How to download Minecraft 1.21.0.24 beta and preview

Minecraft 1.21.0.24 is the latest Preview available for Bedrock Edition and is centered on the Tricky Trials update. This snapshot has brought a ton of interesting content, including some mace rebalances, new music, bug fixes, and even a new set of paintings. These changes make it the perfect time to jump into Tricky Trials and experiment with the new content.

Detailed below is how exactly players can download and install 1.21.0.24, for the platforms on which it's available.

How to install Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.0.24 on PC

1) Install 1.21.0.24

The first step to playing 1.21.0.24 is to install it (Image via Mojang)

The first thing you'll want to do to install Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.0.24 on PC is open the game's launcher. From here, make sure that Bedrock is actually selected, as Previews are a Bedrock-exclusive feature. From here, switch over to the "Installation" tab, and hit the green "Install" button underneath the Preview section. This will install the latest game Preview available.

2) Switch to the Preview version

The Preview can be quickly identified by the dirt block logo (Image via Mojang)

Unlike Java Edition, where players can set up installations for any of Minecraft's many updates, there are only two instances available for Bedrock.

By default, "Latest Release" is selected, but this isn't the right instance for messing with 1.21.0.24's content. Instead, return to the "Play" tab and switch over to "Latest preview," which is represented by a dirt block rather than a grass block. Then hit the green "Play" button to launch into the game.

3) Launch the game

Thankfully, it'll be very easy to figure out whether or not the Preview is working (Image via Mojang)

It should be very easy to tell if the Preview version installed correctly. There will be a plethora of technical information plastered across the top portion of the screen, with the first words telling which Preview the game is on. There's also a second "Preview" label underneath the main title, and the iconic splash text will be replaced by an extra "Preview" label.

Assuming this text is all there and says "Preview 1.21.0.24" then all is good, and you can jump into a world and start hunting for trial chambers and Minecraft's new music discs. If it's not, close and game and make sure you have the "Latest preview" selected before launch.

Installing 1.21.0.24 on other platforms

Mobile devices

The Beta install section on the Google Play Store (Image via Mojang)

All you'll need to do to access the Beta if you're on Android is pull up Minecraft's page on the Google Play Store. From here, scroll down until you see a section titled "Join the beta." There will be a blue "Join" button in this section. Pressing this will prompt one more time. Continuing from here will install the latest Android Beta to your device.

iOS players, you aren't so lucky. The way the game's Preview system is set up is through Apple's Testflight program. The slots here are limited, with more opening up regularly. This means there's no guarantee the Preview can be accessed. But to do so, simply tap on the link to the Preview on the official website and, assuming Testflight is installed, you'll be able to install a Prewiew version.

Xbox

Unfortunately for console players, Switch and PlayStation are not yet parts of the Preview and Beta program, meaning only Xbox players can try out content early. Additionally, a digital or Game Pass version of the game is required—the Preveiw isn't available to disc owners. But installing the Preview is simple. All you need to do is search for "Minecraft Preview" and hit the install button.

1.21.0.24 content overview

1.21.0.24 has added a few minor items, as well as made some major changes to the mace weapon. There are three new music discs coming with 1.21.0.24, including "Precipice" by Aaron Cherof, "Creator" by Lena Raine, and "Creator (Music Box)" also by Lena Raine. All discs will be exclusive to trial chambers, which makes sense, as many Minecraft's structures use music discs as rare loot.

There have also been 15 new Minecraft paintings added to the game, all done by the wonderfully talented Kristoffer Zetterstrand. This is the same artist responsible for the game's original 25 paintings 15 years ago.

The last change worth mentioning, other than the bug fixes, within 1.21.0.24 are tweaks to Minecraft's new mace weapon type. The mace's base damage has been reduced to five from seven. For comparison, the mace used to be as strong as an iron sword for Bedrock players but now only deals the damage of a wooden sword.

Outside of this, the falling damage buff maces get has been reworked. Rather than a flat increase per block fallen, there are diminishing returns. The first three blocks will give two hearts of extra damage each, the next five blocks will give one heart of damage each, and every block past this will give half a heart of bonus damage each.

The new Minecraft's mace enchantments breach and density have also been made mutually exclusive, both with each other as well as smite and bane of arthropods. Essentially, since players now have to choose between the different damage buff enchantments, rather than using all of them, this is also a damage nerf. However, the mace's durability has been doubled, from 250 to 500.