Minecraft Formatting and Color Codes Guide

Minecraft Color Codes Explained

Minecraft text does not have to stay plain white forever. Server chat, item names, prefixes, plugin messages, and the server list MOTD can all use color and formatting codes when the server software or plugin supports them. There are 16 standard Minecraft colors, plus extra formatting options such as bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and obfuscated text. The last one is often called magic formatting, because the letters scramble around like the game is trying to look busier than it is.

The exact code style depends on where the text is being edited. A Paper server with chat plugins, a Forge or Fabric modded server, and a plain server.properties MOTD may not all read formatting in the same way.

Chat, Plugins, and Mods

Most plugin and mod configuration files use the ampersand symbol before the code. For example, `&4Dark Red text` displays as dark red when the plugin converts formatting codes correctly. Some tools, languages, or older configurations may use the section symbol instead, such as `§4Dark Red text`.

In practice, many modern plugins accept either style or clearly document which one they require. If a code appears in-game as plain text, that usually means the plugin is not parsing that format in that location.

Standard color codes use a single character after the symbol. Common examples include:

• `&0` for black
• `&1` for dark blue
• `&2` for dark green
• `&4` for dark red
• `&6` for gold
• `&a` for green
• `&b` for aqua
• `&c` for red
• `&e` for yellow
• `&f` for white

Formatting codes work the same way:

• `&l` for bold
• `&o` for italic
• `&n` for underline
• `&m` for strikethrough
• `&k` for obfuscated text
• `&r` to reset formatting

Some newer plugins and mods also support HEX colors, which allow far more than the default 16 colors. A HEX value looks like `#AA0000` for a dark red shade. Tools such as HTMLColorCodes can help find exact values, but the plugin or mod must support HEX formatting before those values will work.

Message of the Day Codes

The Message of the Day, usually called the MOTD, is the text shown for a server in the Minecraft multiplayer list. It is often used for the server name, community details, seasonal messages, or a short status line.

MOTD formatting can be different from chat formatting. In server.properties and some JSON-style files, Minecraft commonly expects the section symbol format, such as `§2Survival Server` for dark green text. Some panels or MOTD plugins may let you enter ampersand codes instead, then convert them automatically.

As with chat, color or formatting codes must be placed before the text they should affect. For example, `§6HolyHosting SMP §r§fNow open` would show the first part in gold, reset the formatting, then show the rest in white.

Practical Tips

Use reset codes when mixing colors and formats, especially in longer messages. Without `&r` or `§r`, later text may inherit a previous color or bold style.

Keep MOTDs readable. Bright colors can help a server stand out, but stacking too many formats together usually makes the server list look noisy. One or two colors and a clean reset are often enough.

If HEX colors do not work, test a standard code first. If `&a` or `§a` works but `#00AA00` does not, the feature probably needs a newer plugin, a different syntax, or a configuration option.

Related Topics

• HTMLColorCodes for choosing HEX values
• Installing and using Paper
• Forge server setup
• Fabric server setup
• Changing a Minecraft server MOTD