Free tool · runs in your browser
Minecraft MOTD generator
Two lines with colours, gradients and styles. Live preview of the server list, ready-to-paste code.
Your MOTD
Select some text, then pick a colour or a style. Codes start with &.
Preview
Letters after the red mark are cut off in the game. Widths follow the game's font, so the preview is close, not exact.
Your code
Hex colours were swapped for the closest of the 16 classic colours.
For Paper, Velocity and MOTD plugins that read MiniMessage.
For plugins that take & codes (hex as &#RRGGBB). \n starts the second line.
Minecraft colour and style codes
Each code is a sign and one letter: § in the game and in server.properties (written there as \u00A7), & in most plugins. A colour code switches bold and the other styles off, so put the styles after the colour.
| Code | Colour | Hex |
|---|---|---|
| &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 |
| Code | Style |
|---|---|
| &l | Bold |
| &o | Italic |
| &n | Underline |
| &m | Strikethrough |
| &k | Obfuscated |
| &r | Reset (back to plain grey) |
| &#RRGGBB | Any colour (plugins and proxies only) |
How to use it
- Write your two lines.
- Select some text, then pick a colour, a gradient or a style (bold, italic and more).
- Check the preview. It looks like the multiplayer list and marks where a line gets cut off.
- Copy the code for your server, paste it and restart.
Questions and answers
Where do I put the MOTD?
On Vanilla, Paper and Spigot: replace the motd= line in server.properties with the code from here, then restart. A proxy (Velocity, BungeeCord) has its own MOTD setting in its config file, and many MOTD plugins read MiniMessage or & codes.
Why do hex colours and gradients need a plugin?
server.properties only knows the 16 classic colours. In the server.properties code, each hex colour is swapped for the closest classic colour. For real hex colours and gradients, use a MOTD plugin or a proxy that reads MiniMessage or & codes.
How long can a line be?
The multiplayer list shows about 270 pixels of each line: roughly 45 normal letters, fewer in bold. The preview marks the part that gets cut off.
What do § and \u00A7 mean?
Minecraft's colour codes start with the § sign. In server.properties it is written as \u00A7, so the file reads the same on every system. Plugins usually take & instead.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The generator runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
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