Minecraft 24w03a Update - What's New
The third snapshot on the way to Minecraft 1.20.5. Spawn chunks became a game rule with a much smaller default area, the armadillo got its visual update and a home in the badlands, and servers gained transfer and cookie packets so a player can be handed over to another server.
Overview
Minecraft 24w03a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on January 17, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 3 of 2024), shipped early so the community can test and report problems before anything is finalized. This one logs 11 changes you can try in a throwaway test world.
The work in this update spans gameplay, mobs, accessibility, and servers and data packs. On the gameplay side it brings new spawnChunkRadius game rule with a default of 2, which keeps a 48 by 48 block area loaded instead of the old, much larger spawn area and Setting the rule to 10 brings back the size spawn chunks had before.
This build is part of the development cycle leading to 1.20.5 (the Armored Paws update, on the road to 1.21). Treat it as a preview rather than a destination: features can change, be renamed, or be cut entirely before they reach the stable release, so it is meant for testing and feedback, not for your main world or a live server.
Changes
#Gameplay(3)
- New spawnChunkRadius game rule with a default of 2, which keeps a 48 by 48 block area loaded instead of the old, much larger spawn area
- Setting the rule to 10 brings back the size spawn chunks had before
- The arrival area in the End stays loaded for 15 seconds after a player or item comes through the portal
#Mobs(3)
- The armadillo got a visual update and now spawns in badlands biomes
- Spiders run away from an armadillo that is not rolled up
- The texture of the wolf collar was adjusted
#Accessibility(1)
- Screens now put the default focus on a sensible element, which helps keyboard and narrator players
#Servers and data packs(4)
- Transfer packets let a server send a connected player to another server
- Cookie packets let servers store small pieces of data on the client between transfers
- Custom villager trades can use ignoreTags when matching items
- Data pack version 28 and resource pack version 24
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only, not for a live server: keep production on the current release
- Farms and machines that relied on the old spawn chunk area stop running unless spawnChunkRadius is raised
- Proxy and network setups can start testing the new transfer packets
Known Issues
- Development snapshot for 1.20.5, features could still change before the release
What This Means
For players
Snapshots are opt-in through the official launcher. Always make a copy of any world before opening it in 24w03a, because development builds can corrupt saves and there is no guarantee the world will open in a later version. Use a fresh test world to try the new content safely.
For server admins
Do not run 24w03a on a public server. Snapshots are unsupported by server software and most plugins. Spin up a private staging instance, confirm your plugins load, and report regressions while there is still time to fix them before release.
Background & Context
- Snapshots ship roughly once a week during active development and are enabled through the "Latest snapshot" toggle in the official launcher.
- The content here was being developed toward 1.20.5 (the Armored Paws update, on the road to 1.21); individual features may have been adjusted, renamed, or removed before that version shipped.
- Always keep a backup of important worlds before changing versions; the Astroworld versions database tracks client and server compatibility for 24w03a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w03a released?
Minecraft 24w03a was released on January 17, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w03a?
The third snapshot on the way to Minecraft 1.20.5. Spawn chunks became a game rule with a much smaller default area, the armadillo got its visual update and a home in the badlands, and servers gained transfer and cookie packets so a player can be handed over to another server. Notable entries include: New spawnChunkRadius game rule with a default of 2, which keeps a 48 by 48 block area loaded instead of the old, much larger spawn area; Setting the rule to 10 brings back the size spawn chunks had before; The arrival area in the End stays loaded for 15 seconds after a player or item comes through the portal. In total it documents 11 changes across 4 categories.
Should I use 24w03a on my main world?
No. 24w03a is a weekly development snapshot meant for testing. Keep your main world on the latest stable release and only open a backup copy in a separate test world to try the new content.
Can I run 24w03a on a Minecraft server?
It is not recommended for a public server. Snapshot only, not for a live server: keep production on the current release. Use a private staging instance to test plugins and mods, not to host players.
Which Minecraft version is 24w03a a preview of?
24w03a is part of the development cycle for 1.20.5 (the Armored Paws update, on the road to 1.21). Features shown here are still in progress and may change before the final release.
Are there known issues in 24w03a?
Yes. Documented issues for this build include: Development snapshot for 1.20.5, features could still change before the release. Development builds are expected to have rough edges that get fixed before release.
Looking for version compatibility info?
Check client and server version details on our versions database.