Shadow Player
by Mtrixcraft
Shadow Player keeps a Fabric server's players online through a shadow presence after they disconnect, so the server stays populated while they are away.
What it does
A server-side orchestrator from Mtrixcraft maintains a shadow version of a player once that player disconnects. The shadow holds the player's presence on the server, so the world keeps a populated state even while the real client is gone. The mod is designed for long-running servers that should stay alive around the clock, and it can also give any AFK player a presence on the server.
Shadow Player needs Fabric API and its listed dependencies to work, and those must be installed alongside it. It is server-side only, so players join without installing anything. The mod is published for Fabric across six release versions, and the latest file, 1.0.1+1.21.5-fabric, targets 1.21.5. It is released under the MIT License and is not open source. Server owners place the mod file in the mods folder and restart the server to load it.
Logging out is not a safe state in every scenario, so the mod suits challenge servers and unique survival setups where a player's absence still matters. Update notes list support for Fabric versions from April 10, 2025.
Key features
Shadow presence
A shadow copy of each disconnected player keeps that player listed as present on the server.
Always-online servers
The server can stay populated around the clock, even after every real player has logged out.
Join and leave message removal
Join and leave messages are suppressed, so other players cannot tell which presences are real.
Server restart loading
The mod loads after the server restarts, once its file sits in the mods folder.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Challenge servers
Survival challenges where logging out does not ensure safety can use shadow presences to keep players in the world.
AFK presence
Any AFK player can be given a fake shadow presence on the server.
Who it’s for: Server owners who run long-lived Fabric servers and want players to remain present after disconnecting.
How it compares
Shadow Items Mod is server-side only, published for Fabric across 1.21 – 1.21.8, and is not open source under All rights reserved. Carpet Shadow Legacy shares the client and server environment, covers 1.21 – 26.2 and is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only. Nameplate Tweaks is client-side only, published for 1.21.10 – 1.21.11 under All rights reserved.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Player | Fabric | 1.21 – 1.21.5 | Server-side only | 2025-04-10 |
| Shadow Items Mod | Fabric | 1.21 – 1.21.8 | Server-side only | 2026-01-21 |
| Carpet Shadow Legacy | Fabric | 1.21 – 26.2 | Client and server | 2026-09-20 |
| Nameplate Tweaks | Fabric | 1.21.10 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2025-12-16 |
Questions
Does Shadow Player need Fabric API?
Do players need to install Shadow Player?
Which game versions does Shadow Player support?
In the catalog
Shadow Player is one of 8,499 Technology mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,201 Technology mods for Fabric. 15,307 mods support Minecraft 1.21.5.
Similar mods
What the author says
Shadow Player is a server side Carpet mod orchestrator that maintains a 'shadow' version of a player when they disconnect from the server, preserving their presence. This way, players can stay online forever on the server as long as they are alive, even if they log out. The mod might be useful for creating cool…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/shadow-player
- Owner
- Mtrixcraft
- Published
- 2025-04-02
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-04-10
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15