Minecraft Format Codes

Minecraft Format Codes

Format codes can be used to change the appearance of in-game text, such as making it bold or italic. This guide lists the format codes available in Minecraft and shows how to use them in chat and in your server’s MOTD (Message of the Day).

List of Format Codes

Description	Chat Code	MOTD Code
Obfuscated	§k	\u00A7k
Bold	§l	\u00A7l
Strikethrough	§m	\u00A7m
Underline	§n	\u00A7n
Italic	§o	\u00A7o
Reset (clears formatting)	§r	\u00A7r

Definitions

• Description is the name of the format.
• Chat Code is the internal code for this format in chat.
• MOTD Code is the internal code for this format in the Message of the Day.

How Format Codes Work

Put a format code before the text you want to change. The format applies to everything after it until you use the reset code (§r) or another code that replaces it.

For example, in chat:

§lThis is bold §rand this is normal

Using Format Codes in the MOTD

In the server’s MOTD, use the MOTD Code instead of the § symbol. For example:

motd=\u00A7lWelcome to the server! \u00A7rHave fun!

This shows “Welcome to the server!” in bold, followed by “Have fun!” in normal text.

Color Codes

Minecraft also has color codes that you can combine with the format codes above. They use the same § symbol (or \u00A7 in the MOTD).

Color	Code	Color	Code
Black	§0	Dark Gray	§8
Dark Blue	§1	Blue	§9
Dark Green	§2	Green	§a
Dark Aqua	§3	Aqua	§b
Dark Red	§4	Red	§c
Dark Purple	§5	Light Purple	§d
Gold	§6	Yellow	§e
Gray	§7	White	§f

Tip: Place the color code first, then the format code. For example, §c§lRed and bold.

Things to Know

• Many plugins let you use & instead of § (for example, &l for bold). This depends on the plugin, so check its documentation.
• The obfuscated code (§k) makes text scramble randomly. Use it sparingly.
• Always use the reset code (§r) when you want to return to normal text.