How to get Complementary shaders for Minecraft 1.21

Complementary is one of the most popular Minecraft shaders out there due to its amazing visuals, customization options, and performance. It's also one of the first shaders to be updated to 1.21, which is great for those wanting to experience a much more atmospheric version of trial chambers.

Everything players need to know about installing Complementary shaders for 1.21 can be found below. It should be noted that shaders can't run on their own. They require a modded game, either with Optifine or Iris, installed. The installation guide assumes that one of these is already installed.

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How to manually install Complementary shaders for Minecraft 1.21

1) Pick a style

Unbound compared against Reimagined (Image via Complementary)

The first thing you'll need to do is pick which version of this Minecraft shader you'll want to use. There are two different Complementaries available: Unbound and Reimagined.

Unbound is designed for those looking for a more realistic look. The water looks better, and the clouds are fluffier.

Reimagined is a more classic look. The water still looks pixelated, and the clouds remain squared.

It's worth noting that Complementary is extremely customizable. The only difference between Unbound and Reimagined are the default settings. Given enough time and tweaking, one could be made to look like the other. However, picking the option that you prefer now will let you skip having to do all that work.

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2) Download Complementary

The shader's official website (Image via Complementary)

Link: https://www.complementary.dev/shaders/

Now that you've decided on which version of Complementary you want, you'll need to download it. There are links available on both CurseForge and Minecraft Modrinth.

Complementary also has an official website where it can be downloaded, linked above. There's also an installer available on their website. This installer will automatically install both the Complementary shader and the Iris shader loader needed to use it. This is a convenient option, but knowing how to manually install the shader is useful for troubleshooting any potential issues down the line.

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3) Launch the game and access its files

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

Now that Complementary is downloaded, launch the game. Use the "Open Pack Folder" button found within the Minecraft resource pack list to quickly get to the game's files. Make sure to close the game after opening its files to avoid potential file corruption.

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4) Move Complementary into the game's files

Several shaders within the "shaderpacks" folder (Image via Windows)

Navigate back to the game's main file list and then into the "shaderpacks" folder. If this folder does not exist, make it.

Paste the Complementary shader from your downloads into this folder.

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5) Activate the shader

The Complementary Unbound shader activated (Image via Mojang)

Now that the pack is installed, reopen the game and navigate to the video settings. Assuming that Optifine or Iris is already installed, as mentioned previously, there should be a section in the video settings for shaders.

Activating a shader is similar to activating a texture pack. Click on Complementary shaders to select them and then return to the game. There will be a loading screen as the game refreshes and re-renders with the shader applied.

From here, you're good to enjoy and experience one of Minecraft's best shaders in all its beauty.