Minecraft 24w04a Update - What's New
The fourth 1.20.5 snapshot. The armadillo learned to roll up into its shell when threatened, Allow Cheats was renamed Allow Commands, and server owners got a choice of region file compression plus a transfer command. The experimental breeze and copper grates were tuned as well.
Overview
Minecraft 24w04a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on January 24, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 4 of 2024), shipped early so the community can test and report problems before anything is finalized. This one logs 12 changes you can try in a throwaway test world.
The work in this update spans mobs, changes, experimental features, and servers. On the mobs side it brings the armadillo rolls up when it notices a threat, such as a mob or a player that hurt it and a rolled up armadillo takes less damage thanks to its shell.
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
#Mobs(2)
- The armadillo rolls up when it notices a threat, such as a mob or a player that hurt it
- A rolled up armadillo takes less damage thanks to its shell
#Changes(3)
- The Allow Cheats option is now called Allow Commands
- Buried treasure maps are made faster
- The TPS debug chart was improved and is easier to read
#Experimental Features(2)
- Changes to the breeze
- Changes to copper grates
#Servers(5)
- New region-file-compression server property with deflate or lz4
- New recreateRegionFiles start option rewrites every region file with the chosen compression
- forceUpgrade now also upgrades the entities and poi folders
- New transfer command to send players to another server
- Data pack version 29
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only, not for a live server: keep production on the current release
- Region compression can be tested on a copy of the world, never on the live save
- Back up the world before trying recreateRegionFiles
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 24w04a, 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 24w04a 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 24w04a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w04a released?
Minecraft 24w04a was released on January 24, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w04a?
The fourth 1.20.5 snapshot. The armadillo learned to roll up into its shell when threatened, Allow Cheats was renamed Allow Commands, and server owners got a choice of region file compression plus a transfer command. The experimental breeze and copper grates were tuned as well. Notable entries include: The armadillo rolls up when it notices a threat, such as a mob or a player that hurt it; A rolled up armadillo takes less damage thanks to its shell. In total it documents 12 changes across 4 categories.
Should I use 24w04a on my main world?
No. 24w04a 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 24w04a 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 24w04a a preview of?
24w04a 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 24w04a?
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.