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How to Download Minecraft Snapshots and Gain Early Access To Beta Builds

Home Features Adventure Minecraft How to download Minecraft Snapshots and get early access to beta builds



By Rachel Watts published 10 March 21



Check out the some of the upcoming features in the Minecraft Caves and Cliffs 1.17 update before it officially releases.



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The release date for Minecraft's 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update (opens in new tab) is fast approaching, but for those who don't want wait it out, Mojang's Snapshots are a great way to play the upcoming features before they are released.



Minecraft Snapshots are publicly-released test versions that don't have polished features from upcoming updates for players to play with. Mojang can use this opportunity to test new features before they are part of an official update. Players can report bugs and provide feedback to Mojang to improve the game.



Snapshots can contain any feature the studio wants to test and can include new biomes, mobs as well as game mechanics, blocks or even new mobs. So far, Snapshots have a bunch of features from the Caves and Cliffs update which include glow squids (opens in a new tab) cave generation (opens in new tab), and the lush wildlife and flora (opens in new tab) you'll find in blocky caverns. If you're willing to accept some minor glitches in and out, Minecraft Snapshots are a great method of trying out upcoming features prior to the update's official release. Here's what you need to know in order to take a peek at the future of Minecraft.



Minecraft Snapshot installation How do you access beta builds



Snapshots are available on the Java edition of Minecraft however there is an option to view early features on the Bedrock edition as well. Test builds for the Bedrock editions on Android, Xbox One, and Windows 10 are simply called Bedrock betas. Although they're not the same as Snapshots, they do include a bunch of new features.



Mojang has made the process of jumping into early versions of Minecraft fairly easy Here's how you can do it:



Snapshots of Minecraft: Java Edition:



- Start the Minecraft launcher. - Click the tab "Installations"


- Check the box that says Snapshots in the top right corner.


The most recent Snapshot will be located at the bottom of your installation list


Beta version of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition:



- Visit the Microsoft Store app on Windows 10


Look for the Xbox Insider App and download it.


- Launch the app, then click on the tab "Insider Content" on the left


Choose Minecraft and hit the join button


- The app may navigate you to Minecraft's product page if you don't own a digital copy of the game.


If you're after Xbox One or Android instructions for Minecraft, visit Mojang's beta page (opens in new tab) for additional instructions. Cohune To stay up to date with the latest betas and Snapshots, bookmark the Minecraft forum's news page (opens in new tab) which provides a breakdown of all the versions that have been released.



Snapshots and betas are a bit unstable and the world you hop into might start to get a bit janky or even crash. Make sure to start in a place you don't mind getting a bit corrupted. In other words, best keep your best Minecraft builds (opens in new tab) safe in a different universe.



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Rachel worked as a freelancer for three years prior to when she joined PC Gamer in 2019. She mainly writes reviews as well as previews and features occasionally, but she will change the content with news and guides. When she's not taking hundreds of screenshots of the most popular indie hit and releasing her own games, she's taking care of her parsnip empire in Stardew Valley and planning an axolotl uprising in Minecraft. She's a sucker for'stop and smell the roses' - her proudest gaming moment being the moment she kept her virtual potted plants alive for nearly one year.


Website: https://cohune.com/