Minecraft Preview 26.60 APK: Ice Caves & Frostbite Beta
Minecraft Preview 26.60 is the current Bedrock beta. The newest build is 26.60.29, released on September 30, 2026 for Android, Windows, Xbox, PlayStation and ChromeOS (iOS and iPadOS got it on September 27). It is the first build that ships the fourth drop of 2026 behind an experimental toggle: ice caves, the frostbite and the Freezing effect.
On Android this build is called beta 26.60.29 and its internal number is 1.26.60.29. The stable game is still on 26.52. Stable 26.60 has a date: October 27, 2026.
What is new in Preview 26.60.29?
The headline content is experimental and belongs to the winter drop Mojang showed at Minecraft LIVE in September 2026. With the experiment on, you get:
- Ice caves: a cave biome that generates under frozen biomes and sometimes breaks through to the surface. Packed ice and calcite walls, icicles on the ceiling, snow patches on the floor. Ores sit inside blobs of stone and deepslate.
- Icicles: spike blocks that hang from the ceiling and grow up to 5 blocks long when packed ice sits above them. A nearby light source melts them. Falling icicles deal damage, and landing on one multiplies fall damage.
- Ice crystals: a light-emitting block (light level 4) that can be placed on any side of a block.
- Frostbite: a zombie variant from snowy biomes. Most hit you in melee and freeze you; some spawn holding ice balls and throw them, switching to melee when you get close. Zombies and husks that freeze in powder snow turn into frostbites.
- Freezing effect: damage over time, slower movement and lower jumps. One piece of leather armor stops the damage, not the slowness.
- Potion and Arrow of Freezing: brew an awkward potion with an ice ball. Splash and lingering versions exist too.
Outside the experiment, 26.60.29 moves the main menu to Ore UI and fixes bugs, including an Android one where the disclosure pop-up could not be tapped.
How do you turn on ice caves?
They do not show up in your existing worlds. You need a new world with experiments enabled:
- Install the beta (Android steps below).
- Create a new world and open Experiments.
- Turn on Drop 4 of 2026. Mojang also lists Beta APIs, Upcoming Creator Features and Render Dragon Features for Creators, but the drop toggle is the one that adds the content.
- Find a frozen biome and dig down. Ice caves sit underneath.
A world with experiments enabled stays flagged as experimental for good. Use a test world, not your main survival save.
How do you join the beta on Android?
- Open the official Minecraft listing on Google Play (Mojang Studios).
- Scroll to the beta section and tap Join.
- Wait a few minutes, then update the app from the same listing.
One thing to know first: on Android the beta replaces your regular Minecraft. It is not a separate app. Worlds you open in the beta may not open again in the stable version, so back them up. To go back, leave the program on the same Play listing and reinstall the stable release.
There is no reason to hunt for a beta APK on other sites. Google Play hands you the right build for your phone and keeps it updated. Our download page covers the safe install path.
Preview 26.60 builds so far
| Build | Android date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 26.60.21 | Sep 2, 2026 | First beta of the cycle, bug fixes |
| 26.60.23 (Preview 26.60.22) | Sep 8, 2026 | Bug fixes |
| 26.60.24 | Sep 16, 2026 | Bug fixes |
| 26.60.28 | Sep 22, 2026 | Mushroom placement changes, bug fixes |
| 26.60.29 | Sep 30, 2026 | Ice caves, frostbite, Freezing (experimental); Ore UI main menu |
When does stable 26.60 come out?
On October 27, 2026, the same day the native Nintendo Switch 2 version launches with Vibrant Visuals and a 28-chunk render distance. Stable 26.60 brings fixes and small changes: brown and red mushrooms can be placed on any solid block regardless of light, and trapdoors get snappable placement in a fixed direction.
Ice caves will not be stable on October 27. They stay experimental until the full drop ships as Bedrock 26.70 (and Java 26.4) in Q4 2026. Mojang has not given that date yet.
Quick questions
Is Preview 26.60 stable? No. It is a beta and can crash or break worlds. For normal play, stay on stable 26.52.
Can I play on servers with the beta? Only with players on the same beta. Regular servers and Realms run the stable version.
Where can I see what the last drop added? On the 26.50 Wilderness Bound page. Its follow-up hotfix is covered in 26.51.
Sources: Mojang’s official notes, Minecraft Beta & Preview 26.60.29 (September 30, 2026), plus the Bedrock Edition 26.60 and Fourth Drop 2026 entries on minecraft.wiki. Updated October 3, 2026.
