How to download Minecraft 1.18 Snapshot 21w39a for Java Edition

Last week's Minecraft snapshot arrived a day late. However, this week Minecraft developers have released it according to their usual schedule. Minecraft 1.18 snapshot 21w39a is now out for Java Edition players.

Minecraft Caves and Cliffs Part 2 is Mojang's most ambitious update. This update would change the way Minecrafters remember caves and mountains. The last couple of snapshots were all about world generation features added in experimental snapshots.

The new snapshot 21w39a is "advanced" compared to the previous few snapshots. Players can now upgrade their older worlds to the latest 1.18 snapshot. However, this feature is still in development and has many issues. Players can download the new snapshot to report bugs and test the blending technology.

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Download new Minecraft 1.18 Snapshot 21w39a

Last week's Bedrock beta replaced the bedrock layer with deepslate in old worlds. Developers are now working on bringing this feature to Java Edition. In snapshot 21w39a, players can play their old worlds, but the old chunks are not yet updated. Below the bedrock layer, players can only find empty air spaces.

Developers have also added four advancements for the Caves and Cliffs Part 2 update. Players can download Minecraft 1.18 snapshot 21w39a to test the transition of old worlds to new.

Unlike Bedrock Edtion, players do not need to sign up for testing snapshots. Anybody can download Java Edition snapshots using the Minecraft launcher.

Steps to download Minecraft snapshot 21w39a

Open Minecraft launcher.
Click on Installations to open the Installations tab.
Enable Snapshot option found under VERSIONS settings.
Click on New Installations and then select the latest snapshot 21w39a.
Click on the Create button,
Go to the Play tab and select the newly created profile with 21w39a snapshot.
Click on Play to start the installation process and to launch the game.

Installing Minecraft Java snapshot is pretty easy to do. After installation, players can create a new world to test the upcoming 1.18 features.

With Minecraft 21w39a snapshot, players can now upgrade their old worlds. However, players are highly recommended to backup their worlds before moving them to the new snapshot as new chunks next to the old ones won't blend in future snapshots.

Players can create a new world in version 1.17 and move it to snapshot 21w39a to understand how blending works in the latest snapshot. This way, players won't have to worry about backing up their worlds.

About the author

Manish is an expert Minecraft Content Specialist at Sportskeeda. During his 3 years with the company, he has written over 1,000 articles and accumulated more than 24 million views.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications, Manish possesses a solid foundation in understanding the technical aspects of the game, helping him create accurate and reliable guides. He also keeps himself updated with Minecraft content constantly via social media and keeps track of the latest game-related advancements.

Manish played numerous games during his childhood such as Pokemon Red and Blue, which significantly influenced his career path as a gaming journalist. While he no longer plays the game, his love for the franchise endures.

He predominantly enjoys single-player titles but also loves to hop on a server with his friends and enjoy a thrilling match of Valorant or Counter-Strike 2. Manish also relishes live-service RPG games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. While he favors the PC platform, he plans to acquire a PlayStation soon.

When he gets time off work, Manish enjoys going on extended walks while listening to music, and taking in the sights of trees, buildings, and people around him. He is also a fitness enthusiast who starts his day at the gym and diligently monitors his nutrition throughout the day.

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Edited by Yasho Amonkar