or when the project or its page relies on generative AI.Declares AI code.
- Code historyThe public code on GitHub: who made each change, credit lines such as "Co-authored-by", and its files.Not read yet
- Description and changelogsThe description, project page and newest changelogs: sentences saying an AI tool was used, and text pasted from an AI chat.Nothing found4 of 6 changelogs read
- Its filesFiles that AI coding tools leave behind (like AGENTS.md), and the texts inside the files you download.Nothing found
- Images in its filesHidden data in the images of the files you download, where AI image tools write their name and settings.Nothing found6 images read
Compatibility
See all 2 filesPoint at or tap a version to see it.
Modpacks using this project
Modpacks that include Better Voxels in at least one of their versions, most downloaded first.
Better Adventures+2.2M downloadslast version with it 17 Sep 2026
Matcha & Honey7.2K downloadslast version with it 15 Oct 2026
Bogwood Matcha Flavoured4.9K downloadslast version with it 29 Sep 2026
BuildingModpack4.9K downloadslast version with it 20 Oct 2026Trivernis' Vanilla753 downloadslast version with it 4 Oct 2026
Alan Becker693 downloadslast version with it 30 Jul 2026
Create Ships & Contraptions684 downloadslast version with it 13 Oct 2026
Skulk563 downloadslast version with it 5 Oct 2026
Cryptex Exploration Pack288 downloadslast version with it 13 Oct 2026
A.L.N264 downloadslast version with it 7 Oct 2026Latest files
The newest file for each Minecraft version and loader. The files for recent versions come first. Recent versions: those released in the last 2 years, plus 1.20.1 and 1.21.1, among the most played in modpacks.