How to download Minecraft Sodium 1.21

Sodium has become one of the most widely used Minecraft mods since its release. This mod is a total rewrite of the rendering engine of the game, allowing for much smoother and more optimized performance. This makes it an essential mod to download ASAP once a new major version is released. Thankfully, Sodium for 1.21 has already been released, so you can use it on update day one.

Detailed below is how to manually install Sodium to 1.21 for those wanting increased performance going into dangerous trial chambers.

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How to manually install Sodium for Minecraft 1.21

1) Find Sodium 1.21

Sodium's 1.21 Modrinth download button (Image via Sodium)

Modrinth Sodium Link: Click here

The first thing you need to do to add Sodium to your 1.21 installation is download the mod. The two most-used Minecraft alternative launchers, CuseForge and Modrinth, both have Sodium available for download on their websites. The Modrinth link was used for this tutorial and is linked above. Download Sodium from whichever of these sources you prefer.

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2) Launch the game

The main menu of a game with Fabric installed (Image via Mojang)

Once you have Sodium for 1.21 downloaded, launch the game. Make sure to select the Java Edition of the game in the launcher, as there is no version of Sodium available for Bedrock Edition. In fact, mods represent one of the biggest parity differences between Minecraft Java and Bedrock.

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3) Use the in-game settings to access game files

The "Open Pack Folder" is the easiest way to get to the game's files (Image via Mojang)

With the game open, the easiest way to access the files is to hit the "Options" button on the main menu and then enter into the "Resource Packs" section. This is where all of Minecraft's best texture packs are listed, but the "Open Pack Folder" button at the bottom of the screen is also the easiest way to access the game's files.

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4) Close the game

Exiting the game is always recommended before messing with files (Image via Mojang)

Now that the installation's files are open, close the game. Messing with the game's files while it's open can cause stability issues. Closing it before altering any files will help ensure no issues occur.

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5) Place Sodium in the "mods" folder

Sodium's jar filed placed into the mods folder (Image via Windows)

Navigate from the resource packs folder back into the game's main folder. From here, enter the mods folder. If this folder is missing, create it. Make sure that "mods" is all lowercase, as that's the name of the folder the game is expecting to see. Installing Sodium simply requires placing the mod inside this mod folder.

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6) Test in-game

Areas filled with mobs, such as trial chambers, are also good spots to test Sodium (Image via Mojang)

Now that the mod has been placed in the mod folder, it will be loaded as the game launches. To test and make sure this amazing Minecraft mod is working as intended, launch into the game. Sodium should appear in the list of mods found on the main menu.

Additionally, you can load into an area that's normally quite resource-intensive, such as a fully featured Minecraft megabase or industrial district. Sodium should make this area considerably smoother to move around in.