How to get realistic water in Minecraft

Minecraft has been a massive success for 15 years and counting. The game’s appeal is that it allows you to do almost anything. But despite all of this, the graphics and physics of the game, especially with water, are still lacking and feel outdated. The water looks like blue paint and has an unrealistic appearance. However, there are ways to improve it.

If you want to change certain aspects of Minecraft’s visuals, say, get realistic water in the game, you can do so using mods and shaders. In this article, we will be explaining how to get realistic water in Minecraft.

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How to get realistic water in Minecraft

Shaders can improve the look of the game (Image via Modrinth)

Before we get into the mods and shaders, it is important to be clear on the definition of “realistic.” There are two possible routes you can go for: either water that behaves like realistic water, which means the physics simulation is changed, or it still looks like the water in Minecraft but a bit more realistic. We are avoiding the physics simulation method as it also changes the behavior of the game.

Changing the way the game looks, including the water, is quick and easy. In fact, this is the route most people prefer as it keeps everything about Minecraft the same but improves how things look. So if you are looking for the same thing, let’s get into Minecraft shaders.

Shaders are special programs that tell the game how to show things in particular lighting, giving it a more realistic look. For example, the normal game does not have shadows. But with shaders, you can get realistic shadows that drastically improve the game's visuals.

Activating the shaders for the game (Image via Mojang Studios)

There are many options of shaders to choose from and almost all of the popular ones make water look and even behave more realistic. We recommend going for Complimentary or BSL shaders as they are very stable and reliable.

To install BSL shaders or Complimentary shaders (the installation process remains the same), all you need to do is follow these steps:

• Head over to the shader's website. We are using BSL shaders as an example.
• Download the zip file and keep it handy, you will need it soon.
• Download OptiFine and install it on your computer. You might have to update your system’s Java.
• Open Minecraft Launcher and create a new game installation. Make sure you select OptiFine and the version should be compatible with the shaders version.
• Once the installation is completed, launch the OptiFine version of the game.
• From the title screen, open Options>>Video Settings>>Shaders>>Shaders Folder.
• Move the BSL shaders zip file that you downloaded at the beginning to this folder and click “Done.” The BSL shaders option will show up in the list of installed shaders.

BSL shaders or Complimentary shaders will not only make the water in Minecraft realistic, but it will also improve the game's overall visuals. And since all of these are free and easy, it is certainly the recommended way of making water and Minecraft more realistic looking.