Minecraft:Experiments

File:Ore UI - "Experiments" Tab Settings - Toggle Button - Experimental Gameplay Pop-Ups (Bedrock).png

The pop-up warning message that appears when activating an experiment in the world settings on Bedrock Edition.

File:Ore UI - Play Screen "Worlds" Tab - Play World Button - Experimental Tag Example (Bedrock).png

Example of a world with the experimental tag on Bedrock Edition.

Experiments (also known as Experimental Gameplay or Experimental Features Template:In) are Minecraft:data packs Template:In or game options Template:In. When an experiment is enabled, it allows players to test some experimental, unfinished, or work-in-progress features that may or may not eventually be released in future updates.

File:Experimental World Java.png

Example of a world with the experimental tag on Java Edition.

Toggling

Experiments are found in the world options when creating or editingTemplate:Only a world. When turning an experiment on an existing world, a copy of the world is created automatically. Template:IN, turning an experiment on disables Minecraft:achievements for the world. Once the world is created with an experiment on, the experiment cannot be turned off again. Worlds with the experiments on have an "Experimental" tag next to the game mode name in the world menu.

Servers

Experiments can be enabled for servers by editing the Template:Cd fileTemplate:Only before generating a world by adding the ID of the experiment to the Template:Cd field in the form of a comma-separated list.

For example, this is how Minecraft:Minecart Improvements can be enabled in Template:Cd:

initial-enabled-packs=vanilla,minecart_improvements

Features may be enabled retroactively to already existing worlds by editing the Template:Cd file in a specialized NBT editor by adding a list tag under "Data" called Template:Code and inserting at least two strings: Template:Code and Template:Code.

.Template:Info needed

Warnings

File:Ore UI - Play Screen or Edit World Screen - Play World Button - Load Experimental World Pop-Ups (Bedrock).png

The warning message that pops up when attempting to play on an experimental world in Bedrock Edition.

The point of experiments is for the player to look at some not-quite-finished or experimental features, which could crash, break, change, or stop working at any point in future updates. When the player attempts to load the experimental world, it shows a warning message before loading it. Attempting to disable the experiments toggle via external tools could also crash and break the world.

It is recommended to create backup copies of the world before enabling any experiments to avoid breaking the world and having issues in future updates.

Java Edition

Experiments screen on Java Edition.

The experiment selection screen on Java Edition.

In Java Edition, experiments are built into Minecraft:data packs that can be enabled when creating a world. Java Edition features the following experiments:

• Minecraft:Minecart Improvements
  • Changes behavior of Minecraft:minecarts, allowing them to move faster and more smoothly (among other changes).
  • ID: Template:Cd
• Minecraft:Redstone Experiments
  • Changes behavior of Minecraft:redstone circuits, tweaking some aspects based on directionality or randomness, and how the redstone wire interacts with other blocks.
  • ID: Template:Cd
• Minecraft:Villager Trade Rebalance
  • ID: Template:Cd

Removed

• Minecraft:Update 1.20
• Minecraft:Bundles
• Minecraft:Update 1.21
• Winter Drop
• Minecraft:Locator Bar

Bedrock Edition

In Bedrock Edition, experiments sets of features that can be toggled in the world options menu, some of them are in internal Minecraft:behavior packs or Minecraft:resource packs. Experiments are split into two categories: "Gameplay" and "Add-On Creators."<ref>Template:Cite</ref>

File:Ore UI - Create New World Screen Menu "Experiments" Tab Settings (Bedrock).png

The experiment selection screen Template:In.

Gameplay

Change the way your world works

• "Minecraft:Villager Trade Rebalancing"
  • Overhauled trades for Minecraft:villagers.
• "Furnace Recipe Book"Template:Until
  • Adds a recipe book to the Minecraft:furnace interface, similar to the inventory and crafting table.
• "Drop 2 of 2026"Template:Until
  • Adds several features from Chaos Cubed, including Minecraft:sulfur caves and the Minecraft:sulfur cube.

Add-on creators

For creators of game packs and other add-ons

• "Upcoming Creator Features"
  • Used for various features in add-ons that are upcoming but not ready for release yet.
• "Beta APIs"
  • Enables the usage for "-beta" versions of API modules in Minecraft:add-on packs.
• "Experimental Creator Camera Features"
  • Enables custom camera features, including an "over the shoulder" camera preset.
• "Render Dragon Features for Creators" (Preview only)
  • Enables colored lighting for all lit blocks in Minecraft:Vibrant Visuals and point lighting for some blocks, and adds the ability to customize local lighting in resource packs.
• "Experimental Voxel Shape Features"
  • Enables the use of voxel shape features for some vanilla and custom blocks.
• "Experimental Custom Projectile Features"Template:Until
  • Enables custom projectile improvements

Removed

Features from removed experiments are now all available in regular gameplay.

