Which installation should you use?
- In Minecraft Launcher, open Java Edition → Installations and make snapshots visible.
- Choose exactly 26.4 Snapshot 3. Latest Snapshot can move to a newer build, so keep the build name with any comparison you make.
- Start a new test world in a separate game folder. If you use a copy of an existing save, keep another untouched backup outside that working copy.
For Bedrock, use its own test channel: the official testing page points to Preview 26.60.29. Its notes put the content under the Drop 4 of 2026 experimental scope. Choose the supported testing route for your device instead of following the Java installer path.
Source · www.minecraft.netOfficial testing channels
How can you keep a test session useful?
| Goal | Record | Why this helps |
|---|---|---|
| Explore a cave | Build, seed, dimension and XYZ | You can find the same location again |
| Build with the ice blocks | Nearby light and block placement | Separate lighting from placement changes |
| Encounter a Frostbite | Distance, equipment and attack type | Distinguish contact from projectile behaviour |
| Try the interface | Screen name and input method | Separate a moved control from a connection issue |
Change one condition at a time. Moving location, lighting and equipment together makes it difficult to identify which factor changed the outcome. The linked ice-cave article covers the features themselves; this page focuses on installation and technical compatibility.
Source / rights
What changed in Friends?
The list gains search plus online-status and alphabetical sorting. A player icon opens Player Options, which now contains the remove-friend action. Other Players replaces the Social Interactions screen.
Other Players is available in a multiplayer world through the pause menu or the default P key. A single-player world that has not been opened to multiplayer is a different case; do not use it to judge whether that menu is missing.
Which pack versions should you check?
| Pack | Build value | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Data pack | 123.0 | The pack’s intended game version |
| Resource pack | 100.0 | Custom texture and interface compatibility |
Compare a suspected pack problem with a clean test world without the pack. The build also lists a fix for a Vulkan issue that capped some systems at 20 FPS; that does not promise the same performance increase on every computer.
Source · feedback.minecraft.netOfficial Snapshot 3 notes
How do you preserve the route back?
Mojang warns that testing versions can damage saves. Return using the untouched pre-test backup, rather than trying an older game version on a world modified by the snapshot. A useful bug report includes the build, reproduction steps and the difference between expected and actual behaviour.
Related guides
Minecraft ice caves and Frostbite: Where to test the new features
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