MCUtility

Color Codes

Every Minecraft colour and formatting code, with a live preview for your own text.

Preview formatted text

Type & or § followed by a code. The buttons insert codes where your cursor is.

Colours

Formatting

Preview

Welcome to the server! Have fun.

With § codes (vanilla)


        

        

          

            
With & codes (plugins)

            
          

          

        

        

      


    

  


  

    


      

        
Colour codes

        
The 16 standard colours work in Java and Bedrock Edition. Select any code to copy it. Hex values are the Java Edition colours; on Bedrock, gray is slightly lighter.

        

          

            
              

                Colour
                § code
                & code
                JSON name
                Hex
                Example
              

            
            
              

                 Black
                
                
                black
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Blue
                
                
                dark_blue
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Green
                
                
                dark_green
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Aqua
                
                
                dark_aqua
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Red
                
                
                dark_red
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Purple
                
                
                dark_purple
                
                
              

              

                 Gold
                
                
                gold
                
                
              

              

                 Gray
                
                
                gray
                
                
              

              

                 Dark Gray
                
                
                dark_gray
                
                
              

              

                 Blue
                
                
                blue
                
                
              

              

                 Green
                
                
                green
                
                
              

              

                 Aqua
                
                
                aqua
                
                
              

              

                 Red
                
                
                red
                
                
              

              

                 Light Purple
                
                
                light_purple
                
                
              

              

                 Yellow
                
                
                yellow
                
                
              

              

                 White
                
                
                white
                
                
              

            
          

        

      


      

        
Formatting codes

        
In Java Edition a colour code switches off any formatting before it, so put formatting codes after the colour: §6§l gives bold gold, §l§6 gives plain gold.

        

          

            
              

                Format
                § code
                & code
                MiniMessage
                Works in
                Example
              

            
            
              

                Obfuscated
                
                
                <obfuscated>
                Java and Bedrock
                
              

              

                Bold
                
                
                <bold>
                Java and Bedrock
                
              

              

                Strikethrough
                
                
                <strikethrough>
                Java only
                
              

              

                Underline
                
                
                <underlined>
                Java only
                
              

              

                Italic
                
                
                <italic>
                Java and Bedrock
                
              

              

                Reset
                
                
                <reset>
                Java and Bedrock
                
              

            
          

        

      


      

        
Bedrock Edition only

        
Bedrock adds colours named after materials. On Bedrock, §m and §n are colours rather than strikethrough and underline. Their exact shades have changed between Bedrock versions, so they aren’t listed here.

        

          

            
              

                Name
                § code
              

            
            
              

                minecoin_gold
                
              

              

                material_quartz
                
              

              

                material_iron
                
              

              

                material_netherite
                
              

              

                material_redstone
                
              

              

                material_copper
                
              

              

                material_gold
                
              

              

                material_emerald
                
              

              

                material_diamond
                
              

              

                material_lapis
                
              

              

                material_amethyst
                
              

              

                material_resin
                
              

            
          

        

      


    

  


  

    

      

        
Which format do you need?

        
    
          
  • § codes are Minecraft’s own. They work in server.properties (written as \u00A7), resource pack text and some commands. You can’t type § in the chat box.
    • 
          
  • & codes aren’t part of Minecraft. Server plugins such as EssentialsX convert them to § codes, so they only work where a plugin supports them.
    • 
          
  • Hex colours like &#FF8800 or §x§F§F§8§8§0§0 come from Spigot and BungeeCord based servers and plugins. Vanilla § codes only have the 16 colours.
    • 
          
  • MiniMessage tags like <gold> are used by Paper, Velocity and plugins built on Adventure.
    • 
          
  • Commands such as /tellraw use text components with a color field instead of codes.
    • 
        

      

Common questions


Can I type § codes in chat?


Not in Java Edition: the chat box doesn’t accept the section sign. Commands such as /tellraw use JSON text components instead. Bedrock Edition does accept § in most text boxes.


What is the difference between § and &amp; codes?


The § codes are Minecraft’s own. The & codes are a convention of server plugins, which convert them to § codes, so they only work where a plugin supports them.


Why does bold text stop being bold after a colour code?


In Java Edition a colour code resets any formatting before it. Put the colour first and the formatting after it, for example §6§l. See colour code order.


Do § codes support hex colours?


Vanilla § codes only have the 16 colours. Hex colours need JSON text components (Java Edition 1.16 or later) or a plugin that supports them.