Gameplay

• Caves and Cliffs
• Minecraft:Wild Update
• Vanilla Experiments
• Spectator Mode
• Minecraft:Sniffer
• Next Major Update
• Minecraft:Crawling and Minecraft:Sneaking
• Recipe Unlocking
• Minecraft:Armadillo and Minecraft:Wolf Armor
• Minecraft:Update 1.21
• Bundles
• Minecraft:Drop 1 2025
• Minecraft:Drop 2 2025
• Minecraft:Locator Bar
• Minecraft:Drop 3 2025
• Minecraft:Drop 1 of 2026

Graphics

• Minecraft:Vibrant Visuals

Add-on creators

• Additional Modding Capabilities
• Molang Features
• Experimental Cameras
• Holiday Creator Features
• Creator Cameras: Focus Target Camera
• Creator Cameras: New Third-Person Preset
• Aim Assist
• Custom Components V2
• Custom biomes
• Data-Driven Jigsaw Structures

History

Java Edition

Timeline

Combat Tests are not included as experimental snapshots in this timeline as they have no well-defined end date. <timeline> ImageSize = width:864 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:130 right:10 top:60 bottom:70 Legend = left:20 top:40 orientation:vertical AlignBars = late DateFormat = yyyy-mm-dd Period = from:2021-01-01 till:2027-01-01

Colors =

 id:supplementary value:rgb(0.99, 0.70, 0.01) legend:External_pack
 id:snapshot      value:rgb(0.81, 0.83, 0.31) legend:Experimental_snapshot
 id:datapack      value:rgb(0.17, 0.78, 0.67) legend:Experimental_toggle
 id:grid1         value:gray(0.6)             # major grid
 id:grid2         value:gray(0.85)            # minor grid
 id:canvas        value:rgb(0.90, 0.94, 0.96) # background
 id:lighttext     value:gray(0.5)             # stand

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BarData =

 bar:cavesandcliffs     text:"Caves & Cliffs"
 bar:newterrain         text:"Terrain rework"
 bar:deepdark           text:"Deep Dark"
 bar:onepointtwenty     text:"Update 1.20"
 bar:bundles            text:"Minecraft:Bundles"
 bar:villagertrades     text:"Minecraft:Villager Trade Rebalance"
 bar:onepointtwentyone  text:"Update 1.21"
 bar:minecartimprove    text:"Minecraft:Minecart Improvements"
 bar:redstoneexperiment text:"Minecraft:Redstone Experiments"
 bar:winterdrop         text:"Winter Drop"
 bar:locatorbar         text:"Minecraft:Locator Bar"

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Bedrock Edition

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:200 right:10 top:60 bottom:70 Legend = left:20 top:40 orientation:vertical AlignBars = late DateFormat = yyyy-mm-dd Period = from:2018-01-01 till:2027-01-01

Colors =

 id:gameplay      value:rgb(0.17, 0.78, 0.67) legend:Gameplay
 id:graphics      value:rgb(0.17, 0.78, 0.27) legend:Graphics
 id:creators      value:rgb(0.78, 0.47, 0.47) legend:Add-on_creators
 id:grid1         value:gray(0.6)             # major grid
 id:grid2         value:gray(0.85)            # minor grid
 id:canvas        value:rgb(0.90, 0.94, 0.96) # background
 id:lighttext     value:gray(0.5)             # stand

ScaleMajor = grid:grid1 unit:year increment:1 start:2018 ScaleMinor = grid:grid2 unit:month increment:1 start:2018-01-01 BackgroundColors = canvas:canvas TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

BarData =

 bar:experimentalgameplay     text:"Experimental Gameplay"
 bar:nextupdate               text:"Next Gameplay Update"
 bar:scripting                text:"Experimental Scripting Features"
 bar:molang                   text:"Molang Features"
 bar:custombiomes             text:"Custom Biomes"
 bar:addon                    text:"Experimental Add-On Features"
 bar:moddingcapabilities      text:"Additional Modding Capabilities"
 bar:holidaycreator           text:"Holiday Creator Features"
 bar:cavesandcliffs           text:"Minecraft:Caves and Cliffs"
 bar:gametest                 text:"Beta APIs"
 bar:creatorfeatures          text:"Upcoming Creator Features"
 bar:vanillaexperiments       text:"Vanilla Experiments"
 bar:wildupdate               text:"Wild Update"
 bar:spectator                text:"Minecraft:Spectator Mode
 bar:onetwenty                text:"Next Major Update
 bar:sniffer                  text:"Minecraft:Sniffer"
 bar:shortsneaking            text:"Short Minecraft:Sneaking / Minecraft:Crawling"
 bar:cameras                  text:"Experimental Cameras"
 bar:recipeunlocking          text:"Recipe Unlocking"
 bar:traderebalance           text:"Minecraft:Villager Trade Rebalancing"
 bar:renderdragon             text:"Render Dragon Features for Creators"
 bar:onetwentyone             text:"Update 1.21
 bar:armadillo                text:"Armadillos and Wolf Armor
 bar:thirdperson              text:"Creator Cameras: New Third-Person Presets"
 bar:focustarget              text:"Creator Cameras: Focus Target Camera"
 bar:bundles                  text:"Bundles"
 bar:aimassist                text:"Aim Assist"
 bar:datadrivenjigsaw         text:"Data-Driven Jigsaw Structures"
 bar:springtolife             text:Drop 1 2025
 bar:cameras2                 text:"Experimental Creator Camera Features"
 bar:locatorbar               text:"Minecraft:Locator Bar"
 bar:chasetheskies            text:"Drop 2 2025
 bar:vibrantvisuals           text:"Minecraft:Vibrant Visuals
 bar:customcomponents         text:"Custom Components v2"
 bar:copperage                text:"Drop 3 2025
 bar:tinytakeover             text:"Drop 1 of 2026
 bar:voxel                    text:"Experimental Voxel Shape Features"
 bar:furnacerecipe            text:"Furnace Minecraft:Recipe Book"
 bar:chaoscubed               text:"Drop 2 of 2026"
 bar:projectiles              text:"Experimental Custom Projectile Features"

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 bar:copperage
 from: 2025-07-01 till: 2025-07-22       color:gameplay
 
 bar:tinytakeover
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 bar:voxel
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 bar:furnacerecipe
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 bar:chaoscubed
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 bar:projectiles
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