Minecraft 24w18a Update - What's New
The first snapshot for Minecraft 1.21. Everything from the 1.21 experiment moved into the normal game, and it came with 20 new paintings, nine music tracks and three music discs. The mace was rebalanced, trial chambers got layout changes and copper doors became cheaper.
Overview
Minecraft 24w18a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on May 3, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 18 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 new features, mace, trial chambers, and changes. On the new features side it brings all features from the 1.21 experiment are part of the game and 20 new paintings: 5 by Sarah Boeving and 15 by Kristoffer Zetterstrand.
This build is part of the development cycle leading to 1.21 (the Tricky Trials update). 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
#New Features(4)
- All features from the 1.21 experiment are part of the game
- 20 new paintings: 5 by Sarah Boeving and 15 by Kristoffer Zetterstrand
- Nine new music tracks, some tied to biomes such as the deep dark and the peaks
- Three music discs found in vaults, ominous vaults and decorated pots in trial chambers
#Mace(3)
- Durability raised from 250 to 500 and base damage lowered to 5
- Smash damage falls off with height: 4 per block for the first 3, then 2, then 1
- Density and Breach do not combine with each other or with Smite and Bane of Arthropods
#Trial Chambers(2)
- New entrances, trap dispensers and empty chests at chamber entrances
- Ominous trial spawners with mobs that cannot wear gear spawn twice as many
#Changes(3)
- Copper doors and trapdoors are crafted from copper ingots
- Projectile knockback follows the direction of the projectile
- Data driven enchantments, resource pack version 33 and data pack version 42
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only, not for a live server: keep production on the current release
- Custom enchantment plugins meet the new data driven enchantments
Known Issues
- Development snapshot for 1.21, 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 24w18a, 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 24w18a 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 1.21 (the Tricky Trials update); 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 24w18a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w18a released?
Minecraft 24w18a was released on May 3, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w18a?
The first snapshot for Minecraft 1.21. Everything from the 1.21 experiment moved into the normal game, and it came with 20 new paintings, nine music tracks and three music discs. The mace was rebalanced, trial chambers got layout changes and copper doors became cheaper. Notable entries include: All features from the 1.21 experiment are part of the game; 20 new paintings: 5 by Sarah Boeving and 15 by Kristoffer Zetterstrand; Nine new music tracks, some tied to biomes such as the deep dark and the peaks. In total it documents 12 changes across 4 categories.
Should I use 24w18a on my main world?
No. 24w18a 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 24w18a 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 24w18a a preview of?
24w18a is part of the development cycle for 1.21 (the Tricky Trials update). Features shown here are still in progress and may change before the final release.
Are there known issues in 24w18a?
Yes. Documented issues for this build include: Development snapshot for 1.21, 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.