1.20.5

Minecraft 1.20.5, Armored Paws, added the armadillo and craftable wolf armor, and replaced item NBT with a structured data component system. It was released on April 23, 2024 as a follow-up to the release before it.

At its heart, 1.20.5 is armadillos, wolf armor, and a new item data format. The standout addition is the armadillo mob and wolf armor, plus nine biome-specific wolf variants. One of the few minor releases to carry a themed name thanks to its named drop content.

This page breaks 1.20.5 down into 2 headline features, 3 notable gameplay or technical changes and 2 documented fixes, and a plain-language summary of why the update matters. Armored Paws was released for Bedrock Edition as update 1.20.80 around the same time.

The most talked-about part of the Armored Paws update is the armadillo mob and wolf armor, plus nine biome-specific wolf variants.

In full, 1.20.5 adds armadillo mob and Wolf Armor and wolf variants (9 biome-specific wolf types). Together these are what make Armored Paws worth updating to, and each appears in the Major Features list on this page.

Beyond new content, 1.20.5 reworks how parts of the game behave. The notable changes include item component system replacing NBT data on items, over 100 data-driven changes to item format, and transfer command for server transfers. Changes like these are typical of a point release, which refines an existing update rather than replacing it.

On the bug-fixing side, 1.20.5 resolves fixed many NBT-to-component migration issues and fixed wolf-related pathfinding bugs. Fixes like these remove long-standing frustrations without altering how the game is meant to be played.

To play Minecraft 1.20.5 on Java Edition, open the official Minecraft Launcher, select the Java Edition tab, and use the version dropdown beside the Play button to choose 1.20.5. As a point release it sits in the release list alongside the other stable builds.

Before updating an existing world to 1.20.5, it is good practice to copy the save folder first. Worlds from 1.20.4 upgrade in place, but newly generated chunks will use 1.20.5's world generation while older chunks keep their original terrain.