How to use
- Type your text in the field. Put a code in front of the part you want to colour:
&6makes it gold,&lmakes it bold. - Or click a colour button: it inserts the code where your cursor is.
- Check the preview. In Java a colour code switches off bold and italic, so put the colour first and the style after it:
&6&l, not&l&6. That order works in Bedrock too. - Copy the version you need: § for places where the game reads codes itself, & for server plugins, JSON for
/tellrawand/title.
All 16 colour codes
The same 16 colours work in Java and Bedrock. The JSON name is what you write in"color" inside /tellraw.| Code | Colour | JSON name | Hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| §0 / &0 | black | black | #000000 |
| §1 / &1 | dark blue | dark_blue | #0000AA |
| §2 / &2 | dark green | dark_green | #00AA00 |
| §3 / &3 | dark aqua | dark_aqua | #00AAAA |
| §4 / &4 | dark red | dark_red | #AA0000 |
| §5 / &5 | dark purple | dark_purple | #AA00AA |
| §6 / &6 | gold | gold | #FFAA00 |
| §7 / &7 | gray | gray | #AAAAAA |
| §8 / &8 | dark gray | dark_gray | #555555 |
| §9 / &9 | blue | blue | #5555FF |
| §a / &a | green | green | #55FF55 |
| §b / &b | aqua | aqua | #55FFFF |
| §c / &c | red | red | #FF5555 |
| §d / &d | light purple | light_purple | #FF55FF |
| §e / &e | yellow | yellow | #FFFF55 |
| §f / &f | white | white | #FFFFFF |
Formatting codes
| Code | Effect | Where |
|---|---|---|
| §l | bold | Java and Bedrock |
| §o | italic | Java and Bedrock |
| §n | underlined | Java only |
| §m | Java only | |
| §k | obfuscated: letters flicker randomly | Java and Bedrock |
| §r | reset to plain text | Java and Bedrock |
In Java the order matters: a colour code switches off the formatting before it, so §l§6 ends up gold but not bold. Bedrock keeps the formatting. Write §6§l and it works in both. The preview on this page follows the Java rule.
Where § works, and where it does not
Java Edition. You cannot type § in chat: the game disconnects you, even in single player. Codes work in text the game reads from files: the server description (motd in server.properties), pack.mcmeta, splash texts, language files, world and server names. In commands, use JSON with the colour name rather than §.
Bedrock Edition. § can be typed or pasted into most text fields: chat, signs, book and quill, item names in an anvil, name tags. Renamed items turn italic by default; start the name with §r to make it plain.
Servers with plugins. Many servers let players type & instead of §. That is the plugin converting it, not the game, and your rank may need permission for colours.
Bedrock has more colours
Bedrock adds twelve colours that Java does not have:§g (minecoin gold) and the material colours from version 1.19.80: quartz, iron, netherite, redstone, copper, gold, emerald, diamond, lapis, amethyst, plus resin from 1.21.50. In Bedrock, §m and §n are two of those colours, not strikethrough and underline. The palette on this page covers the 16 shared colours and the Java formatting codes.What usually goes wrong
- Kicked from a Java server after typing §. The Java client does not allow § in chat. Use
&if the server has a colour plugin, or JSON in a command. - Bold disappears in Java. The colour code came after the style code. Colour first, then style.
- The motd shows odd characters instead of colours. The file was saved in the wrong encoding and § broke. Save
server.propertiesas UTF-8, or write the sign as\u00A7. - Strikethrough turns into a colour on Bedrock. On Bedrock, §m is a colour. Only Java draws strikethrough and underline.
- & codes show up as plain text. The server has no plugin that reads them, or your rank lacks the permission.
FAQ
How do I type the § sign?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0167 on the number pad. On a Mac, press Option+6. On an iPhone, hold the & key on the symbol keyboard and slide to §. Or copy it from this page.
What is the code for gold?
§6 (or &6 on plugin servers). In JSON it is "color":"gold".
Can I use hex colours like #FF7A2F?
In Java, JSON text accepts hex values in "color", for example "color":"#FF7A2F". § codes only give the 16 fixed colours.
Does it work on Bedrock?
Yes for the 16 colours, bold, italic, obfuscated and reset. Bedrock draws §m and §n as colours instead of strikethrough and underline.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The preview and the copy buttons work in your browser.
