A Minecraft snapshot is a test build of Java Edition that Mojang publishes before a release, so players can try new features while they are still being made. Snapshots are unstable by design and exist only on Java Edition.
Newest snapshot and newest release
| Edition | Newest release | Newest test build | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | 26.3, released 2026-09-15 | 26.4-snapshot-2, dated 2026-09-29 (a snapshot, not a release) | Mojang's Java Edition 26.3 patch notes on feedback.minecraft.net |
| Bedrock Edition | 26.50 (Wilderness Bound), dated 2026-09-15, with hotfix 26.52 changelogged 2026-09-25 | Not a snapshot, since snapshots are Java only | Mojang's Bedrock 26.52 hotfix changelog on feedback.minecraft.net |
These facts were read on 5 October 2026 from Mojang's version manifest, launcher patch notes and changelog list. The newest snapshot changes weekly, so check the launcher for anything newer. For the current numbers in full, see the latest Minecraft version for Java and Bedrock. What Mojang has said about what comes next is covered in its own page, and this page does not repeat it.
Snapshot, pre-release, release candidate and release compared
| Term | Edition | What the sources say | Example from our data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snapshot | Java | Development version for an update, unstable, focused on new features and content, released roughly weekly (Minecraft Wiki) | 26.3 Snapshot 6, and 26.4-snapshot-2 in Mojang's manifest |
| Pre-release | Java | The phase an update enters once it is feature complete (Minecraft Wiki) | None in our data |
| Release candidate | Java | Not described in the sources we read | None in our data |
| Release | Java | The finished update that Mojang lists as a release | 26.3, released 2026-09-15 |
| Bedrock preview or beta | Bedrock | Not described in the sources we read. The Minecraft Wiki says snapshots are exclusive to Java Edition | Bedrock releases such as 26.50 are the finished lines |
Naming changed recently. According to the Minecraft Wiki, snapshots released before 16 December 2025 used a week format such as 18w10d (year, week, then a letter). Current ones read like 26.1 Snapshot 1, with the April Fools' snapshot 26w14a as the exception. The wiki also says modern snapshots arrive on Tuesdays and counts 544 snapshots in total, 31 of them in 2026.
What Mojang says about the risk to your worlds
Mojang's Snapshot 6 announcement is blunt: "Testing versions can corrupt your world, so please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds." That is Mojang's warning, and it is the only safety statement we have from Mojang on this. We did not test any snapshot. Our guide on backing up worlds on Java and Bedrock covers the safeguard.
Why mods and packs built for a release may not work
A snapshot is a moving target, so files made for a release are not made for it. Mojang's notes show the gap: 26.3 Snapshot 6 lists Data Pack version 113.0 and Resource Pack version 94.0, while the 26.3 release lists 121.0 and 97.1. The same snapshot also changed the format of world generation noises, which data packs define. A pack written for the release format has no promise of matching.
Mods follow loaders, and loaders track releases. On 5 October 2026 Modrinth listed 6449 Fabric, 3575 NeoForge and 1796 Forge mods with a build for 26.3, and Fabric and Quilt list 26.3 as stable. NeoForge labels every 26.3 build beta, and Forge has marked no recommended build. Those counts cover the release and say nothing about snapshots. Our client-side and server-side mods explainer covers where mods run.
How to run a snapshot
Mojang says to enable snapshots in the Installations tab of the launcher, and our guide on changing your Minecraft version explains the details. If you are unsure which edition you own, Java against Bedrock sets out the split.