This article is about the different types of versions and updates in Minecraft. For an overview of the game's version history, see Version history. For types of versions of Java and Bedrock Edition before 2026 using the old numbering system, see Version types/Before 2026.

There are various types of versions (or updates) of Minecraft. Generally speaking, updates fall into 3 categories: major updates, minor updates (including game drops), and hot fixes. The terms "version" and "version update"^{[citation needed]} are also synonymous with update. "Version update" often means "major update".

Also, there are many different formats that different editions and versions of Minecraft use for version names. See Version formats for more information.

A release version is an update to the game that is fully released to all players on the main release channel. Release versions for Java Edition and Bedrock Edition typically have multiple corresponding development versions.

Game drops are named updates that are released throughout a calendar year, with three to four game drops typically being released each year. Game drops can be small or large in terms of added content. Examples of game drops include Bats and Pots, Spring to Life, and Tiny Takeover.

Game drops are numbered according to the current year as well what number game drop they are for that year. For instance, the first game drop of 2026 is called 26.1 in Java Edition and 26.10 in Bedrock Edition.

In Bedrock Edition, a Bedrock release^[1] is a version that increments the second number of the version by 10 but is not a game drop. They sometimes include new content, for instance, Bedrock Edition 1.21.80 added flat worlds, and they often include features for the next game drop as part of an experimental toggle. There is usually one Bedrock release before each game drop, like Bedrock Edition 26.0 preceding Bedrock Edition 26.10.

In Bedrock Edition, unnamed minor updates are also sometimes referred to as "minor hotfix updates", since they often consist of only hotfixes and parity fixes. There were 5 of these in 2020, 5 in 2021, 7 in 2022, 6 in 2023, 4 in 2024, and 3 in 2025.

There were fewer minor hotfix updates in the last two years, because some of them were replaced with game drops. Game drops fix all of the same issues that minor hotfix updates do. So, really, a game drop contains these same fixes. Also, minor hotfix updates can sometimes add minor new features or significant changes to existing features, but this has become rarer recently.

Hotfixes are minor updates that fix bugs or revise features. Typically these are used to patch game-breaking bugs or amend recently added features.

In Java Edition, hotfixes add or increment the third number of the version. For example, the first two hotfixes for Java Edition 26.1 would be called 26.1.1 and 26.1.2.

In Bedrock Edition, hotfixes increment the second number of the version. For example, the first two hotfixes for Bedrock Edition 26.10 would be 26.11 and 26.12.^[1]

A development version is a version of the game which is publicly released with the intent of testing new features, changes, and bug fixes that are to make their way into the full release of a major or minor update. They are experimental (some types more so than others) and may break the game.

For how snapshots are named, see Version formats § Snapshots.

A "snapshot" is a term used to describe unstable development versions for Java Edition updates. Every game drop, and sometimes other minor updates, have snapshots released roughly weekly for player feedback on in-development features and changes.

Currently, snapshots extend the naming format used for release version like this: version Snapshot snapshot-number, e.g. 26.1 Snapshot 1 is the 1st snapshot for 26.1.

Prior to 26.1 Snapshot 1, snapshots used an entirely different and unique naming scheme; see Version formats#Snapshots for more information.

The first ever snapshot was 11w47a for 1.1 in 2011.

For how experimental snapshots are named, see Version formats § Experimental snapshots.

"Experimental snapshots" are a specific type of snapshot Mojang uses very early in the development cycle, before the standard snapshot cycle of development. These versions include even more unstable changes than standard snapshots have.

Experimental snapshots were first used for 1.18, with 1.18 Experimental Snapshot 1, and since 1.18, they have only been used once for 1.19. This development format has been discontinued as experiments have been converted into toggleable data packs since 22w42a.

For how pre-releases are named post-1.0.0, see Version formats § Pre-releases. For how pre-releases were named in Beta, see Version formats § Beta.

A pre-release is a more stable development version of the game than a snapshot. Once development reaches the pre-release phase, the update is deemed feature complete, and subsequent pre-releases focus on fixing bugs and improving the stability of the features to be added in that update. The final pre-release may be functionally identical to the full release (for instance 1.4.7).

Pre-releases were first used for the development of Java Edition Beta 1.8, with the first ever pre-release being Beta 1.8 Pre-release. At this time, snapshots did not exist yet, so this pre-release was the first development version for Beta 1.8.

For how release candidates are named post-1.0.0, see Version formats § Release candidates. For how release candidates were named in Beta, see Version formats § Beta.

A release candidate is a development version of the game that is intended to be the last version before the full release, unless a major game-breaking bug is discovered.^[2] Often, the full release of a version is identical to its last release candidate, differing only in the version name string, protocol version, and data version.

The first release candidate was RC1 for 1.0.0 in 2011. After 1.0.0, there were no release candidates until 1.16 Release Candidate 1 in 2020.

A preview is a development version of the game that is only played by a select group outside of Mojang. Preview versions have been given to Hat Films to film the update trailers for Beta 1.6, Beta 1.7, and Beta 1.8. There was also a preview version of Beta 1.8 that was playable by attendees at PAX Prime 2011.

A test build was a development version of the game. The only released test build was Beta 1.6 Test Build 3.

For how alphas are named, see Version formats § Alpha 2.

Builds were development versions used in Pocket Edition, available on Android. Once the Pocket Edition Alpha phase was complete, the name "alpha" was then reserved for development versions for Pocket Edition 1.0.0 and 1.1.0.

For how betas are named, see Version formats § Betas/Previews.

Development versions in Bedrock Edition are known as betas and Previews.

Since the release of the Better Together Update to Bedrock Edition, development builds subsequently took the form of "beta" builds, released for Android, Xbox, and Windows 10.

Once development versions became available on Apple platforms, development builds were known as Previews on those devices, while retaining the name of "beta" on Android. This wiki primarily uses the term "Preview", but "beta" is equally valid.

Beta/Preview versions increment a 3rd digit of the version number, starting on 20 or 21, and incrementing by 1 or 2 with each new beta/Preview.

Usually, betas/Previews are released on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.^[verify]

Mojang often releases joke updates on April Fools' Day. These are usually formatted as Java Edition snapshots, and are made from one of the latest builds of the game. These often have a theme and a special name that matches that theme. Features added in these snapshots (or updates) are not mentioned in the change logs for future snapshots (or updates), since they are not considered to be § Development versions.

The Seecret Updates were a series of ten Java Edition updates released by Notch during the Infdev and Alpha development stages of Minecraft, often without announcement. They were named after the day of the week on which they were released. All of the updates were released on Fridays, except Seecret Saturday, released on September 18, 2010, which was a Saturday.

These are not to be confused with § Development versions.

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