Product capabilities
Features built around the frame buffer
Everything below comes from documented ReShade behavior: effect types, ReShade FX, API coverage, presets and the add-on API introduced in 5.0.
Image quality
Post-processing effects you can stack
Official examples include depth-edge SMAA, screen-space ambient occlusion, depth of field, chromatic aberration, film grain, saturation, color correction, cross processing and multi-pass blur.
- Antialiasing and sharpness
- Depth-edge-detection-driven SMAA and collections such as SweetFX LumaSharpen install through the setup effect checklist.
- Lighting and depth
- SSAO and depth of field use the depth buffer when exposed. Depth is turned off automatically in multiplayer.
- Color and film
- Chromatic aberration, dynamic film grain, automatic saturation, color correction and cross processing reshape the final grade.
Authoring
ReShade FX shading language
Syntax is based on HLSL with extras for post effects: declare textures in shader code, render to them, change render states, read color and depth, and query timers or key states.
Write shaders once. ReShade compiles them to the right model and language (HLSL, GLSL or SPIR-V) for the active API.
How setup installs shader packsCompatibility
Graphics API and platform specs
Tabular facts from the official system requirements.
| Area | Supported |
|---|---|
| Direct3D | 9, 10, 11, 12 |
| OpenGL | Supported |
| Vulkan | Supported |
| Operating system | Windows 7 SP1, 8.1, 10, 11 |
| Setup runtime | .NET Framework 4.8 (official). Some mirrors still list 4.6.2+ |
| Preset files | *.ini (and *.txt in game directory auto-load notes) |
Setup tool
Effect packages offered at install time
From ReShade Setup v6.8.0 “Select effects to install.”
Standard effects
Utility set including DisplayDepth, UIMask and related helpers.
SweetFX by CeeJay.dk
Original SweetFX collection (LumaSharpen, SMAA, …).
Legacy effects
Effects known from earlier ReShade versions (AmbientLight, …).
OtisFX by Otis_Inf
Virtual photography set including Cinematic DOF.
Depth3D by BlueSkyDefender
Depth-based stereoscopic perception effects.
FXShaders, Daodan, brussell
Bloom and flashlight tools; Comic/ColorIsolation; EyeAdaption and UIDetect.
You can also point setup at a preset .ini so only the effects that preset uses are installed.
Extensibility
Add-on API since ReShade 5.0
Write add-ons for ReShade and host applications. Full add-on support ships in an unsigned build. Prefer the signed installer unless you need that surface.
Version 6.8.0 extends add-on hooks with render pass flags, descriptor range flags, swap-chain color space override on create_swapchain, and begin_render_pass callbacks that can skip the original call.
See 6.8.0 changelog