The latest Minecraft snapshot is Java Edition 26.4 Snapshot 3, which Mojang released on October 6, 2026. It adds the ice caves biome, icicles, ice crystals, a zombie variant called the Frostbite and a new Freezing effect. Anyone who owns Java Edition can play it for free through the official Minecraft Launcher.
Snapshot status (last checked October 7, 2026): The newest Minecraft snapshot is 26.4 Snapshot 3. Mojang usually ships snapshots on Tuesdays, so this page gets updated when the next one lands.
Latest Minecraft Snapshot at a Glance
| Detail | 26.4 Snapshot 3 |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 6, 2026 |
| Edition | Java Edition |
| Final update | Java Edition 26.4 (Fourth Drop 2026) |
| New biome | Ice caves |
| New blocks | Icicles, ice crystals |
| New mob | Frostbite (zombie variant) |
| New effect | Freezing |
| Bugs fixed | 18 (per the Minecraft Wiki) |
| Data pack format | 123.0 |
| Resource pack format | 100.0 |
| Java required | Java 25 (the official launcher sets this up for you) |
What Is a Minecraft Snapshot?
A Minecraft snapshot is a test build of Java Edition. Mojang uses it to show features for the next game drop before they are finished, and players report bugs while things can still change. Expect crashes. Features can also be tweaked, delayed or removed before the full release.
Snapshot names changed in December 2025. The old format used the year and week, such as 24w09a. Since then, snapshots carry the target version and a number, like 26.4 Snapshot 3. The new names make it obvious which update you are testing.
| Naming style | Example | In use |
|---|---|---|
| Old (year + week + letter) | 24w09a | Until 2025 |
| New (version + snapshot number) | 26.4 Snapshot 3 | Since December 2025 |
Bedrock Edition players get the same kind of early access through Minecraft Preview, which uses its own version numbers.
What’s New in Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 3
Snapshot 3 is the first 26.4 build with real gameplay content. Mojang showed the frosty theme at Minecraft Live in September 2026, and this snapshot puts it in players’ hands. According to the official Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 3 changelog, the main additions are below.
Ice Caves Biome
Ice caves are a new underground biome. They generate below cold surface biomes and are built mostly from Packed Ice and Calcite, with patches of snow. Icicles hang from the ceiling and ice crystals grow along the floor and walls. If you want to find one fast, start a new world near a snowy biome and dig down.
Icicles and Ice Crystals
Icicles grow up to 5 blocks long. They hang from ceilings like stalactites, and they can fall and hurt anything below. Icicles near a light source or in the Nether melt.
Ice crystals give off light and can be placed on any side of a block, much like Amethyst Clusters. Builders get a cold-themed light source to use in place of torches.
Frostbite Mob
The Frostbite is a zombie variant that lives in cold and snowy biomes. It swaps between punching up close and throwing Ice Balls from range, and those Ice Balls knock you back. It is immune to Freezing.
Regular Zombies and Husks can also turn into Frostbites. Beebom reports this happens when they stay in Powder Snow for long enough.
Freezing Effect and Potion of Freezing
Freezing is a new mob effect. It makes the target shake, slows its movement and deals damage over time. Leather armor gives partial protection. Ice Balls dropped by Frostbites can be used in brewing, which leads to the Potion of Freezing along with splash, lingering and arrow versions.
Leather armor is weak on its own, so Protection IV matters if you plan to explore ice caves in survival. Our guide to the best Minecraft enchantments covers the full armor setup.
Smaller Changes
| Change | What it does |
|---|---|
| Snow on Packed Ice | Snow layers can now be placed on Packed Ice |
| Snowball knockback | Snowballs now knock back players |
| Friends list | Redesigned with search, sorting by online status or name, and a new Player Options screen |
Every 26.4 Snapshot So Far
The first two 26.4 snapshots were mostly technical. This tracker will grow with each new release.
| Snapshot | Release date | Main changes | Bugs fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.4 Snapshot 1 | September 22, 2026 | Vulkan becomes the default renderer | 29 |
| 26.4 Snapshot 2 | September 29, 2026 | Render distance fog redesign, reorganized debug screen | 53 |
| 26.4 Snapshot 3 | October 6, 2026 | Ice caves, icicles, ice crystals, Frostbite, Freezing, new Friends list | 18 |
Bug counts and early snapshot details come from the Minecraft Wiki’s Java Edition 26.4 page.
How to Play the Minecraft Snapshot on Java Edition
You need a Java Edition copy and the official Minecraft Launcher. The snapshot is free for existing owners.
- Back up your worlds. Copy your
savesfolder from the.minecraftdirectory to a safe place. A world opened in a snapshot can break, and it may not load properly in older versions. - Open the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft: Java Edition.
- Go to the Installations tab and tick the Snapshots box.
- Click New Installation, choose “26.4 Snapshot 3” from the version list and click Create. You can also pick the built-in “Latest snapshot” profile, which always points to the newest build.
- Go back to the Play tab, pick that installation and press Play.
New biomes appear in newly generated chunks. A fresh world is the simplest way to test ice caves. In a creative or cheats-on world, the /locate biome command will point you to the nearest one. Type the command and let autocomplete fill in the ice caves ID. Our Minecraft commands guide explains /locate, /give and /summon if you want to spawn a Frostbite and test it right away.
Can You Play Ice Caves on Bedrock Edition?
Yes, through Minecraft Preview. Bedrock Preview 26.60.29 added ice caves, icicles and the Frostbite on September 30, 2026. On Bedrock, these features sit behind an experimental toggle, so turn on the matching experiment when you create a world. The full drop is listed as Bedrock Edition 26.70.
When Does Minecraft 26.4 Release?
Mojang has not announced a release date. The Minecraft Wiki lists the drop for Q4 2026. Beebom points out that last year’s winter drop, Mounts of Mayhem, arrived in mid-December, and it expects a similar window this year. Treat any exact date as a guess until Mojang confirms it.
Before release, the 26.4 snapshots will move to pre-releases and then a release candidate. This is the fourth game drop of 2026. Tiny Takeover and Chaos Cubed were both shown at Minecraft Live in March 2026, and Wilderness Bound followed as Java Edition 26.3 on September 15.
Who Should Try the 26.4 Snapshot?
Map makers, data pack creators and server owners get the most out of it, since the pack formats change with each build. Casual players can try it in a separate world. Do not load a main survival world into it without a backup.
