A legal copy of Minecraft Java Edition is required to install shaders, as they are not supported in the Bedrock edition. A compatible mod, such as Optifine or Iris, must be installed to run shaders. The installation process involves three steps: installing a mod, downloading a shader pack, and running it in the game. To install a mod, download the appropriate version from the official site, execute the .jar file, and follow the installation prompts. To download a shader pack, visit trusted sources like Curseforge or Modrinth, select the desired pack, and save the zip file. To run the shader pack, launch Minecraft with the installed mod, navigate to Video Settings, open the Shaders Folder, and drag the zip file into it. Shaders can lower FPS in Minecraft, but many options exist that balance performance and visual quality.