Minecraft
Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
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Genre: Open-World-Survival
Studio: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Rent a Minecraft Server

Color codes in Minecraft

Color codes in Minecraft allow you to color text, signs and fabrics, as well as change team colors. Even chat messages can be colored. Here you’ll learn how to color text in Minecraft and what you need to keep in mind. First of all, the game stands for freedom and customizability: From the play style to the architecture of your buildings to basic game elements, almost everything can be adjusted to your wishes – not least thanks to the extensive mod support. The colors of the texts you enter are no exception.

Minecraft Color Codes or Minecraft Dye?

The first decision is what you want to color. If it’s a text element such as signs, books or chat messages, you should use Minecraft color codes. If you’d rather color individual items in the middle of the game to make your house more colorful, make your flock of sheep shine like a rainbow or empty your inventory a bit, the keyword is Minecraft dye. This method works differently and can be used without codes. With the self-made dyes you can color wool, materials like glass and ceramics, different banners or leather armor, among other things.

If you want to learn more about dyeing as part of your gaming experience, check out our blog section and learn all about Minecraft dye!

Minecraft Color Codes on Signs and in Books

The easiest way to use Minecraft color codes is on elements that can be labeled directly in the game. This applies to books and quill, for example. To color your entered text, you just need to put the §-character at the beginning and append the code of the desired color. To color text on signs, Unicode is used instead of the §-code, but is also inserted right before the text.

List of Minecraft Color Codes

Here you can find a list of all color codes:

CodeUnicodeColor
§0\u00A70black
§1\u00A71dark blue
§2\u00A72dark green
§3\u00A73dark aqua
§4\u00A74dark red
§5\u00A75dark purple
§6\u00A76gold
§7\u00A77grey
§8\u00A78dark grey
§9\u00A79blue
§a\u00A7agreen
§b\u00A7baqua
§c\u00A7cred
§d\u00A7dlight purple
§e\u00A7eyellow
§f\u00A7fwhite

Chat Color Codes: Minecraft Exceptions

Chat messages are not so easy to colorize by now. The §-character can no longer be inserted and unicodes also have no effect in ordinary chat messages. To use Minecraft color codes in chat messages, you need the /tellraw command:

/tellraw @player{“text”: “YOUR TEXT”, “color”: “COLOR”}

Keep in mind: since codes don’t function here, you have to insert the correct color name used by Minecraft. These have to be written in lowercase letters and with underscores. While with colors such as ‘red’, ‘green’ or ‘yellow’ there is no problem – they are just as displayed in the table above – pay attention to the more specific ones, which are:

  • dark_blue
  • dark_green
  • dark_aqua
  • dark_red
  • dark_purple
  • dark_gray
  • light_purple

Attention!If you don’t use the underscore, your text will have no color or an error log will occur.

correct: “color”: “dark_gray”

incorrect: “color”: “dark gray”

More Than Just Minecraft Colors – Hex since Java 1.16

While Minecraft’s classic color system is limited to just 16 predefined colors using the § symbol (e.g. §a for green or §c for red), the introduction of hex color support in Java Edition 1.16 dramatically expanded creative possibilities. When using commands that support JSON text – such as /tellraw, /title, or item lore – you can apply any 6-digit hex color code like #ff8800 or #39ff14. This allows for precise branding, subtle shading or vibrant custom messages well beyond the original palette. However, hex colors are only usable in JSON-compatible contexts and do not work in areas that rely on manual text input, such as signs or books. In those cases, you’re still limited to the traditional 16 Minecraft color codes. Bedrock Edition currently does not support hex codes at all, sticking to its fixed set of internal color codes.

Colorize Chat Messages via Server Console

Administrators can send colored messages via the server console. To do this, navigate to the “Log and Chat” window in the server console. In the corresponding input line, all commands can be executed without a preceding slash, and the use of color codes works without any problems.

Text Formatting Options Other Than Minecraft Colors

In addition to color codes, there are other formatting options available to you. For example, you can use the code ‘§k’ to obfuscate writing so that the characters change constantly and thus become unreadable. 

Here is a list of more codes for text formatting in Minecraft: 

CodeUnicodeFormatting  
§k\u00A7kobfuscated 
§l\u00A7lbold
§m\u00A7mstrikethrough
§n\u00A7nunderlined
§o\u00A7oitalic
§r\u00A7rreset changes

Conclusion: Minecraft Color Codes

We hope this guide gave you a clear and helpful overview of how Minecraft color codes work and where you can use them. Whether you’re customizing signs, item names or server messages, adding a splash of color can make your Minecraft experience more creative and personal. And with a Minecraft server from G-Portal, you’re not just coloring your own world – you’re sharing the fun with friends and fellow players too. Let the colors speak – it’s your turn to make Minecraft truly yours.

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