1.5

Minecraft 1.5, the Redstone Update, expanded technical play with hoppers, droppers, comparators, and the new Nether Quartz resource. It was released on March 13, 2013 as one of the game's numbered feature updates.

At its heart, 1.5 is giving redstone engineers a full toolkit. The standout addition is hoppers, droppers, and redstone comparators for advanced contraptions. The first update to centre an entire theme on redstone and contraption building.

This page breaks 1.5 down into 10 headline features, 4 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 Redstone Update update is hoppers, droppers, and redstone comparators for advanced contraptions.

In full, 1.5 adds Redstone Comparators, hoppers, dropper block, Trapped Chests, Daylight Sensors, Weighted Pressure Plates, Redstone Blocks, and Nether Quartz and Quartz blocks, with several further additions listed on the right. Together these are what make Redstone Update worth updating to, and each appears in the Major Features list on this page.

Beyond new content, 1.5 reworks how parts of the game behave. The notable changes include inventory management improvements, scoreboard system added, texture packs replaced by resource packs, and death screen shows score. Adjustments of this kind reshape day-to-day play for existing worlds as much as new ones.

On the bug-fixing side, 1.5 resolves fixed lighting engine bugs and fixed many redstone-related crashes. Fixes like these remove long-standing frustrations without altering how the game is meant to be played.

To play Minecraft 1.5 on Java Edition, open the official Minecraft Launcher, select the Java Edition tab, and use the version dropdown beside the Play button to choose 1.5. As a full release it appears in the standard release list by default.

Before updating an existing world to 1.5, it is good practice to copy the save folder first. Worlds from 1.4 upgrade in place, but newly generated chunks will use 1.5's world generation while older chunks keep their original terrain.