Minecraft Color Codes and Formatting
Minecraft color codes are used in server messages, MOTDs, signs, books, scoreboards, and plugin configuration files. This page lets you preview legacy ampersand codes, section-symbol formatting, and modern hex colors before pasting text into your server setup.
Ampersand vs Section Symbol
Vanilla Minecraft stores formatting with the section symbol, while many server plugins accept ampersand codes and convert them automatically. If a plugin asks for legacy formatting, use codes like &a for green or &l for bold. If a file requires the section symbol, convert the same code before saving.
Server Configuration Tip
Keep important server text readable. Use bright colors for short labels, reset formatting before normal text, and test the final message inside Minecraft because some fonts and resource packs change how colors appear.
Legacy and Hex Colors
Legacy formatting is limited to sixteen named colors, which keeps text compatible with older servers and many plugins. Modern servers may support hex colors for gradients and brand colors, but compatibility depends on the plugin, proxy, and Minecraft version.
Match the code to where the text will be parsed
A server list MOTD, plugin message, MiniMessage field, command text component, and Bedrock configuration are not interchangeable targets. First identify which system reads the text, then choose its supported prefix and color format. If the preview is colored but Minecraft prints the code characters literally, the destination expects a different syntax or has color parsing disabled.
Reset styles before ordinary text continues
Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and obfuscated formatting can continue beyond the word where they begin. Add the reset code before a normal sentence or apply a new color when the destination treats color as a style reset. This prevents a short highlighted label from unintentionally changing the rest of a menu, chat line, or scoreboard entry.