How to Set Up ServerListPlus on a Minecraft Server

Overview

A Minecraft server's first impression often happens before anyone joins. The icon, message of the day, and player count hover text all appear in the multiplayer menu, so a plain default listing can make an active server look unfinished. ServerListPlus is a Spigot plugin that gives you more control over that display.

With ServerListPlus, you can rotate multiple MOTDs, show custom text when players hover over the online count, personalize messages for returning players, and configure server icons in more advanced ways. It is a small plugin, but it handles the part of server branding players stare at while deciding where to click.

Downloading ServerListPlus

• Open the ServerListPlus page on Spigot.
• Select the blue Download Now button near the top-right of the page.

• Save the `.jar` file somewhere easy to find, since it will be uploaded shortly.

Most ServerListPlus features also require ProtocolLib. For Minecraft 1.19 versions, use the latest development build of ProtocolLib. For other recent versions, the normal Spigot download is usually the right choice.

Installing the Plugin

• Open your server panel and stop the server.
• Find the server software or version selector in your panel.
• Make sure the server is running a plugin-compatible type, such as PaperMC or Spigot.

• Open FTP or the file manager from the server panel and log in if prompted.
• Go to the `plugins` folder.
• Upload the ServerListPlus `.jar` file and the ProtocolLib `.jar` file.

• Wait for the uploads to reach 100%.
• Return to the main server page.
• Restart the server so both plugins can load.

Enabling ServerListPlus

After the server starts, ServerListPlus should be installed, but it may not be active yet. Join the server and run this command in chat:

`/serverlistplus enable`

If the command succeeds, an in-game confirmation message will appear.

Disconnect from the server and return to the multiplayer server list. The MOTD should now be different, and hovering over the player count should show extra text. The default messages are useful for confirming the plugin works, but they are probably not the final look you want unless mysterious sample text is part of the server brand.

Editing the Configuration

ServerListPlus is customized through its configuration file. This is where you can change the MOTD, hover text, personalized messages, and favicon behavior.

• Stop the server from your server panel.
• Open FTP or the file manager.
• Navigate to `/plugins/ServerListPlus/`.
• Find `ServerListPlus.yml` and open it for editing.

• Make your changes.
• Save the file.
• Restart the server, or reload the plugin after saving.

Important Config Sections

Inside the `Status` section, ServerListPlus separates messages into two main groups. `Default` messages are shown to players who have not joined before or whose username is unknown. `Personalized` messages can be shown to players who have joined at least once.

Description

The `Description` section controls the MOTD shown in the Minecraft multiplayer menu. You can use color codes, supported placeholders, and multiple description entries. When several descriptions are configured, ServerListPlus can rotate between them whenever the server list refreshes.

Players

The `Players` section controls the message that appears when someone hovers over the player count. This is useful for short announcements, server features, seasonal notes, or a quick nudge toward your website or Discord.

Favicon

The `Favicon` section controls the server icon. Depending on your configuration, ServerListPlus can use multiple icons, image folders, image URLs, player skins, and other sources. For more advanced icon setups, check the official ServerListPlus wiki.

Applying Changes In-Game

After saving the configuration, reload ServerListPlus with this in-game command:

`/serverlistplus reload`

From the server console, run the same command without the slash:

`serverlistplus reload`

Refresh the Minecraft server list after the reload. Your new MOTD, hover text, and icon settings should appear. If you configured multiple messages, refresh the list several times to confirm the rotation works.

Common Problems

The enable command does not work

Run `/plugins` in-game and check whether ServerListPlus appears in the plugin list. If it is missing, confirm that the `.jar` files were uploaded directly into the `plugins` folder and not into another directory. Restart the server after fixing the upload location.

If ServerListPlus is listed but the command still fails, make sure your account has operator permissions or the correct plugin permissions.

The configuration file shows an error when saving

YAML is picky about spacing, indentation, and quotes. If the editor reports a formatting issue, cancel the save and look for the highlighted error. Check the section you edited first, especially lines with apostrophes, color codes, or nested lists.

If the warning points to a section you did not change and the formatting looks valid, save the file and reload the plugin normally.

Helpful Resources

• ServerListPlus Spigot page
• ProtocolLib Spigot page
• ServerListPlus wiki