Minecraft’s legacy color format is a section sign (§) followed by one character: §0 through §9 and §a through §f select the 16 standard colors, while §k–§r apply text effects or reset them. The exact syntax depends on where you type it: Java Edition server MOTDs require escaped Unicode (u00A7) in server.properties, whereas Bedrock accepts a literal § in places such as signs and chat input.
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What Minecraft color codes are
A legacy formatting sequence always starts with the section sign, §, and ends with a single code character. For example, §aSurvival renders “Survival” in green. The code affects text after it until another color, formatting code, or reset changes the state.
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These are called “legacy” codes because newer Java systems increasingly use structured text components instead. Legacy codes remain useful for server names, MOTDs, commands, signs, and other supported destinations, but they are not the preferred long-term format where components are available.
The 16 standard Minecraft colors
The codes are case-sensitive in appearance only where the code letter is concerned: the documented codes are lowercase a–f, plus the digits.
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| Code | Color name | Foreground hex value |
|---|---|---|
§0 |
Black | #000000 |
§1 |
Dark blue | #0000AA |
§2 |
Dark green | #00AA00 |
§3 |
Dark aqua | #00AAAA |
§4 |
Dark red | #AA0000 |
§5 |
Dark purple | #AA00AA |
§6 |
Gold | #FFAA00 |
§7 |
Gray | #AAAAAA |
§8 |
Dark gray | #555555 |
§9 |
Blue | #5555FF |
§a |
Green | #55FF55 |
§b |
Aqua | #55FFFF |
§c |
Red | #FF5555 |
§d |
Light purple | #FF55FF |
§e |
Yellow | #FFFF55 |
§f |
White | #FFFFFF |
Formatting and reset codes
Use these after a color code to style the following characters. Support can vary by edition and destination; strikethrough and underline are identified as Java-only in the referenced formatting table.
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
§k |
Obfuscated, rapidly changing characters |
§l |
Bold |
§m |
Strikethrough (Java in the cited compatibility table) |
§n |
Underline (Java in the cited compatibility table) |
§o |
Italic |
§r |
Reset color and formatting |
A reset is useful when a warning, heading, or label must not leak its style into the rest of a message. For example, §cWarning§r Normal text makes only “Warning” red.
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Java Edition and Bedrock Edition: where codes work
| Destination | Java Edition | Bedrock Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Server MOTD and server name | Supported in configuration and server-name contexts; MOTDs use escaped Unicode in server.properties. |
Supported according to the destination’s Bedrock interface and server software. |
| Signs | Literal section-sign entry is not generally available in ordinary sign editing; use the supported text/component or server implementation. | Literal § formatting is accepted in signs. |
| Chat input | Direct legacy-code entry is restricted; commands and server systems can format text. | Section-sign formatting is accepted in chat input. |
| Books, anvils, cartography-table renames | Support depends on the specific text system or command. | Bedrock permits section-sign formatting in these interfaces. |
| Commands | Commands such as /tellraw and /title can use supported formatted text or components. |
Chat input and commands such as /say and /title accept section-sign formatting in the documented contexts. |
| Resource and data files | Supported locations include pack.mcmeta, splashes.txt, language files, world titles, and datapack commands. |
Use the Bedrock text system appropriate to the file or UI. |
This is a destination distinction, not a guarantee that every server plugin, launcher, proxy, or client will interpret a code. A plugin may strip, translate, or replace legacy sequences before the game displays them.
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How to color a Java server MOTD
Java’s server.properties file requires an escaped Unicode representation of the section sign. Type u00A7 instead of inserting a literal §.
- Stop the server so the configuration file is not overwritten while you edit it.
- Open
server.propertiesin a plain-text editor. - Find the line beginning with
motd=. - Insert
u00A7followed by the color or formatting character. For example, setmotd=u00A7aWelcome u00A7lplayers. - Save the file, start the server, and reconnect or refresh the multiplayer server list.
The example produces green “Welcome ” followed by bold “players.” A gold, bold label is u00A76u00A7lWelcome; a red warning that returns to normal formatting is u00A7cWarningu00A7r.
