Minecraft Color Codes
A complete reference of Minecraft's 16 color codes and 6 formatting codes, with a live chat preview that renders your § and & codes exactly as they appear in game.
Chat preview
Type a message using § or & codes to see how it renders in game chat.
Color codes
| Swatch | Chat code | Name | 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 |
Formatting codes
| Chat code | Effect |
|---|---|
| §l | Bold |
| §o | Italic |
| §n | Underline |
| §m | Strikethrough |
| §k | Obfuscated (scrambling) |
| §r | Reset all formatting |
In vanilla chat use §; most server plugins (Bukkit/Spigot/Paper) also accept & in config files and translate it automatically.
About Minecraft Color Codes
Minecraft text formatting works by placing a control character - the section sign § or, on many servers, an ampersand & - immediately before a single code character. There are 16 color codes (0 through 9 and a through f) and six formatting codes (l, o, n, m, k, and r). This page lists every one with its swatch, chat code, name, and exact hex value, so you can look up §6 gold (#FFAA00) or §a green (#55FF55) without guessing.
The difference between § and & matters. The section sign § is the real character Minecraft uses inside chat, signs, books, and item names in vanilla. The ampersand & is a convenience used by server platforms such as Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper in configuration files - the server translates & into § automatically. The preview here accepts both, so you can draft text in whichever style your target expects and see identical results.
Order matters when you combine styles. Applying a color code resets any active formatting, so a color starts a fresh, unstyled run of text. To get bold red, put the color first and the format second - &c&l, not &l&c. The formatting codes are §l bold, §o italic, §n underline, §m strikethrough, §k obfuscated (constantly scrambling characters), and §r to clear all color and styling back to default.
The live chat preview renders your message on a dark chat-style background so you can verify colors and styles before pasting them anywhere. Everything runs locally in your browser - the text you type is never uploaded - which makes it a private scratchpad for drafting server MOTDs, rank prefixes, sign text, or book pages.
How to use it
- 1Type or paste a message into the preview box using § or & followed by a code, for example &6&lLegendary.
- 2Watch the chat preview render each segment with its color and style in real time as you type.
- 3Browse the color table to copy the exact chat code, color name, or hex value you need.
- 4Use the formatting table for bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, obfuscated, and reset codes.
- 5Copy your finished string into a server config, MOTD, sign, book, or chat message.
Common use cases
- -Format server MOTDs, chat prefixes, and rank or kit names in Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper configs using & codes.
- -Design colored text for signs, books, and item names in vanilla Minecraft with § codes.
- -Look up the exact hex value behind a Minecraft color to match resource packs or external graphics.
- -Preview how a combination of color and formatting will render before pasting it into a live server.
- -Reference the full code set quickly instead of memorizing which letter maps to which color.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between § and & in Minecraft color codes?
- § (the section sign, U+00A7) is the actual formatting character Minecraft uses in chat, signs, and books, while & is a stand-in used by server platforms such as Bukkit, Spigot, and Paper in configuration files, which the server translates to § automatically. This tool accepts both.
- What are all the Minecraft color codes?
- There are 16: §0 black, §1 dark blue, §2 dark green, §3 dark aqua, §4 dark red, §5 dark purple, §6 gold, §7 gray, §8 dark gray, §9 blue, §a green, §b aqua, §c red, §d light purple, §e yellow, and §f white. Each maps to a fixed hex value shown in the reference table.
- What are the Minecraft formatting codes?
- There are five styles plus a reset: §l bold, §o italic, §n underline, §m strikethrough, §k obfuscated (scrambling characters), and §r to reset all color and formatting back to default.
- Why does my bold or italic text disappear after a color code?
- In Minecraft a color code resets any active formatting, so a new color clears bold, italic, and other styles. Always place the formatting code after the color code - for example &c&l for bold red, not &l&c.
- How do I make bold red text in Minecraft?
- Combine the codes with the color first: use §c§l, or &c&l in a server configuration file, followed by your text. The live preview here shows the result before you use it.
- Does this tool send my text anywhere?
- No. The color reference and live preview run entirely in your browser; the message you type is rendered locally and is never uploaded, so you can draft server text privately.