It's almost that time of the month again! We're fast approaching the next Rust wipe, and a brand new batch of content within the Spring Clean update. This means new items, buildables, patch notes, and more. So, keep reading to learn what to expect in the Rust April 2026 Server Wipe!

Rust April 2026 Wipe Date

The Rust April 2026 wipe release date will land on April 2nd, 2026, keeping in line with the game's force wipe on the first thursday of every month. While we don't have confirmed patch notes just yet, we do have some interesting additions to the Rust Staging Branch that we may see make their way into the wipe update. Some other details may also include a Blueprint wipe, depending on the scale of the update and nature of its final content. We'll update here when any confirmations arrive!

What to Expect in the Rust April 2026 Wipe (Spring Clean Update)

Note: Image courtesy of Protox. April 2nd will mark the release of the Spring Clean update, coinciding with the April wipe. This will go live at 6PM UTC. Again, we don't have the full patch notes yet, but we do have some details on confirmed new content. Here's what we know will be included:

• New Skinnable Item: The Salvaged Axe
• Shield hitbox is smaller when not ADSing
• New Water Wheel
• New Armored Ladder Hatch
• Updated console UI
• Hot Air Balloon now has an altimeter

Of course, two of the biggest confirmed attractions are the new Water Wheel and Armored Ladder Hatch.

Water Wheel

It's always nice to have another way to generate power in Rust. With the Water Wheel, you'll have the option to create a base near a water source and get some free electricity for your trouble. To learn how to craft a Water Wheel, head to an Engineering Workbench and spend 60 scrap. To craft it, you need the following:

• 500x Wood
• 2x Gears
• 1x Sheet Metal

There are a few things to keep in mind, however. First, the Water Wheel must be placed parallel to the water's flow. If you have a perpendicular wheel, it won't move at all. Additionally, you need at least two spaces clear between the Water Wheel and the flow of the river. If the current is being blocked by a wall or a different building piece, it will only generate a single watt of power rather than its typical 30 watts. Now, you might think that a Water Wheel is only useful if you're near water. Not true! You can actually place one inside your base on land, and hop into the wheel yourself. Run around the interior like a hamster, and you can create up to 60 watts of power. Of course, the wheel will stop generating electricity once you leave the wheel, but it could be handy if you're in a pinch for more juice, or if you're looking for some exercise!

Armored Ladder Hatch

Ah, the perfect way to keep pesky intruders from climbing up your ladders. With an Armored Ladder Hatch, it will be more difficult than ever for unwanted guests to move through your base. These handy hatches will come in two shapes: triangle and square. Regardless of the shape you choose, each hatch will have 1000 HP. And while it's obviously breakable, that health means a hefty chunk of necessary raid materials, adding up to roughly five rockets or two bundles of C4 per hatch. Additionally, you can make your base nigh impregnable by stacking Armored Ladder Hatches if you know a big raid is coming. To craft an Armored Ladder Hatch, you'll need to access the Level 3 Workbench. Here are the materials needed to craft one:

• 35x High Quality Metal
• 6x Gears
• 1x Wooden Ladder

Content Currently Available in the Rust Staging Branch

While the above are features that are confirmed for the Rust April 2026 wipe and Spring Clean update, the following changes, improvements, and additions are currently live in the Rust Staging Branch. And while that doesn't mean they're guaranteed to arrive on the Main Rust Branch for the Spring Clean update on April 2, 2026, some are certainly possible. With that, here are things currently in the Rust Staging Branch that may be added in the Rust April 2026 server wipe:

• Reduced the Water Wheel’s size for it to fit on a 1x1 platform.
• Added Armored Ladder Hatches (takes 5x Rocket to destroy).
• Updated Console UI to include various tabs, such as console commands and item spawns.
• Select multiple blueprints to unlock on tech trees.
• Buttons can now be colored. Hold the use key to access the button color radial menu.
• New Salvaged Axe item model, and it can now take skins.
• Added an altimeter to the Hot Air Balloon.
• Smaller Shield hitbox if it’s not ADS.
• It’s possible to overfish locations. However, fish return after a while.
• Increased the chances of catching fish in the Deep Sea region.
• Disabled screen shake when shooting shields. The screen still shakes when hitting shields with melee attacks.
• The height of the square ladder is now flush with the floor.
• Medical Syringe has a new model and animation.
• All console variables now have descriptions.
• Reduced map files to 25% of their original sizes.
• Added a new “Light Toggle Radial” keybind, allowing toggling for multiple light sources.
• Ripe stage of plants and other growable items is now 24 hours.
• Added entity-specific network ranges.
• World event notifications (e.g., alarms and toasts) are relative to the player’s location (e.g., mainland or the Deep Sea)
• Updated the Easter Egg Hunt event.

What to Expect for Rust in Future Updates (2026 Roadmap)

Aside from the changes and new features previously mentioned, developer Facepunch Studios also added a section called “Stretch Goals” to Rust’s Roadmap on the game’s official website. These are the objectives the devs want to add to the game in future patches. With that, Rust players may also see the following additions in the game sometime soon:

• Programmable robots
• Heat spreading through bases
• Global network bases
• Cobalt guard towers
• Dead whales
• Player basement blocks
• Base renovation
• Bridges
• Improved rivers
• Bounty system
• Updated mission systems
• BDU/Kevlar
• M79 Grenade Launcher
• Uzi 9mm
• G3A3
• Railway Handcar
• More unique world environments
• Farming 2.5 – plantable trees
• More endgame power generators
• Culling inside bases
• Advanced crafters
• DOT matrix screens
• Switchboards/Circuit boards
• Computers
• Cobalt hovercrafts
• Pet dogs
• Frogs