Formatting codes

A book showing the possible formatting options with the character that performs them.

Formatting codes, also known as color codes, add color and modifications to text in-game.

Text in Minecraft can be formatted with the section sign (§). To type it on Windows, press ALT+NUMPAD2+NUMPAD1. In normal gameplay, the section sign can only be entered into book and quills. However, external programs can be used to insert it in other locations.

Color codes

Hex digit to color mapping. Use § followed by the corresponding color letter/number; e.g. §e will give you yellow.

Messages sent from the server to the client can contain color codes, which allow coloring of text for various purposes.

A section sign (§) followed by a hex digit in the message tells the client to switch colors while displaying text.

Code	Official Name	Technical Name	Foreground Color				Background Color
			R	G	B	Hex	R	G	B	Hex
§0	Black	black	0	0	0	000000	0	0	0	000000
§1	Dark Blue	dark_blue	0	0	170	0000AA	0	0	42	00002A
§2	Dark Green	dark_green	0	170	0	00AA00	0	42	0	002A00
§3	Dark Aqua	dark_aqua	0	170	170	00AAAA	0	42	42	002A2A
§4	Dark Red	dark_red	170	0	0	AA0000	42	0	0	2A0000
§5	Dark Purple	dark_purple	170	0	170	AA00AA	42	0	42	2A002A
§6	Gold	gold	255	170	0	FFAA00	42	42	0	2A2A00
§7	Gray	gray	170	170	170	AAAAAA	42	42	42	2A2A2A
§8	Dark Gray	dark_gray	85	85	85	555555	21	21	21	151515
§9	Blue	blue	85	85	255	5555FF	21	21	63	15153F
§a	Green	green	85	255	85	55FF55	21	63	21	153F15
§b	Aqua	aqua	85	255	255	55FFFF	21	63	63	153F3F
§c	Red	red	255	85	85	FF5555	63	21	21	3F1515
§d	Light Purple	light_purple	255	85	255	FF55FF	63	21	63	3F153F
§e	Yellow	yellow	255	255	85	FFFF55	63	63	21	3F3F15
§f	White	white	255	255	255	FFFFFF	63	63	63	3F3F3F

Formatting codes

Text can be formatted using the § symbol followed by a character. The § symbol can only be used in book and quills in Minecraft without using an external program. The § symbol may also be used in the server.properties file and the Minecraft Server text box.

If a color code is used after a formatting code, the formatting code will be disabled beyond the color code point. For example, §cX§nY displays as XY, whereas §nX§cY displays as XY. Therefore, when using a color code in tandem with a formatting code, ensure the color code is used first and reuse the formatting code when changing colors.

§r can be used to reset all texts format beyond it, e.g. §nXXX§rYYY displays as XXXYYY

Code	Official Name
§k	Obfuscated
§l	Bold
§m	Strikethrough
§n	Underline
§o	Italic
§r	Reset

Note: The random characters placed after §k will always be the same width as the original characters, except if using [ and ] in 1.4.5 - 1.5.2. For example, any random character cycled through where the letter "m" would be wide characters while any random character in the spot of an "i" would be narrow characters.

Typing

To enter "§" on Windows with most US/UK English keyboards type Alt + 21, or Alt + 0167 , and under some circumstances Alt + A7 (In all cases, you must use the Number Pad). On a Mac US keyboard, ⌥ Option + 6 (⌥ Option + 5 for US Extended). On Linux with the compose key activated, type Composeso.

Alternatively, you can copy the character from this page, and press Ctrl + V to paste the character into a book. Note that this does not work on the Minecraft chat bar or Command Block GUI.

Sample Text

The following text can be pasted into a Book and Quill to produce what is shown in the picture:

§nMinecraft Formatting

§r§00 §11 §22 §33
§44 §55 §66 §77
§88 §99 §aa §bb
§cc §dd §ee §ff

§r§0k §kMinecraft
§rl §lMinecraft
§rm §mMinecraft
§rn §nMinecraft
§ro §oMinecraft
§rr §rMinecraft

Use in server.properties and pack.mcmeta

In order to get a MOTD colored or formatted you need to put \u00A7 instead of the §. So for example, §5 would turn into \u00A75. The full list of them is listed below. You can use colors in conjunction with formatting. You must do the formatting after the color.

Code	Official Name
		MOTD code
§0	Black	\u00A70
§1	Dark Blue	\u00A71
§2	Dark Green	\u00A72
§3	Dark Aqua	\u00A73
§4	Dark Red	\u00A74
§5	Dark Purple	\u00A75
§6	Gold	\u00A76
§7	Gray	\u00A77
§8	Dark Gray	\u00A78
§9	Blue	\u00A79
§a	Green	\u00A7a
§b	Aqua	\u00A7b
§c	Red	\u00A7c
§d	Light Purple	\u00A7d
§e	Yellow	\u00A7e
§f	White	\u00A7f
§k	Obfuscated	\u00A7k
§l	Bold	\u00A7l
§m	Strikethrough	\u00A7m
§n	Underline	\u00A7n
§o	Italic	\u00A7o
§r	Reset	\u00A7r
\n	Extra line	\n

Compatibility with older versions

Formatting codes can be used in the motd line in a server.properties file, but the section signs must be escaped as \u00A7. If a section sign is entered directly, the server will replace it with \u00C2\u00A7 (§); clients will display the \u00C2 character as a question mark. Delete the \u00C2 character in the MOTD if it comes with a bunch of question marks. This will happen if you are using Minecraft 1.2.5 or below, or something is not compatible.

Use in custom language packs

Formatting codes can be used to color names and description in language files by using § then any of the numbers/letters displayed above. This is also used in end.txt and credits.txt. An example of this is §bDiamond§r to make the name of a diamond appear as Diamond.

Use in world names

With the use of external tools, such as NBTExplorer, world names can have custom colors and formatting codes. To modify the name, you can choose the LevelName tag in the world's level.dat. In this example, LevelName is set to:

§1R§2e§3d§4s§5t§6o§7n§8e §9C§ar§be§ca§dt§ei§fo§1n§2s

Additionally, you can rename the world's folder to contain one of the codes. In the world selection menu, the specified color or effect will appear.

You can also use a resource pack with a § already in the world name when creating a world and all the user has to do is to change the color code after the §.

Use in server names

With the use of a third party tool such as NBTExplorer, server names can have custom colors. To utilize this functionality you select the Name attribute in the servers.dat file in your .minecraft directory using your third party tool. In the following example the Name tag is set to:

§4§lMinecraft §6§lServer

Trivia

• The color codes almost exactly match, in order, the 16 colors available using a Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), as released in 1981. Only color 6 differs; the formula exception for color 6 in Minecraft –
   #FFAA00 – differs from that made for CGA –
   #AA5500.