Minecraft 1.21.4 pre-release 1 patch notes: All you need to know

On November 20, 2024, Mojang released the first pre-release for the Minecraft 1.21.4 Java Edition update. The Minecraft 1.21.4 update, called Winter Drop, was announced two months ago during the annual live stream event, and now, it's finally close to being released. With this pre-release, the development of the Winter Drop update is nearing its end.

Pre-releases are primarily focused on bug fixes and technical changes, with new impactful features being rare. Minecraft 1.21.4 pre-release 1 is no exception, as it brings a handful of bug fixes alongside technical updates to the game's resource packs.

Here are the patch notes for Minecraft 1.21.4 Pre-release 1.

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Minecraft 1.21.4 pre-release 1 patch notes

Technical Changes

• The Resource Pack version is now 46
• Similarly to block items, Spawn Eggs for entities that could execute operator-only commands now have a warning in tooltip

Resource Pack Version 46

• Added a way of suppressing first-person hand animation on item change for specific models
• Unifont has been updated to 16.0.01

Item models

• A new field has been added to the client-side item info format (i.e. files in /assets/*/items/*.json)
• hand_animation_on_swap - boolean field describing if down-and-up animation should be played in first-person view when item stack is changed (either type, count or components), default: true
• only value from new item is taken into account
• does not control "pop" animation in GUI when item is picked or changes count

minecraft:model

item model type

Added minecraft:team

tint source type

• Returns team color of context entity, if any
• Fields:
• default - RGB value to return when there is no context entity, entity is not in a team or team has no color

Changed minecraft:head

special model type

• Added field animation - float controlling head animation (like Piglin ears or Ender Dragon jaw), default: 0.0

Added minecraft:view_entity

boolean property

• When not spectating, returns true if context entity is the local player entity, i.e. one controlled by client
• When spectating, returns true if context entity is the spectated entity
• If context entity is not present, will return false
• No fields

Renamed property minecraft:holder_type to minecraft:context_entity_type

"Developer's Note: Context entities were initially used only for compasses and clocks, which means that type is available only in rendering contexts where those items would show correct reading (see MC-186797 and related bugs). The name change has been made to better reflect that."

Added minecraft:context_dimension

property

• Returns the ID of the dimension in context, if any
• No fields
• Values: namespaced dimension ID (like minecraft:overworld)

Changed minecraft:time

numeric property

• Removed field natural_only
• Added field source - time source, possible values:
• daytime - time of day
• moon_phase - moon phase
• random - random value

Changed minecraft:compass

numeric property

• Added value none to field target which always returns an invalid target

Added minecraft:empty

item model type

• Does not render anything
• No fields

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Fixed bugs in Minecraft 1.21.4 Pre-Release 1

• MC-128225 - '/data remove' can't remove the NBT "CustomName"
• MC-138100 - /data remove doesn't work for the Jukebox's RecordItem tag
• MC-179815 - Data command doesn't remove leash from a mob
• MC-207605 - /data remove entity [tamed wolf] Owner does not remove ownership of the wolf
• MC-265788 - The "Start free Snapshot Realm" element can be selected or remain selected causing its tooltip to erroneously be visible when other interfaces are open
• MC-278134 - The TAB key cannot be used to select messages to report after clicking the "X message(s) hidden" element
• MC-278193 - Baby piglins can't decide between crossbows and golden items
• MC-278257 - Oxygen bar animation can be interrupted by applying water breathing
• MC-278290 - Using items while swimming or walking underwater doesn't slow the player down
• MC-278300 - Creakings struck by lightning show visual fire
• MC-278302 - Bundle always takes out first item and ignores selected item
• MC-278311 - Respawned creakings from creaking hearts don't persist when the world is reloaded
• MC-278312 - Creakings spawned from a creaking heart can be name-tagged once again
• MC-278387 - Creaking respawns when going to the nether and back
• MC-278390 - Opening shulkers no longer trigger tripwire or pressure plates

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Interested players can download Minecraft 1.21.4 pre-release 1 from the official launcher. To access it, enable snapshots in the "Installations" tab to unlock the option for installing 1.21.4 pre-release 1. Once enabled, select it as the version and click the Play button to start exploring!