The server-properties reference notes that the MOTD supports coloration and formatting codes. It also warns that, in some versions or implementations, an MOTD longer than 59 characters may cause the server record to report a communication error. Treat 59 as a compatibility warning rather than a universal modern hard limit: keep the message short, test it from a real client, and remove unnecessary formatting if the listing fails.
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Writing mixed-color and styled text correctly
Java has an important ordering rule: a color code that follows a formatting code disables that formatting after the color change. Apply the color first, then the style.
Correct order
§a§lGreen boldThis sets green first and bold second, so both properties apply to the phrase.
Why a later color can remove a style
§cX§nYIn Java, the second sequence changes to underline after the red X; the color change does not preserve a style that was active before it. Conversely:
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§nX§cYHere X is underlined, and the color change leaves Y un-underlined. If you need a style after every color transition, repeat the style code: §c§lRed bold §a§lGreen bold.
Bedrock handles this differently in the documented contexts: formatting persists after a color code. If the same sequence behaves differently between editions, check the edition and destination before changing the text.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using codes on Bedrock signs and in chat
Signs
Bedrock accepts a literal section sign in sign text. Enter the section sign followed immediately by the desired code, such as §bShop for aqua “Shop” or §6§lMarket for a bold gold label. Keep the sign’s line and character limits in mind; color codes consume input characters even when they do not display as visible letters.
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Chat and commands
Bedrock chat input accepts section-sign sequences in the documented contexts. The same syntax can be used with commands such as /say and /title when that command and world permissions allow it. For example, /say §cServer restart soon§r displays a red warning followed by a reset.
On Java, ordinary chat entry does not provide the same general-purpose literal-code workflow. Use the command’s supported text syntax, a datapack, or a server-side system that converts legacy codes to a text component.
Troubleshooting codes that do not work
- The text shows “§” or the code literally: the destination may not parse legacy formatting, or a plugin may be treating the value as plain text. Verify that the field supports legacy codes.
- The MOTD stays uncolored: replace every literal
§inserver.propertieswithu00A7, confirm the line is actuallymotd=, then restart the server. - Formatting disappears after a color change: this is expected Java behavior. Put the color first and repeat
§l,§n, or§oafter each later color. - The server list reports a communication error: shorten the MOTD, especially if it exceeds 59 characters, and test again. The 59-character warning is version- and implementation-sensitive.
- One client sees different results: compare Java versus Bedrock, then check whether a proxy, plugin, resource pack, or command renderer is translating the message.
- Obfuscated text is unreadable: remove
§kor terminate it with§r; obfuscation intentionally replaces characters with randomized glyphs.
Legacy codes versus text components
Java formatting codes are deprecated. The platform is moving toward text components and continuing to add component support where it was previously missing. For new datapacks, commands, plugins, and integrations, prefer the component format supported by that specific destination. Keep legacy codes for established configuration fields or systems that explicitly require them, and test after version upgrades because strings using deprecated formatting may stop working in the future.
This also affects portability. A string copied from a Bedrock sign, a Java MOTD, and a command argument may need three different representations: literal §, escaped u00A7, or a structured component. Identify the edition and destination before copying a code sequence.
A practical workflow for a Minecraft server
- Identify the edition: Java and Bedrock do not share identical entry rules.
- Identify the destination: MOTD, sign, chat, command, resource file, or plugin configuration.
- Choose the representation: literal
§where accepted, escapedu00A7in Java’sserver.properties, or a text component where legacy codes are deprecated or unsupported. - Apply color before style: write sequences such as
§d§lTitle, not a style followed by a color. - Reset deliberately: add
§rwhen later text must return to default appearance. - Test in the actual client: check the server list, sign, chat window, or command output where players will see it.
For administrators configuring a Java server, reliable Minecraft server hosting should provide access to server.properties, clean restarts, and logs when an MOTD or connection setting causes trouble. The formatting itself is still governed by the edition and destination rules above.
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