Minecraft 24w46a Update - What's New
Technical snapshot with entity rendering engine improvements. Better performance for entity-heavy areas and improved visual fidelity.
Overview
Minecraft 24w46a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on November 13, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 46 of 2024), shipped early so the community can test and report problems before anything is finalized. This one logs 7 changes you can try in a throwaway test world.
The work in this update spans performance and bug fixes. On the performance side it brings Entity rendering engine improvements and better batching for entity rendering. It also resolves 3 reported bugs, which is typical maintenance work that keeps worlds and servers stable.
This build is part of the development cycle leading to 1.21 (Tricky Trials). 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
#Performance(4)
- Entity rendering engine improvements
- Better batching for entity rendering
- Reduced draw calls for entity-heavy scenes
- Improved shadow rendering performance
#Bug Fixes(3)
- Fixed entity rendering at extreme distances
- Fixed armor stand display glitches
- Fixed particle rendering near entities
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only - do not use in production
Known Issues
- Entity rendering changes may cause visual differences from previous versions
What This Means
For players
Snapshots are opt-in through the official launcher. Always make a copy of any world before opening it in 24w46a, 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 24w46a 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; 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 24w46a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w46a released?
Minecraft 24w46a was released on November 13, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w46a?
Technical snapshot with entity rendering engine improvements. Better performance for entity-heavy areas and improved visual fidelity. Notable entries include: Entity rendering engine improvements; Better batching for entity rendering; Reduced draw calls for entity-heavy scenes. In total it documents 7 changes across 2 categories.
Should I use 24w46a on my main world?
No. 24w46a 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 24w46a on a Minecraft server?
It is not recommended for a public server. Snapshot only - do not use in production. Use a private staging instance to test plugins and mods, not to host players.
Which Minecraft version is 24w46a a preview of?
24w46a is part of the development cycle for 1.21, the update known as Tricky Trials. Features shown here are still in progress and may change before the final release.
Are there known issues in 24w46a?
Yes. Documented issues for this build include: Entity rendering changes may cause visual differences from previous versions. 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.