Final Fantasy XIV’s latest plugin controversy involves malware in the popular GShade add-on, something completely separate from the game itself. GShade’s developer purposely put a questionable function into the program, which it says is there to deal with third parties attempting to redistribute copyrighted assets within GShade without permission.
GShade is now no longer receiving updates, and it basically is not functioning at all. Players uninstalling it for ReShade may find that they do not have access to their GShade presets if they don’t back them up first. Here is how to find GShade presets to use with ReShade should you no longer have access to them.
How to restore GShade presets to use with ReShade
Players going to the official GShade site will find that the page no longer offers any downloads associated with GShade. This includes popular presets that players have gotten used to using over the years. Currently, there are only two ways to keep and use your GShade presets after converting to ReShade.
Related: The 5 best add-ons for Final Fantasy XIV
What to do if you didn’t backup your GShade presets for ReShade
Currently, players who uninstalled GShade will find that all their preset files, shaders, and textures are removed as well. This is an issue as there is no means to restore them once they are gone. If you find yourself in this situation, the community has created a Google Drive Link that contains a pack with the various textures and shaders many popular presets utilized in GShade. A lot of other links only contain presets, which is not enough to get them to work without the proper shaders and textures. You will also find instructions on how to use the files in ReShade.
How to backup your GShade presets for ReShade
If you have yet to uninstall GShade and want to make sure that your presets work in Reshade, the easiest way is to backup your relevant GShade folders. Luckily, the community also has your back on exactly how to get this done safely. Upon completing this task, you should be able to uninstall GShade properly to avoid leaving potential malware on your PC.
Many players relied on GShade to make Final Fantasy XIV’s graphics better or help with disabilities, so the move back to ReShade can take some effort. Final Fantasy XIV will be getting a graphical update in the near future, so players might not even have to use a graphical add-on for much longer.
