Which plugins already work on Minecraft 26.3? Status per plugin

Status on 23 September 2026: Minecraft Java 26.3 has been out since 15 September, but Paper 26.3 is still only available as an experimental build (build 35). The latest stable Paper is 26.2, build 128. LuckPerms, WorldGuard, BlueMap, squaremap, Floodgate, Chunky and ViaVersion/ViaBackwards already list 26.3 in a regular release. WorldEdit and EssentialsX have a beta or dev build. CoreProtect, FastAsyncWorldEdit and Dynmap don't work on 26.3 yet. If you run Paper with plugins, stay on 26.2 for now and let players with a 26.3 client in through ViaVersion.

The picture changes by the day, so for each plugin we list the version and the source we checked.

Server software: Paper 26.3 is still experimental, Fabric is ready

• Paper only has experimental builds for 26.3. The PaperMC downloads API shows 33 builds, all in the ALPHA channel; the newest is build 35 from 22 September. On the downloads page, 26.3 sits behind the toggle for experimental builds. Paper 26.3 requires at least Java 25.
• Purpur builds on Paper and has the same status: build 2639 for 26.3 (21 September) is marked experimental in the Purpur API, where the "current" version is still 26.2.
• Folia doesn't have 26.3 yet; the newest version is 26.2.
• Spigot can be built for 26.3 with java -jar BuildTools.jar --rev 26.3. Spigot doesn't label that build as stable or experimental.
• Fabric is ready: 26.3 is listed as stable in the Fabric metadata, with loader 0.19.5 and Fabric API 0.161.0+26.3 (18 September). On a Fabric server, it's mainly each individual mod that decides whether you can update.

Not sure which software suits your server? Read Paper or Purpur for your Minecraft server? first.

ViaVersion and ViaBackwards: 26.3 players on your 26.2 server

The most important news if you want to wait: ViaVersion 5.12.0 (18 September) adds support for 26.3 clients. Put that plugin on your 26.2 server and players who've already updated their launcher to 26.3 can simply join. They only get the new 26.3 content once the server itself updates.

The other way round works with ViaBackwards 5.12.0, which supports 26.3 servers: players with an older client can then join a 26.3 server. ViaBackwards needs ViaVersion, so you install them together. How that works is explained in ViaVersion: letting in players on different versions.

Bedrock players notice this too. Geyser (build 1245 from 17 September) presents itself as a 26.2 client. On a 26.2 server that works without extras; on a 26.3 server Geyser needs both ViaVersion and ViaBackwards. Floodgate already got an update to 26.3 on 17 September (build 141).

Plugins on 26.3: the status per plugin on 23 September 2026

"Yes" means: a regular release that mentions 26.3 on the download page or in the changelog. "Beta/dev": there's a test build with 26.3, but no release yet. "Unconfirmed": no source that mentions 26.3.

All dates are from 2026 and were checked on 23 September.

The sticking points: CoreProtect, FAWE and Dynmap

CoreProtect is the clearest case. The free version 24.0 (Community Edition) has an upper limit of 26.2 in its code. On a 26.3 server it reports Minecraft 26.3 is not supported. and disables itself. Your server keeps running, but without a log: anyone who griefs in the meantime can't be rolled back afterwards. For a survival or SMP server, that alone is reason to wait. How CoreProtect works is covered in CoreProtect: rolling back grief.

FastAsyncWorldEdit doesn't have a build for 26.3 yet; support is sitting in an open pull request that hasn't been merged. If you only need FAWE for building, the beta of regular WorldEdit is a temporary way out. Do expect longer waits on large edits, though, because that's exactly what FAWE exists for.

Dynmap is furthest behind: version 3.8 from January goes up to 1.21.11 and the source code has no module for the 26 versions yet. If you want a live map on 26.3, BlueMap and squaremap both already have a release. The differences are covered in Dynmap and BlueMap.

Unconfirmed is not the same as broken

Vault, PlaceholderAPI and GriefPrevention have no release that mentions 26.3. That doesn't automatically mean they're broken, but it doesn't mean they work either: testing is the only way to know for sure. Vault is a special case: it's the bridge that lets economy, chat and permission plugins find each other, but its latest version (1.7.3) dates from July 2020. Its continuation, VaultUnlocked, calls itself a drop-in replacement and lists 26.3 in version 2.20.3 from 16 September.

When to update and when to wait

• Vanilla or Fabric: go ahead. Check on Modrinth for each mod whether 26.3 is listed for the version.
• Paper with plugins on a production server: wait for a stable Paper build and for releases of the plugins your server relies on. In the meantime, put ViaVersion 5.12.0 on your 26.2 server.
• You use CoreProtect, FAWE or Dynmap: don't update. The first two don't have a 26.3 build yet, and Dynmap has no 26.x support at all.
• Small server with friends and only plugins marked "Yes": an experimental Paper build is an option, if you accept bugs and have a backup ready.

When is updating unnecessary? When your players mainly want to keep playing: with ViaVersion they simply get in with their new client, and the server only needs to follow once the new content really matters.

How to test 26.3 without risking your world

1. Make a backup in the game panel and check that it has finished (making a backup). A world that has been saved on 26.3 can't be taken back to 26.2; only the backup gets you back.
2. Test on a copy, not on your live server. A second server as a test environment can be cancelled monthly; the packages are in the Minecraft store, from €0.50 per month. Put a copy of your world and your plugins folder on it.
3. Choose the version with the version picker or the startup variable in the panel (changing the version) and set Java to 25 (changing the Java version).
4. Read the console on the first start. Search for is not supported and Error occurred while enabling; in /plugins, disabled plugins show up in red.
5. Test what your players do: joining with an older client, a claim or region, an economy transaction, a CoreProtect lookup, a WorldEdit selection.
6. If it goes wrong, restore the backup (restoring a backup) and try again in a week.

Also switch off any automatic updaters. The pitfalls of 26.3 itself, such as datapacks that break, are covered in Minecraft 26.3 and your server.

Check the status yourself before you update

This overview is a snapshot, so check the source from the table before you update. On Hangar and Modrinth you can see for each version which Minecraft versions it belongs to. For Paper, the downloads page shows whether 26.3 is still behind the toggle for experimental builds. For plugins on GitHub, read the changelog of the newest release to see whether 26.3 is mentioned. If 26.3 isn't listed, don't assume it works.

Frequently asked questions

Does Paper work on Minecraft 26.3 yet?

Only experimentally. On 23 September 2026, Paper only had builds in the alpha channel for 26.3 (the newest: build 35), while 26.2 build 128 is the stable version. For a production server with plugins, waiting for a stable build is the safest option.

Does CoreProtect work on Minecraft 26.3?

Not yet. The free CoreProtect 24.0 has an upper limit of 26.2 in its code and disables itself on a 26.3 server with the message 'Minecraft 26.3 is not supported.' Stay on 26.2 until there's a new release that mentions 26.3.

Can players on Minecraft 26.3 join my 26.2 server?

Yes, with ViaVersion 5.12.0 or newer, which has supported 26.3 clients since 18 September. For the reverse situation, older clients on a 26.3 server, you also need ViaBackwards 5.12.0.

Do Geyser and Floodgate work on Minecraft 26.3?

Floodgate does: build 141 from 17 September has been updated to 26.3. Geyser presents itself as a 26.2 client, so on a 26.3 server you need ViaVersion and ViaBackwards; on a 26.2 server Geyser works without extra plugins.

Further reading

• Minecraft 26.3 and your server: breaking changes and when to update
• ViaVersion: letting in players on different Minecraft versions
• A backup strategy for your Minecraft server that really works