Minecraft 24w12a Update - What's New
A snapshot with seven new advancements for the upcoming trial content, from stepping into a trial chamber to a huge hit with the mace or a launch with a wind charge. Trial chambers became a little rarer and cartographers started selling maps to them.
Overview
Minecraft 24w12a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on March 20, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 12 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 experimental features, advancements, and technical. On the experimental features side it brings Trial chambers generate a bit more rarely and further apart and Journeyman cartographers can sell a trial chamber explorer map.
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
#Experimental Features(3)
- Trial chambers generate a bit more rarely and further apart
- Journeyman cartographers can sell a trial chamber explorer map
- The heavy core can be waterlogged, survives lava and is mined fastest with a pickaxe
#Advancements(4)
- Minecraft: Trial(s) Edition for entering a trial chamber, and Under Lock and Key for opening a vault
- Blowback for killing a breeze with a deflected wind charge, and Who Needs Rockets for a wind charge launch of 8 blocks
- Over-Overkill for 50 hearts of damage in one mace hit
- Crafters Crafting Crafters and Lighten Up for the crafter and the copper bulb
#Technical(4)
- Data pack version 36 and resource pack version 30
- The entity_effect particle takes a colour from commands
- New crafter_recipe_crafted and fall_after_explosion triggers
- New storage loot number provider
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only, not for a live server: keep production on the current release
- Advancement based rewards on a server can hook into the new triggers
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 24w12a, 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 24w12a 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 24w12a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w12a released?
Minecraft 24w12a was released on March 20, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w12a?
A snapshot with seven new advancements for the upcoming trial content, from stepping into a trial chamber to a huge hit with the mace or a launch with a wind charge. Trial chambers became a little rarer and cartographers started selling maps to them. Notable entries include: Trial chambers generate a bit more rarely and further apart; Journeyman cartographers can sell a trial chamber explorer map; The heavy core can be waterlogged, survives lava and is mined fastest with a pickaxe. In total it documents 11 changes across 3 categories.
Should I use 24w12a on my main world?
No. 24w12a 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 24w12a 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 24w12a a preview of?
24w12a 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 24w12a?
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.