How to Run a Minecraft 1.20 Experimental Server

Overview

Minecraft 1.20 features were available for testing before the full update arrived, but they were not enabled the same way as a normal version change. For Java Edition, Mojang added support for experimental data packs in Snapshot 23w07a, which lets server owners generate worlds with early 1.20 content.

That setup is not obvious if you only switch the server jar and press start. The server also needs the correct enabled packs value and a new world, otherwise the experimental content will not load. This guide explains how to prepare the server, generate an experimental world, connect with the right Minecraft client, and handle the most common problems.

Enable Minecraft 1.20 Experimental Features

Snapshots are for Minecraft Java Edition. Bedrock players can still test experimental content, but they do it through Minecraft Preview or platform-specific beta access instead of a Java snapshot server. The main steps below focus on Java Edition because that is where Snapshot 23w07a and the `initial-enabled-packs` setting apply.

Before changing anything, make sure you are working on the correct server profile or instance. Experimental builds are meant for testing, so using a separate world is the cleaner option. Nobody enjoys discovering that their main world has become a science project.

Prepare the Java Server

Start by switching the server to the snapshot version that supports the experimental 1.20 packs.

• Open your HolyHosting server panel and find the game version or server jar section.

• Select the current version, then search for `Snapshot 23w07a` and choose it.

• Confirm the version change when prompted.
• Choose the option to create a new world if the panel asks how to handle the world files.
• Restart the server so the snapshot files can generate.

• Once the server finishes loading, stop it again before editing the settings.

Stopping the server before configuration changes helps avoid the server overwriting your edits when it shuts down later.

Generate an Experimental World

With Snapshot 23w07a selected, the next step is enabling the experimental packs in `server.properties`.

• From the main server panel, open the configuration files area.

• Select the server settings file, usually named `server.properties`.

• Look for the `initial-enabled-packs` option.
• Set its value to the following:

```text vanilla, update_1_20, bundle ```

• Save the file.
• If asked to restart immediately, choose to restart later and return to the main panel.
• Find the world section, choose the option to change the world, and enter a fresh world name. `Experimental` is a simple choice.

• Confirm the world change, then restart the server.

The new world is important. Experimental packs are applied during world generation, so an existing world may not receive the features properly even if the setting is correct.

Join With a Snapshot Client

After the server starts with the new world, your Minecraft Launcher also needs to use the same snapshot version.

• Open the Minecraft Launcher and go to `Installations`.

• Enable the `Snapshots` checkbox on the right side of the launcher.

• Click `New Installation`.

• In the version list, select `Snapshot 23w07a`.
• Save the profile, then press `Play` on that new snapshot installation.

The launcher will download the required client files and open the game. After that, join the server like normal using its address. If the client and server versions match, the connection should work and the experimental 1.20 features should be available in the new world.

Bedrock Edition Experimental Features

Bedrock Edition uses a different testing path. Instead of joining a Java snapshot server, install Minecraft Preview where it is available for your platform.

On Windows, Minecraft Preview can be installed through the Microsoft Store or Minecraft Launcher. On Xbox, search for `Minecraft Preview` and install it from the console store. iOS access usually depends on the TestFlight beta, which can fill up quickly, though Mojang has historically opened spots periodically. Availability can change by platform, so check the official Minecraft Preview information if your device does not show the option.

Bedrock experimental features are tied to that separate Preview app and world settings, not to the Java `initial-enabled-packs` value.

Troubleshooting

Server Does Not Start

If the server fails after switching to Snapshot 23w07a, check the world first. The experimental packs should be used with a newly generated world. Rename the world folder or use the panel's change world option, then start the server again.

Also verify the `initial-enabled-packs` value. It should be:

```text vanilla, update_1_20, bundle ```

Missing commas, extra characters, or a misspelled pack name can prevent the server from loading correctly.

Missing `initial-enabled-packs`

If the setting does not appear in the server settings editor, confirm that the server is actually running Snapshot 23w07a. The version change must be applied with a restart before the newer options appear.

If the panel editor still does not show it, open the server files through the file manager or FTP access and edit `server.properties` directly. Add this line at the bottom of the file:

```text initial-enabled-packs=vanilla, update_1_20, bundle ```

Save the file, restart the server, and make sure it starts with a fresh world.

Helpful Next Steps

For related setup work, you may also want to review how to change a Minecraft server version, how to generate a new Minecraft world, and how to manage your Minecraft server hosting files.