1.17

Minecraft 1.17, Caves & Cliffs Part 1, delivered the content side of a two-part update, adding copper, amethyst, axolotls, goats, and glow squids. It was released on June 8, 2021 as one of the game's numbered feature updates.

At its heart, 1.17 is the first half of a split update: new blocks and mobs. The standout addition is copper, amethyst geodes, axolotls, goats, and powder snow. The terrain-generation half of Caves & Cliffs was deferred to 1.18 to give it more time.

This page breaks 1.17 down into 17 headline features, 3 notable gameplay or technical changes and 2 documented fixes, and a plain-language summary of why the update matters. Java Edition is the original PC version of Minecraft, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The most talked-about part of the Caves & Cliffs Part 1 update is copper, amethyst geodes, axolotls, goats, and powder snow.

In full, 1.17 adds copper ore and copper blocks with oxidation, Amethyst Geodes and spyglass, axolotls, Glow Squids and Glow Ink Sacs, goats with ram attack, Powder Snow with freezing mechanic, candles, and Lightning Rods, with several further additions listed on the right. Together these are what make Caves & Cliffs Part 1 worth updating to, and each appears in the Major Features list on this page.

Beyond new content, 1.17 reworks how parts of the game behave. The notable changes include cave generation changes deferred to 1.18, renewable dripstone mechanic, and shulkers can now duplicate. Adjustments of this kind reshape day-to-day play for existing worlds as much as new ones.

On the bug-fixing side, 1.17 resolves fixed various rendering issues and fixed many cave generation bugs. Several of these are performance-focused, so the update can feel smoother even where nothing visible changed.

To play Minecraft 1.17 on Java Edition, open the official Minecraft Launcher, select the Java Edition tab, and use the version dropdown beside the Play button to choose 1.17. As a full release it appears in the standard release list by default.

Before updating an existing world to 1.17, it is good practice to copy the save folder first. Worlds from 1.16 upgrade in place, but newly generated chunks will use 1.17's world generation while older chunks keep their original terrain.