How to download and install Optifine for Minecraft 1.20.1

Tyler Constable
An image of Minecraft characters.

One of the most popular mods for improving Minecraft’s visuals is Optifine, and here’s how you can install it for Minecraft 1.20.1.

Minecraft features a lot of fantastic mods for players to download and their purposes range from adding mythical creatures like Dragons into the game, turning it into a Stardew Valley-inspired farming experience, and making things more challenging with treacherous environments.

If you would rather use mods to improve Minecraft’s visuals, however, there are also plenty of options but one of the most beloved is the Optifine mod. It’s a simple but effective mod that improves the game’s frame rate, lightning, and graphical performance.

Here’s exactly how to install the Optifine mod for Minecraft.

An image of Minecraft characters.
Optifine is one of the many mods players can install for Minecraft.

How to download and install Optifine for Minecraft 1.20.1

To download the Optifine mod for Minecraft for Windows and Mac simply follow the steps below:

  1. Visit the mod’s official website and navigate to the downloads page.
  2. Find the download link that’s applicable to your platform of choice.
  3. Hit ‘download‘ and the .jar file for the mod will download.

Once the mod has been downloaded, you can install and run it in the game by doing the following:

  1. Once the file has been downloaded, find the file on your computer.
  2. Run the .jar file and the installation wizard will open.
  3. Make sure the installer is directed at your ‘.minecraft‘ folder.
  4. Once Optifine is fully installed, open the Minecraft launcher, select the ‘Java Edition‘, and finally click on the Optifine mod by using the dropdown menu that’s located to the left of the ‘play‘ button.

There you have it. That’s everything you need to know about how to download and install the Optifine in Minecraft, once the mod has been installed your game’s visuals should be significantly improved. For even more Minecraft content, check out more of our guides below:

How to make a grindstone in Minecraft | Best Minecraft servers | Best Minecraft seeds | Best Minecraft house ideas |  How to make a beehive in Minecraft | All Minecraft cheats and commands | How to make a grindstone in Minecraft | How to install the best Bedrock shaders in Minecraft | How to get Honeycomb in Minecraft | How to make Lanterns in Minecraft | How to breed horses in Minecraft & tame them | Minecraft teleporting guide | Minecraft Villager jobs guide | How to make paper in Minecraft | How to make a lead in Minecraft

About The Author

Tyler is Dexerto's Gaming Evergreen Specialist. He loves many games but is particularly fond of JRPGs and The Last of Us. When he's not writing about or playing video games, he's probably watching Doctor Who or reading a book. You can contact him at tyler.constable@dexerto.com