Minecraft 26.x Version Numbers Explained
Updated · MCJarHub
After Minecraft 1.21.11 Mojang dropped the "1." prefix and switched to year-based versions: 26.1 was the first release of 2026, followed by 26.1.1, 26.1.2, 26.2 and 26.3. "Minecraft 1.26" or "Paper 1.26.2" do not exist — you are looking for 26.x.
Old and new numbering side by side
Since the 1.0 release in 2011, Java Edition versions started with 1. — 1.8, 1.12.2, 1.20.1, and finally 1.21.11 (9 Dec 2025). The next release was not 1.22 but 26.1. The new numbers read as year . release of that year . hotfix:
| Version | Released | Required Java |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft 26.3 | 15 Sep 2026 | Java 25 |
| Minecraft 26.2 | 16 Jun 2026 | Java 25 |
| Minecraft 26.1.2 | 9 Apr 2026 | Java 25 |
| Minecraft 26.1.1 | 1 Apr 2026 | Java 25 |
| Minecraft 26.1 | 24 Mar 2026 | Java 25 |
So "26.1.2" is the second hotfix of the first 2026 release, and "26.3" the third release of 2026.
Snapshots got new names too
Development builds used to be named after the year and week, like 25w46a (2025, week 46). Since the 26.1 cycle, whose first snapshot appeared on 16 December 2025, they are named after the release they lead to:
26.4-snapshot-1,26.4-snapshot-2… — weekly snapshots, usually on Tuesdays26.4-pre-1… — pre-releases26.4-rc-1… — release candidates, shortly before the final release
April Fools snapshots such as 26w14a still use the old week format.
The newest snapshot right now is Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 6, part of the 26.4 cycle. All of them are on the snapshot hub.
"1.26", "Paper 1.26.2" and other mix-ups
Many players still add the old prefix and search for "Minecraft 1.26.1" or "Paper 1.26.2". Those versions don't exist: they mean 26.1 and 26.2. MCJarHub redirects such addresses, so /jar/paper/1.26.2 takes you to Paper 26.2.
Two other things are easy to confuse:
- Bedrock versions (phones, consoles) have their own, separate version numbers that don't line up with Java releases. Java server jars are not compatible with Bedrock — see Bedrock Dedicated Server.
- Loader versions: NeoForge used the Minecraft minor numbers (21.1.x = Minecraft 1.21.1) and follows Mojang's scheme for 26.x (26.3.x = Minecraft 26.3).
What it means for your server
- Java 25: Mojang's data lists Java 25 for all 26.x servers, while 1.20.5–1.21.11 need Java 21. Install Java 25 before moving to 26.x, or the server fails with an UnsupportedClassVersionError (class file version 69).
- Plugins and mods treat 26.x like any new major version: check that each one supports it before updating — how to update safely.
- Version checks in scripts: tools that compare versions as "1.x" strings may misorder 26.x. MCJarHub's API sorts by release date.
Current downloads: latest version of every server software.