[Guide] Getting Reshade with RedM properly. [Slightly outdated]

Hey everyone, I have been getting a lot of questions on how I got my ReShade working with RedM after the recent updates, so I have decided to make a detailed guide on how to get it working!

Text Tutorial:

Go to https://reshade.me/ and download the latest ReShade version using the download button at the bottom of the homepage.

Save the ReShade setup file (it will be a .exe file) somewhere where you can have easy access, such as desktop or the pin bar, as each time we are going to play RedM we are going to make sure that the executable file is running.

Run the ReShade executable setup file

Using the “Click here to select a game…” button, point ReShade to RedM.exe, usually located within C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\RedM. In my case I moved it to C:\redM for easy access.
Note: Do not point ReShade to your RedM Application Data folder, or a RedM.exe shortcut. These will not work. Similarly, simply pointing ReShade to your RDR2.exe file, for regular Red Dead Redemption 2, will not work.


You are going to find and select the game API, to find which game API you are using, launch RedM and connect to a server, go to graphics settings, scroll down to advanced graphics, then graphics API, you will either have Vulkan, or DirectX12 just note which one your RedM is using.
​Note: Do not check your graphics settings from RDR2 as it might point to a different setting document, do it through RedM.


Select the corresponding API with your RedM, Vulkan or Direct3D 10/11/12


Next, you will be prompted to select the Effect Packages you wish to install. I simply opted to Uncheck All, then Check All - marking them all to be installed.


Once the download is done, you are prompted to Edit ReShade Settings you have successfully installed ReShade to RedM - as shown by the “ReShade Setup was successful!” at the top of the window. ​DO NOT CLOSE THE RESHADE SETUP LEAVE IT OPEN.


Double check your RedM folder that it has the Reshade-shaders folder.


Double check your ReShade installation by going to C:\ProgramData\ReShade make sure your ReShade folder is there.
​Note: If you do not see the ProgramData folder, on the file explorer click view on top, then check Hidden Box item on.


Now, again do not close the ReShade exe, and just launch RedM. you should be able to press Home and see ReShade appear. You are not going to see any effects YET.



Now we are going to fix couple of issue and work around them, this part is still essential to have ReShade without headaches. We are going to add the effects for it to appear.

In ReShade in game skip tutorial, go to the settings tab.

You will see a [+] button next to "Effect search path", click the [+] button, then in file explorer go to your RedM folder, then to \reshade-shaders folder and copy the folder path.

Go back to game and paste the path, single click on Shaders folder and hit select.

Click on the [+] button again, paste the path again, this time double click on the Shaders folder, you will see plenty of folders, starting from AstrayFX, single click it, and hit select.

Repeat the same step for all the folders in the Shaders folder to add all the effects.

Once you have added all the paths for the effects folder, click the [+] button next to "Texture Search Path", go to your \reshade-shaders folder and single click the "Textures" folder and click on select.

Go back to Home tab in ReShade and down below you will see a "Reload O" button, simply click it, all the effects should appear.


We are not done yet! Customize your presets and effects before thinkings it's done, as each time before you launch RedM your presets will and settings above will reset, watch the video if you want my effects.



Last steps, before we start playing we are going to make backups after customizing our ReShade for the reason mentioned above. Remember once more: Each time we want to play RedM we are going to launch ReShade setup.



Once you are done customizing, close RedM, go to C:\ProgramData\ and copy the ReShade folder.

Go to a different directory, paste the folder, essentially creating a backup.
Note: Each time you edit/customize the effects in game in ReShade repeat this proccess.
Now each time you want to play RedM and you have closed the ReShade setup, either deliberately or restarting PC etc. you must to do the following:



Run the ReShade executable setup file

Select the API

Click Skip, You do not have to reinstall the effects.

Leave the executable running

Go to where you pasted the backup ReShade folder from the steps above, and copy the ReShade folder.

Go to C:\ProgramData\ and paste the ReShade folder.

Launch RedM, and there you should have all your settings and effects that you customized.