How to download Minecraft Bedrock Beta & Preview 1.20.40.21 

Mojang debuted Minecraft: Bedrock Edition's latest preview/beta on September 13, 2023. The preview patch continues the ongoing balancing of villager trades in the game, brings parity with Java Edition when it comes to water sounds, and prevents camels from dashing in water or lava. A litany of bug and crash fixes were also implemented.

Thanks to Minecraft's Preview Program, players can access the latest beta across multiple platforms in just a few moments. The update's file size is quite small, so as long as fans have a stable internet connection, they should be able to dive into the latest round of fixes and adjustments in a flash.

However, for Minecraft fans who are curious about how to play the latest preview/beta on their respective device, it doesn't hurt to take a look at the process.

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How to download Minecraft Bedrock's 1.20.40.21 on all compatible platforms

Opting into Minecraft's latest preview/beta is achieved differently across platforms (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft Bedrock's previews are available for download on Xbox consoles, Windows 10/11 PCs, and Android/iOS mobile devices. Each platform handles things a bit differently, but the basic premise is relatively the same. Players will either download a separate program for the preview or update their base game app to the latest experimental version.

Downloading the beta on Xbox

1. From the console dashboard, open the Microsoft Store. Then, open its search field.
2. Enter "Minecraft Preview" into the search field and then open the preview's store page.
3. Press the download button provided. As long as you have already purchased the base game on your account (or you have an active Game Pass subscription), this should be possible free of charge.
4. When the application has successfully downloaded, simply return to your dashboard/library, open the new preview app, and enjoy!

Downloading the beta on Windows PCs

1. If you haven't already, go ahead and download the Minecraft Launcher via Mojang's official site.
2. Open the launcher and select the Windows Edition on the game list to the left of the launcher window.
3. On the right of the window and under the splash art, you'll find a button that usually reads "Latest Release." Click this and choose "Latest Preview" instead. Then click the green install/play button. The launcher will download all of the necessary assets and files and then open the preview version of the game when the process is complete.
4. If you already have the preview installed, you'll need to update it to the latest version. This is accomplished by opening the Microsoft Store application, going to your library, and pressing the "Get Updates" button.

Downloading the beta on Android and iOS

1. For Android users, open the base game's store page on the Google Play Store. After you've purchased the game, scroll down its page and tap the link that reads "Join the Beta." Update the game app afterward, and the preview should be applied. You can then open the app, and it will be updated to the beta as opposed to the vanilla version.
2. On iOS, you'll need to download the Testflight app from the Apple App Store. Then, head to the Testflight site for Minecraft and sign up for access. You may need to wait to sign up in some situations, as applications tend to fill up fast. After opting into Testflight on the site, update your game app, and be sure to play it regularly to avoid being removed from the beta program.

The best part about joining the Preview Program on any platform is that fans will have access to future betas and previews that are released by Mojang. Updates should occur automatically when the preview is opened as long as players haven't disabled them.