1.20.4

Minecraft 1.20.4 arrived only two days after 1.20.3 to patch crashes and item-loss bugs introduced by that release's changes. It was released on December 7, 2023 as a follow-up to the release before it.

At its heart, 1.20.4 is a two-day hotfix for the 1.20.3 update. The standout addition is crash and item-loss fixes for problems found in 1.20.3. A pure bug-fix build with no new features, ensuring 1.20.3 was safe to play.

1.20.4 adds no brand-new content and instead concentrates on stability, so this page covers 1 notable gameplay or technical change and 2 documented fixes alongside how to install it. Java Edition is the original PC version of Minecraft, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Minecraft 1.20.4 is a maintenance build, so it does not introduce new blocks, mobs, or items. Its value is in reliability: it exists to make the release it follows safer and smoother to play, which is covered in the Changes & Fixes section below.

In practical terms, this release delivers crash and item-loss fixes for problems found in 1.20.3.

Beyond new content, 1.20.4 reworks how parts of the game behave. The notable changes include hotfix for critical issues in 1.20.3. Changes like these are typical of a point release, which refines an existing update rather than replacing it.

On the bug-fixing side, 1.20.4 resolves fixed critical crashes introduced in 1.20.3 and fixed item loss bugs. Fixes like these remove long-standing frustrations without altering how the game is meant to be played.

To play Minecraft 1.20.4 on Java Edition, open the official Minecraft Launcher, select the Java Edition tab, and use the version dropdown beside the Play button to choose 1.20.4. As a point release it sits in the release list alongside the other stable builds.

Before updating an existing world to 1.20.4, it is good practice to copy the save folder first. Worlds from 1.20.3 upgrade in place, but newly generated chunks will use 1.20.4's world generation while older chunks keep their original terrain.