Minecraft Color Codes: Everything You Need To Know

As a game that celebrates creativity, Minecraft has given players several avenues to express one’s ideas. From the building aspect of the game to roleplaying, so much customization can go into Minecraft. This expression doesn’t stop in those main features of the game as you can also add some color to your chat messages, signs, and other interfaces through Minecraft color codes.

Minecraft color codes and style codes do exactly just that. You can change how you express yourself in the game’s world. There’s no limit on how you can emphasize particular texts and personalize your messages.

Learning color codes and formatting codes doesn’t have to be difficult though. With this complete guide on Minecraft color codes and formatting codes, you’ll be able to express your personality in your messages and through other Minecraft features.

What are Minecraft Color Codes?

From its name, Minecraft color codes are codes used to modify text color in the game. Players use these across the Minecraft chat, on signs, and even custom server commands to make text more aesthetic or emphasized. This is accessed through Minecraft’s game commands.

Usually, each Minecraft color code begins with the “§” symbol. This is then followed by a specific character or number, representing the color generated. An example is “§0” which represents the color black and “§c” the code for the color red. Players can use codes that correspond to the 16 basic color codes used in the HTML and CSS programming languages.

Minecraft color codes come in handy on multiplayer servers. You can use different colors to symbolize various types of messages, identify chat categories, server announcements, and more. This makes Minecraft color codes very useful to players who want to stay organized, especially on bigger multiplayer servers.

List of Color Codes

The color codes in Minecraft are pretty easy to remember once you get a hang of it. The codes just consist of either a number or a letter value. You can find the list of the 16 base color codes below and their respective default color name:

Code	Color Name	Color Reference
§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
§f	White

What are Minecraft Formatting Codes?

Aside from changing the colors of your texts, you can also change their formatting styles. This is helpful if you want to emphasize particular texts in a way that color can’t.

Another thing you should know is that format codes are almost the same as the formatting styles you can apply in word processing software. You can bold text, underline it, italicize it, or do other stylizations.

List of Formatting Codes

In comparison to the 16 base color codes, the format codes only have six different codes you need to remember if you plan to use them in-game.

Code	Name	Function	Formatting Reference
§k	Obfuscated	Creates obfuscated text that’s glitchy and scrambled in appearance.
§l	Bold	Thickens the weight of the text.	Bold text
§m	Strikethrough	Adds a line in the middle of the text to make it a strikethrough text.	Strikethrough text
§n	Underline	Adds an underline under a piece of text.	Underlined text
§o	Italic	Makes text appear slanted, giving a distinct look and decorative style.	Italicized text
§r	Reset	Makes the text return to its default appearance by removing all kinds of formatting.	Resetted text

How do you use Minecraft Color Codes and Formatting Codes?

Using both Minecraft color codes and format codes is quite easy to pick up in both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. They use the same symbols for typing in a color code and formatting code.

Navigate the “§” symbol

First, you must find the “§” symbol. This symbol is also called the “section sign.” Typing this in Minecraft can vary on the type of keyboard you have. You can also use the Windows touch keyboard to find this.

Usually, for Windows users with full keyboards, you’ll have to hold the keys “Alt + 0167” or “Alt + 21.” After typing this, the section sign will appear.

Meanwhile, if you’re on Mac, you’ll have to press the “Option (⌥) + 6” keys to insert the section sign.

However, if both of these don’t apply to you, you can simply copy the section sign “§” right here or on the internet. Then you can paste it into Minecraft using the “Ctrl + V” shortcut.

Input your color code and formatting code

Begin by opening your Minecraft chat window. This is usually done by pressing “T” on your keyboard or the “/” key. You’ll see the chat window enabled.

Next, you can type your color code and/or formatting code. An example we can use is the word “STOP!” in which we can change the color to red and make its formatting style bold. This is by using the “§c” and “§l” codes.

You’ll simply have to put the section sign or copy-paste it alongside the code and text to use. For the word “STOP!” this is what you’ll type, “§c§lSTOP!” Be sure to not leave any space between your code and targetted text.

Then, upon pressing Enter, you should see the Minecraft server’s message of your text in the formatted color and style you encoded.

Creative Uses of Minecraft Color Codes and Formatting Codes

Now that you know how to use the different Minecraft format codes, you can experiment outside of the Minecraft chat and put your knowledge to other uses.

Designing Signs

When it comes to designing signs for your decorative builds, adding a color code or a format code can add some spice to your creations. It will make your signs more noticeable in-game.

Your signs can match specific themes or become more functional. An example is using colors like light blue to indicate magical locations or items. This makes your player experience more convenient and organized.

Storytelling and Immersion

Next, your server’s storytelling and immersion can become more fun when you add color or style to dialogues, system messages, and hints. This is perfect if you’re building adventure maps or making a roleplaying server.

These things can add layers of clarity to your storytelling while enhancing your server’s visual presentation. You’ll be able to set the tone through these codes.

Branding Server Content

Then for branding your server content, you can establish your server’s unique identity for a standout experience. An example is using color codes to customize player rank tags, scoreboards, menus, and more.

Strategically applying different format style codes can strengthen the brand of what you’re trying to push with your server.

Tips for Using Minecraft Color Codes and Formatting Codes

While using Minecraft color codes and format codes seems simple enough, you should be careful with using particular colors. It becomes tempting to use bright and bold colors for emphasis. Overusing these can make text hard to read.

Additionally, avoid using too many styles when you format your texts. Too many combinations of styles can overwhelm players, so it’s best to keep your designs clear and easy on the eyes. You can test your designs in-game to ensure that your colors and styles look good in their targeted environments.

Keep in mind that at the end of the day, readability is your priority so players can easily grasp the information you want to highlight. Using them smartly can take your server to new heights.