This snapshot mostly contains tweaks and bug fixes, but there are also some new technical additions such as a separate simulation distance slider and an increased thread count (no I'm not talking about the fancy sheets you're thinking about buying).

Oh, and you also seemed to enjoy Strongholds quite a lot, so we decided to add them back into the game. Enjoy!

Note: To play Minecraft 1.18 you will need Java 17.

How to install

  • Download the Minecraft Java Edition Installer.
  • Run the Installer. (If you get an installation error download Java)
  • Open the Minecraft Launcher and click on the "Installations" tab.
  • In Versions, check the box next to Snapshots.
  • Select Latest Snapshot and press Play.

Snapshots can corrupt your world, so please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds.

What's New

Users running Minecraft in a 32-bit environment will receive a warning in the main menu about the upcoming end of 32-bit environment support.

Technical Changes in 1.18.2 Pre-Release 1

  • The data pack version is now 9
  • It is now possible to add custom structures in experimental datapacks
  • locate and locatebiome commands now support tags (prefix with # to distinguish from normal ids)
  • The locate command parameter is now a configured structure rather than a structure type. For instance, you can now use /locate village_desert or /locate shipwreck_beached
  • A lot of the cave generation is now configurable through data packs

Configurable Caves

  • A new registry was added for Density functions (caves are created by combining those together)
  • Noise settings got a new field noise_router (and lost a couple of flags), see worldgen/noise_settings folder in the worldgen report
  • Noise router wires data-driven parts of the cave generation with the rest of the code

Configured Structures and Structure sets

  • The game now generates and stores data-driven configured structures.
  • Experimental datapacks can add new structure sets
  • The feature field in location predicates now references a configured feature
  • The exploration_map loot table function destination field is now a configured feature tag id
  • The exploration_map loot table function no longer automatically sets the display name of the map

Side Effects

Some gameplay oddities have been affected by this change.

  • Dolphins will now more accurately pick the closest structure regardless of type
  • Bastion Remnant bounding boxes are now slightly more accurate to the shape of the structure

Fixed Bugs in 1.18.2 Pre-Release 1

  • MC-3524 - Structure related mobs do not spawn in flat type world generation
  • MC-146854 - Player movement favors x axis when in a corner
  • MC-179315 - Ruined portals never generate in superflat worlds by default
  • MC-210612 - Strongholds do not generate in certain customized worlds despite /locate saying otherwise
  • MC-241288 - Support for custom structures has been removed
  • MC-244137 - The option "level-seed" is not present in server.properties by default
  • MC-248532 - Elytra firework particle spawns on the wrong hand when dual wielding fireworks