Minecraft has unveiled a substantial update for early August 2026, bringing a wealth of enhancements, bug fixes, and exciting experimental features for players to explore.
Minecraft Bedrock Edition 26.40 Patch Notes
In a notable shift for Xbox, Minecraft has been highlighted as a key focus in the company’s new strategy. Asha Sharma aims to transform Minecraft into “the world’s creator platform,” an initiative designed to help Xbox achieve its ambitious daily user engagement targets.
While tangible changes directly linked to this vision remain to be seen, the game continues to evolve with its regular updates. The latest release, Minecraft Bedrock Edition 26.40, has just landed, packed with a variety of improvements.
“It’s time for another Minecraft: Bedrock Edition update! This release brings a wide range of bug fixes, gameplay improvements, accessibility updates, and technical enhancements for creators. From boats requiring fewer hits to break, to minecarts back in order, there’s plenty packed into this release. If you’re keen to see what’s coming next, you’ll also find experimental features to try out, including the dappled forest, abandoned camps, cushions, and more. Let’s dive in,” the announcement stated.
Here’s a detailed overview of the most significant changes players can expect after installing the update:
Drop 3 Experimental Features
- Abandoned Camp
- The Abandoned Camp structure is a new addition that can be discovered in various biomes, including:
- Meadow
- Cherry Grove
- Forest
- Birch Forest
- Old Growth Birch Forest
- Flower Forest
- Windswept Forest
- Dappled Forest
- Taiga
- Snowy Taiga
- Old Growth Spruce Taiga
- Old Growth Pine Taiga
- Sparse Jungle
- Bamboo Jungle
- Swamp
- Savanna
- Wooded Badlands
- Pale Garden
- Each biome features a unique variant of the structure, designed to complement its environment.
- Players can find various chests and barrels filled with loot at these camps.
- New Straw Beds are now available at Abandoned Camps.
- Procedural trees have been added to enhance the aesthetic of the camps.
- Fixed incorrect potion names in the loot tables for the Abandoned Camp.
- Dappled Forest
- A new biome, the Dappled Forest, can be found near cold regions.
- This biome features Poplar Trees and fallen Poplar Trees, along with Shelf Mushrooms and Red Shrubs.
- Passive and neutral mobs such as Sheep, Chickens, Cows, Pigs, Rabbits, and Foxes can be spotted here.
- A variant of the Abandoned Camp structure is also present in this biome.
- Biome fog settings have been updated to align with other forest environments.
- Textures for Orange, Red, and Yellow Poplar Leaves have been refreshed.
- Graphical Enhancements
- Opaque versions of Poplar leaves have been introduced to resolve background issues.
- Hinges have been added to the Poplar door icon, and adjustments were made to the door texture.
- Poplar sign textures have been aligned with other sign assets.
- Poplar Trees
- The Poplar Tree has been introduced, featuring three color variations:
- Red Poplar Leaves
- Orange Poplar Leaves
- Yellow Poplar Leaves
- Each tree variant produces unique falling leaf particles.
- Poplar Leaves yield Poplar Saplings, which can grow into any of the three variants.
- These saplings are also available through trades with Wandering Traders.
- Shelf Mushrooms and Leaf Litter can be found around Poplar Trees.
- Poplar Logs can be crafted into a new set of wood blocks.
- Forest ambience sounds have been linked to Poplar Leaf blocks.
- Note: Some visual settings may not apply correctly to Poplar Leaf blocks.
- Red Shrub
- A new decorative plant, the Red Shrub, appears in patches within the Dappled Forest.
- Can be utilized in the Composter.
- Bone Meal can be used on a Red Shrub to grow another in an adjacent space.
- Shelf Mushroom
- This new mushroom type grows on Poplar Trees and comes in two sizes.
- Small Shelf Mushrooms can be cultivated into larger versions using Bone Meal.
- Large Shelf Mushrooms yield two items when harvested.
- They can be used in stews and are available through Wandering Trader trades.
- Shelf Mushrooms exhibit a slight bounce when stepped on, reminiscent of Beds.
- Sounds
- Ambient sounds for Poplar leaf blocks have been updated.
- Custom sound events have been introduced for Red Shrubs and Poplar leaf blocks.
- Blocks
- New Wool Stair and Wool Slab blocks have been added in a variety of colors:
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Cyan
- Gray
- Green
- Light Blue
- Light Gray
- Lime
- Magenta
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple
- Red
- White
- Yellow
- Cushion
- The Cushion is a new interactive item that players can place and sit on.
- Available in 16 color variants, crafted from 3 Wool Slabs of the same color.
- Currently, cushions are not generating in Abandoned Camps but can be found in the creative inventory.
- Cushion Placement Rules
- Cushions can be placed on any flat surface and align horizontally to the grid.
- They cannot move and will break if the supporting block is removed.
- Cushions do not have collision and can overlap with other objects, except for other cushions.
- Straw Bed
- The Straw Bed is a new one-time use bed that allows players to sleep through the night without setting a spawn point.
- Crafted from 3 Hay Bales, yielding 4 Straw Beds.
- Cannot be used in the Nether or The End, and will be destroyed if attempted there.
This extensive update introduces a plethora of features for players to explore, ensuring that the world of Minecraft continues to thrive with creativity and innovation. Players can now enjoy these new experiences across PC, consoles, and mobile devices.
