Minecraft Snapshots and Previews: Play New Features Early

Snapshots (Java) and Previews (Bedrock) are test builds that let you play upcoming features weeks or months before release. On Java, turn on snapshots in the launcher and pick the latest one. On Bedrock, install the separate Minecraft Preview app, or join the beta on your phone. Both are free if you own the game, and both can break things, so never use your main world.

As of November 2026, the snapshots and previews contain the fourth drop of 2026: ice caves, the frostbite mob and the Freezing effect. Our latest version page has the current status.

Java snapshots

1. Open the Minecraft Launcher and choose Java Edition.
2. Go to Installations and tick Snapshots.
3. A “Latest snapshot” installation appears. Click Play on it, or create a new installation with a specific snapshot.
4. Give it its own game directory if you want to keep test worlds completely separate.

How snapshots are named. Since December 2025, snapshots are named after the version they’re building toward, like “26.4 Snapshot 6.” Before that they used a year-and-week code: 24w14a meant 2024, week 14, first build. You’ll still see the old style in older videos, and occasionally for April Fools’ snapshots.

After the snapshots come pre-releases and release candidates, which are close to final and mostly fix bugs.

Snapshots usually come out on Tuesdays while a drop is in development. Each one has a changelog on minecraft.net.

Bedrock: Minecraft Preview and betas

• Windows and Xbox: install Minecraft Preview, a separate app from the store. It has its own worlds, so it can’t touch your normal game.
• Android: join the Minecraft beta through the Google Play listing. On Android the beta replaces your normal game, so back up worlds first.
• iPhone and iPad: Minecraft Preview runs through Apple’s TestFlight. Spots are limited and fill up fast.

Previews usually come out weekly too. Some features in development are also hidden behind experimental toggles in normal Bedrock releases. When you create a world, look under Experiments. Those worlds are marked as experimental for good.

Keep your worlds safe

1. Never open your main world in a snapshot or preview. It gets upgraded to the test version and may not open correctly in the release again.
2. Copy first. If you want to see your base with new features, duplicate the world folder (Java) or use Copy World (Bedrock) and open the copy.
3. Expect crashes. Test builds can corrupt worlds outright. That’s the deal.
4. Don’t build anything you’d be upset to lose. Features can change or be removed before release.

Going in the other direction, back to old versions, is covered in how to play old versions.

Why bother?

You get to play new mobs and blocks early, and you can affect them. Mojang changes things based on feedback during testing. If you find a bug, search the bug tracker at bugs.mojang.com and add to an existing report or file a new one. Suggestions go to feedback.minecraft.net.

Many players follow along with Minecraft Live: the features shown there are often in a snapshot within days.