Minecraft Bedrock 26.31 Hotfix: Crashes, Loading Screens & Server Fixes
What Changed
Bedrock Edition 26.31 is a hotfix release that rolled out on 22 June 2026. Because each platform (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, iOS, Android, Windows) goes through its own approval pipeline, you may see it arrive at slightly different times, just give it a day if you don't see it yet.
Here's every fix packed into this small but important update:
- Loading-screen freeze (UI): Players who had the Screen Animations setting switched off could get permanently stuck on the loading screen when trying to join an Experience. That nasty hang is now gone.
- Nintendo Switch split-screen guests (Gameplay): An ID collision was preventing multiple local guests from joining the same Switch session at once. The fix restores proper local multiplayer on the console.
- Upward-facing dispenser (Blocks): Projectiles fired straight up from a dispenser were quietly failing to launch, they'd vanish instead of flying into the air. MCPE-239709 is resolved.
- Slower server connections (Networking): A networking issue was dragging down connection speeds for players joining servers. MCPE-239705 is patched.
- Multiple crash fixes (Performance & Stability): Several in-game crashes were identified and resolved, plus a specific crash that could hit Switch players right on the main menu (MCPE-238647).
Why It Matters
Hotfixes like 26.31 are easy to overlook because they don't add shiny new features, but they're often the most important updates of all. A loading screen that freezes forever is a showstopper for anyone trying to play. Crash fixes protect your saved progress. And the server connectivity improvement is especially meaningful: even small network hiccups can make a session feel laggy and frustrating, so getting that smoothed out benefits every online player directly.
The dispenser fix is a nice bonus for redstone builders, dispensers aimed upward are a staple of farms and contraptions, and having projectiles silently disappear could break carefully designed builds in ways that were hard to diagnose.
Java and Bedrock
This update is Bedrock-only. Java Edition is on its own separate release track and receives no changes with this hotfix. If you play on PC with the Java client, nothing changes for you today, keep an eye out for Java snapshots and releases on their own schedule.
For Server Owners
The networking fix (MCPE-239705) is the headline item here. If players on your Bedrock-enabled server were complaining about sluggish connections even with decent internet, this patch may well resolve those complaints without any action needed on your end, it's a client-side and protocol-level correction. The crash fixes also mean fewer unexpected disconnects during sessions, which keeps your world tidy and your players happy.
No server-side configuration changes are required to benefit from this hotfix. Players simply need to update their Bedrock app.
For Parents
If your child plays Minecraft on a phone, tablet, console, or Windows PC using the Bedrock edition, this update will download automatically (or prompt them to update, depending on your device settings). It's a small, safe patch with no new content, just stability and bug fixes. Approving or allowing this update is recommended, as it removes several crashes and the loading-screen freeze that could have your child calling you over in frustration.
Nintendo Switch families in particular will appreciate the split-screen guest fix, which means siblings or friends sitting together on the couch can join the same world properly again.
For Players
Good news if any of these have been bugging you:
- No more getting stuck forever on the loading screen when Screen Animations is off, just turn it back on or update and you're good either way.
- Playing on Switch with friends in the same room? Multiple guests can join again without fighting over IDs.
- Your dispensers aimed at the sky will actually shoot now, great news for any farms or mini-games that rely on them.
- Joining servers should feel snappier and more reliable after the networking fix.
- Random crashes during gameplay and on the Switch main menu are squashed.
Update via your platform's store and you're all set, no world data is affected by this patch.
Do SNT Kingdoms Need an Update?
SNT Gaming kingdoms run Paper 1.21.11 backends with Geyser + Floodgate to welcome Bedrock players alongside Java players, but here's the important detail: Bedrock 26.x clients are not yet supported by the current SNT stack. PaperMC, Velocity, and the Via family of plugins have not yet migrated to Mojang's new year-based versioning scheme, so a Bedrock 26.31 client cannot connect to an SNT kingdom at this time.
This is nothing SNT can fix unilaterally, it depends on upstream projects (PaperMC, Velocity, Geyser, ViaVersion) shipping compatibility updates first. The SNT team monitors these projects closely and will roll out support as soon as the full stack is ready and tested.
In the meantime: Bedrock players who have already updated to 26.x should keep an eye on SNT's announcements for when crossplay access is restored. Java players on 1.13–1.21.11 are completely unaffected and can continue enjoying all six kingdom worlds as normal.