Minecraft Bedrock Beta Glow Lichen cover

Minecraft Bedrock Beta Adds Glow Lichen, Android Keyboard Support

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Published: March 25, 2021 2:08 PM

A new Minecraft Bedrock Beta has arrived, featuring the debut of Glow Lichen, the addition of Android keyboard and mouse support on select devices, and a strange change to the name of the "whitelist."

Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world, but some of you might not know that it's split into several different editions; there now are only two versions of the game in active development. The "Java Edition" is for PCs only and where the game got its start.

This new beta, however, is for the Bedrock Edition which is sold for Windows 10, consoles, and Android. Java Edition players recently got to test some cool new changes to Copper in Snapshow 21W11A; now, it's time for Bedrock Edition players to get a chance to try out some upcoming features!

Minecraft Bedrock Beta Glow Lichen slice

What's New in Minecraft Bedrock Beta 1.16.230.50?

Minecraft Bedrock Beta 1.16.230.50 is now available for Windows 10, Xbox One, and Android as reported by Windows Central. This new addition (and many of the major fixes) center around the new plants introduced in the Caves & Cliffs Update.

Glow Lichen is a new plant coming in the Caves & Cliffs Update sometime later this summer. This plan grows on walls and ceilings similar to Vines but with one key difference — aside from a different look, it also emits light at a level of 7. While it will light your path, that light level is just low enough that it will still allow most hostile moves to spawn.

On the same subject, Azalea Leaves, Flowering Azalea Leaves, and Small Dripleaf will both now correctly drop when the Shears are used on them. Moss Blocks can now be fertilized using a Dispenser, and Bees will now consider Flowering Azalea and Flowing Azalea Leaves as flowers. Players can also now collect Glow Berries by breaking them with a tool enchanted with Silk Touch.

Android players will be happy to hear that keyboard and mouse support has arrived — as long as you have Oreo (Android Version 8.0) or newer. That means that most devices released in Late 2017 and beyond should be able to support peripherals in Minecraft.

Finally, the Minecraft Bedrock Beta 1.16.230.50 patch notes have one strange change to the game's code — the name of the "whitelist" has been changed to "allowlist," along with all of the other related functions on this topic.

You can opt into this new Minecraft Bedrock Beta through the Xbox Insider Hub App on Xbox One and Windows 10; Android players will have to make the change via the Google Play Store. Bear in mind that activating this Beta will lock out access to Minecraft Realms and you won't be able to join non-Beta players in multiplayer. You can buy Minecraft for PC & Consoles via its official website.

What do you think of these changes in the new Minecraft Beta? Do you wish Glow Lichen emitted more light? Let us know in the comments below!

A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N

More Info About This Game
Learn More About Minecraft
Game Page Minecraft
Developer
Mojang
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release Date
May 17, 2009 (Calendar)
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