Is Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 safe to use on my main world?

Mojang notes that testing versions can corrupt your world, so it's not recommended for your main saves. Back up your worlds before loading the pre-release, and run it in a different folder from the worlds you care about. Pre-releases are meant for testing and bug reporting, not long-term play, so keep anything important separate from the build.

What is data pack version 121.0 in this pre-release?

The changelog states the data pack version is now 121.0 for Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3. That's the version number custom data packs should declare to work with this build. The pre-release also changes the minecraft:mod and minecraft:pow float provider types, so data pack authors who use number providers should test their packs against this version.

Does Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 add new features?

No. According to the release notes, this pre-release focuses on bug fixes as Mojang prepares the full 26.3 release. The only non-fix changes are technical: the data pack version moving to 121.0 and adjustments to the minecraft:mod and minecraft:pow float provider types so they match their integer counterparts. There are no new blocks, mobs, or gameplay features listed.

Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 Bug Fix List

Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 is a Java Edition testing build, published September 8, 2026 by the Java team. It's another round of bug fixes on the way to the full 26.3 release, and it comes with two technical changes: the data pack version moves to 121.0, and two number provider types were adjusted. No new features.

Technical changes in 26.3 Pre-Release 3

The data pack version is now 121.0. If you build custom data packs, that's the value to target for this pre-release.

Two float provider types changed. The minecraft:mod float provider now uses standard modulus instead of floor modulus, which matches the integer variant. One source points to inconsistent results between integer and float providers for something like 4 % -3, and this change closes that gap.

The minecraft:pow float provider is stricter now. Raising 0 to the power of 0 causes an error and halts computation, the same way the int variant already worked. Both changes are about the two variants behaving the same.

Bug fixes in this Java pre-release

Fullscreen and resolution handling takes up a large part of the changelog.

Minecraft Java Edition snapshot loading screen showing the 26.3 Pre-Release 3 version number

On macOS, switching the Exclusive Fullscreen Mode option didn't update the game's actual resolution, and setting it to "Current" held onto the previously selected resolution. Here's the thing, on Windows, normal fullscreen didn't take effect after Exclusive Fullscreen was disabled, borderless fullscreen didn't fill the screen, and pressing Windows plus the down arrow in fullscreen incorrectly restored the game to a borderless window. A separate fix handles the rightmost column of pixels rendering incorrectly in windowed mode.

Falling blocks got a few visual fixes. They no longer disappear for a split second when they land, and breaking a falling block that has another one on top of it no longer makes the top block flash invisible and show unlit particles on landing.

Two villager trading exploits are patched. You could finish trades without paying if you damaged a villager down to zero reputation while trading, or if the villager restocked while the trading screen was still open. Both are fixed now.

Shovels lose durability again when they put out campfires. The source lists this as a fix but doesn't say when the behavior broke.

A handful of smaller fixes round it out:

Block breaking particles and sounds no longer keep playing when you pause in multiplayer or travel through a portal
The block hitting sound plays again when you break blocks that break quickly
You can't see through blocks when the camera is inside snow layers
The game hands off focus properly when you click links on Wayland
The post_effect debug overlay entry now upgrades to post_effects
The "Reduce fps when" option set to "Minimized" applies right away in the Exclusive Fullscreen case after switching focus

How to install Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3

Pre-releases run on Minecraft: Java Edition. Open the Minecraft Launcher, head to the Installations tab, and enable snapshots. The pre-release then shows up in the version list.

Back up your worlds first. Testing versions can corrupt saves, so keep this in a different folder from your main worlds.

There's a cross-platform server jar available too, for anyone testing on a server.

Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 announcement

Reporting bugs and feedback

Hit a bug in the pre-release? Mojang wants those on the official Minecraft issue tracker. General feedback and suggestions go to the Feedback site, and the official Minecraft Discord is the place for discussion.

What Pre-Release 3 means for 26.3

This is a polish stage, not a content drop. The changelog is bug fixes plus the data pack and number provider changes, nothing more. Pack authors are the ones who need to pay attention here, since the mod and pow provider tweaks and the jump to data pack 121.0 can affect existing packs. For everyone else, it's steadier fullscreen behavior and fewer falling-block glitches heading into the full release.

Source:Minecraft 26.3 Pre-Release 3 | Minecraft.