Minecraft 1.26.0.23 Beta

Android: 8,0+
🕣 Updated
04 Dec 2025
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Minecraft 1.26.0.23 Beta — is a fresh beta for Android aimed at addressing many issues that have accumulated after the 1.21.130.28 update. As usual, the developers are rolling out the new version gradually, so if the update hasn’t reached you yet — just wait a little longer.

I always find it fascinating to see how the Mojang team responds to community feedback and makes real improvements to the gameplay. In this review, I’ll share my personal opinion and discuss how successful the bug fixes were, what to expect from the new features, and whether it’s worth switching to this version right now.

What’s new?

As someone who tried this update early on, I’d like to share my impressions. First off, I must say the redesign of the versioning system really makes life easier. It’s now simple to understand which year a build belongs to — I personally love this transparency.

In terms of new features, I particularly liked the command macros. For players who actively use a keyboard and mouse, this is a huge relief! Assigning necessary commands to specific keys was possible in just a couple of clicks, and in combat and building, it’s a lifesaver. The fine-tuning of subtitles also came in handy — they no longer obstruct the view, and all sound signals have become more diverse. It’s especially amusing to hear the new Nautilus sounds while exploring the seas.

Of course, there are nuances. For example, the macro system is still too limited to Alt combinations. I’d like to see more customization options for advanced players. Some bug fixes are genuinely noticeable — the annoying issues with camera movement after a pause and the character’s twitching hand are gone. Small details like a more stable interface were also pleasing: the game now freezes less, even on my not-so-powerful device, and the effect icons have become more visible.

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Updated version numbering

The Mojang team has finally brought order to the numbers. The scheme is now more transparent:

Numbering is tied to the calendar year.
All updates planned for 2026 will start with the index «26».

Key innovations

Three significant changes have been added to the game. Special attention was given to convenience and control:

Subtitle settings: New customization options have been added.
Sound effects: Audio effects for Nautilus and Zombie-Nautilus mobs have been updated.

Command macros

A toggle was added to the control menu (keyboard/mouse) that activates 10 special slots.
Each key can be assigned a text command that triggers when pressed.
The functionality works exclusively during gameplay.
Activation uses the Alt + selected key combination (Alt itself cannot be assigned).

Fixed bugs

Honestly, the sheer number of bug fixes impressed me. Many of these issues I had encountered multiple times in previous versions — especially the crash bug when transferring between servers or when the on-screen keyboard couldn’t be properly closed. Now these nuances have been resolved, and the gameplay has genuinely become smoother: I didn’t encounter a single critical error during several gaming sessions. It’s also great that the «Adventure Time» achievement now works correctly — previously, it wouldn’t register even after long journeys across the world.

Among the positives, I’d highlight the stable interface performance: button changes, camera switching, returning from pause — no more random lags or camera shifts. The new highlighting of effect icons — a small detail, but noticeably pleasant, especially during active potion gameplay. Fixes to mob drops and behavior are also noticeable: resources are no longer wasted, and animals and mobs act predictably and logically.

However, Minecraft 1.26.0.23 Beta is not without residual issues. The most noticeable remains the cursor bug — in a couple of custom worlds, the cursor can still behave oddly, although it happens much less frequently now. Occasionally, minor visual glitches appear, like strange artifacts in hand animations or shadows — but they don’t interfere with gameplay and are rare.

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Gameplay and mobs

Teleportation through the End Portal no longer throws the player into the void.
The Vindicator named «Johnny» now correctly attacks any target.
The «Adventure Time» achievement on PC no longer registers incorrectly if fewer than 17 biomes are visited.
Spawn mechanics have been adjusted: Piglin spawn eggs are now located elsewhere in the inventory.
Item drops now work correctly for small Zombies, Drowned, Husks, and Zombie Villagers.
Baby Squids (regular and glowing) no longer drop loot.
The behavior of small Polar Bears has been fixed: they attack Foxes but don’t touch players.
The AI movement of Nautilus and other sea creatures has been improved.
The chance of riders (Zombies and Husks) spawning with copper gear has been adjusted.
A visual bug where riders (players or baby zombies) appeared to float above Nautilus has been fixed.
Several mobs (Drowned, Skeletons, Strays, etc.) can no longer pick up Tridents.
Animal growth has been fixed: foals, mules, and donkeys no longer visually grow when maturing, and zombie horses — don’t shrink (and can’t grow).
Small Drowned can now spawn with tridents in hand.

Items and interactions

The contents of a Bundle inside a Chest are now correctly saved after re-entering the game.
Horse armor (diamond and netherite) and Nautilus armor received Toughness values of 2 and 3, respectively.
Animal armor now displays characteristics in the tooltip if they are above zero.
Explosion and slowness potions can now reflect projectiles (e.g., Ghast fireballs) upon direct hit.
The animation of Trident rotation when switching camera views has been fixed.

Interface and graphics

Overall, I can say the update has genuinely improved both the appearance and ease of use, but a couple of unresolved bugs still remind us that this is a test version.

A bug that reduced the game window when reopening it on Windows has been fixed.
Pressing the Alt key no longer freezes the screen.
The virtual keyboard now automatically hides when typing on a physical keyboard.
Cursor issues that interfered with text input have been fixed.
The camera no longer shifts after exiting pause on PC.
Visual bugs with the Wolf model and shadow, as well as effect particles exceeding mob boundaries, have been fixed.
A blue outline has been added for icons in the active effects menu.
An error causing unnecessary hand animation has been fixed.
The Escape key now correctly opens the menu even on the death screen.
The «Realm failed load» error when joining via invitations has been fixed.
Canceling an action during server transfer no longer causes a softlock (freeze) in the game.
In new template worlds, renaming is now allowed without unlocking settings.

My impressions here are mostly positive. The interface has become much more responsive: any changes in settings or window switching now happen noticeably faster. I especially liked how they implemented the blue highlight for active effects — now, among a large number of buffs, it’s easy to spot the necessary ones, which really helps in combat situations and when playing with potions. Working with settings has become easier, and I no longer observe bugs with disappearing windows or stuck elements.

However, not everything is perfect. For example, the cursor bug, although less frequent, still occasionally appears, especially when playing in custom worlds or after quickly switching between windows. I was pleased that the virtual keyboard no longer interferes with input — my external keyboard works without conflicts, unnecessary panels disappear, and typing text has become much more comfortable. Visual artifacts like the “twitching hand” or strange shadows are extremely rare, but I did notice them a couple of times during long sessions. I hope these small details are improved in future patches.

Overall, for me, the Minecraft 1.26.0.23 Beta update has been one of the most stable in recent times. Many annoying little things are now in the past, and the enjoyment of exploring the world and experimenting with new features has increased. Of course, the test version still needs improvements, but the direction is right — and I’m looking forward to future enhancements.

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When installing the Beta (test) version, it is advisable to make backup copies of the worlds