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How to Download & Install Sodium

Follow our step-by-step guide to install Sodium on your preferred mod loader and start experiencing Minecraft with dramatically improved performance.

Before You Begin

Sodium requires a mod loader to run. You'll need to choose between Fabric, Quilt, or NeoForge before proceeding with installation.

1. Choose Your Mod Loader

Sodium is available for multiple mod loaders, each with different characteristics:

Fabric

The original and most widely tested platform for Sodium.

✓ Official support

Quilt

A fork of Fabric with additional features and improvements.

✓ Compatible

NeoForge

The new Forge fork with Sodium port available.

⚠ Experimental support

Not sure which one to choose? Check our detailed comparison of mod loaders to make an informed decision.

2. Requirements

  • Minecraft: Java Edition (versions 1.16.5 through 1.20.x)
  • Java 17 or newer (Download from Adoptium)
  • Your chosen mod loader installed (instructions below)
  • Minimum 2GB of RAM allocated to Minecraft

Installation Guides

Installing Sodium with Fabric

Step 1: Install Fabric

  1. Download the Fabric Installer
  2. Run the installer and select your Minecraft version
  3. Click "Install" to create a Fabric profile in your launcher
  4. Launch Minecraft with the Fabric profile once to generate the mods folder

Step 2: Install Sodium

  1. Download the latest Sodium release for your Minecraft version
  2. Place the downloaded .jar file in your .minecraft/mods folder
  3. Launch Minecraft with the Fabric profile
  4. Verify installation in the title screen by checking if "Sodium" appears in the mods list

Installing Sodium with Quilt

Step 1: Install Quilt

  1. Download the Quilt Installer
  2. Run the installer and select your Minecraft version
  3. Click "Install" to create a Quilt profile in your launcher
  4. Launch Minecraft with the Quilt profile once to generate the mods folder

Step 2: Install Sodium

  1. Download the latest Sodium release for your Minecraft version
  2. Also download Quilted Fabric API
  3. Place both .jar files in your .minecraft/mods folder
  4. Launch Minecraft with the Quilt profile

Installing Sodium with NeoForge

NeoForge support for Sodium is still experimental. Some features may not work as expected.

Step 1: Install NeoForge

  1. Download the NeoForge Installer for your Minecraft version
  2. Run the installer jar file (requires Java)
  3. Follow the installation wizard to create a NeoForge profile
  4. Launch Minecraft with the NeoForge profile once to generate the mods folder

Step 2: Install Embeddium (Sodium port)

  1. Download Embeddium (Sodium port for NeoForge)
  2. Place the downloaded .jar file in your .minecraft/mods folder
  3. Launch Minecraft with the NeoForge profile
  4. Configure settings in the Video Options menu

All Available Versions

Download the version that matches your Minecraft installation and mod loader

Version Game Version Platform Published Downloads Action
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Troubleshooting

Minecraft Crashes on Startup

  • Ensure you're using a compatible version of Sodium for your Minecraft version
  • Check if you have the correct mod loader installed
  • Look for conflicting mods (other performance mods might conflict)
  • Verify Java version is up to date (Java 17+ recommended)
  • Check the crash log in your .minecraft/crash-reports folder

Sodium Settings Not Appearing

  • Verify the mod was properly installed in the correct mods folder
  • Make sure you're launching the correct profile (Fabric/Quilt/NeoForge)
  • Check the mod list in-game to confirm Sodium is loaded
  • Look for the "Video Settings" option in the game menu, it replaces the vanilla options

Compatibility Issues

  • Sodium is not compatible with OptiFine — you must choose one or the other
  • For OptiFine features like shaders, consider using Iris Shaders alongside Sodium
  • Some mods that modify the rendering pipeline may conflict with Sodium
  • Check the compatibility chart for known issues

Still having issues? Get help from the community:

Visit Community & Support Page

Recommended Companion Mods

For the ultimate performance boost, consider pairing Sodium with these complementary mods:

Lithium

General-purpose optimization mod that improves server-side performance without changing gameplay mechanics.

Learn more →

Phosphor

Lighting engine optimization that significantly reduces lag from light updates and calculations.

Learn more →

Sodium Extra

Adds additional options and features to Sodium that enhance customization capabilities.

Learn more →
Explore the complete performance ecosystem