Minecraft MOTD & Colour Text Generator (Java & Bedrock)
Write your server message with colour buttons, see it exactly as the server list shows it, and copy a ready line for server.properties, like motd=\u00A76Welcome!. It also makes /tellraw commands and § text for Bedrock signs.
Runs on your device · nothing uploaded
This tool is code that runs inside your browser. Your files, text and pictures are read here and never sent to a server, so it even works offline once loaded. Signed in? Only what you save to your account (My Kit, wardrobe) or publish is uploaded.
Preview
Colours match the game's 16 text colours. Obfuscated text is shown as ▒ here; in game it flickers.
server.properties (Java server)
motd=\u00A76\u00A7lDiamond Craft \u00A77| \u00A7aSurvival 26.x\n\u00A7bFriendly community \u00A7d\u2605 \u00A7fJoin now!
Paste this line over the motd= line in server.properties, then restart.
/tellraw command (Java chat)
/tellraw @a ["",{"text":"Diamond Craft ","color":"gold","bold":true},{"text":"| ","color":"gray"},{"text":"Survival 26.x ","color":"green"},{"text":"Friendly community ","color":"aqua"},{"text":"★ ","color":"light_purple"},{"text":"Join now!","color":"white"}]Run in chat or a command block to show the text to all players.
§ text (Bedrock signs & anvils, plugins)
§6§lDiamond Craft §7| §aSurvival 26.x §bFriendly community §d★ §fJoin now!
Paste on a Bedrock sign or anvil, or into plugin configs that use § codes.
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All Minecraft colour codes
| Code | Colour | Hex | tellraw name |
|---|---|---|---|
| §0 / &0 | Black | #000000 | black |
| §1 / &1 | Dark Blue | #0000AA | dark_blue |
| §2 / &2 | Dark Green | #00AA00 | dark_green |
| §3 / &3 | Dark Aqua | #00AAAA | dark_aqua |
| §4 / &4 | Dark Red | #AA0000 | dark_red |
| §5 / &5 | Dark Purple | #AA00AA | dark_purple |
| §6 / &6 | Gold | #FFAA00 | gold |
| §7 / &7 | Gray | #AAAAAA | gray |
| §8 / &8 | Dark Gray | #555555 | dark_gray |
| §9 / &9 | Blue | #5555FF | blue |
| §a / &a | Green | #55FF55 | green |
| §b / &b | Aqua | #55FFFF | aqua |
| §c / &c | Red | #FF5555 | red |
| §d / &d | Light Purple | #FF55FF | light_purple |
| §e / &e | Yellow | #FFFF55 | yellow |
| §f / &f | White | #FFFFFF | white |
Formats: §l bold, §o italic, §n underline, §m strikethrough, §k obfuscated, §r reset. A colour code also turns off bold and other formats, so put formats after the colour.
How to use it
- Type your message. The first line and second line show under your server's name.
- Click a colour or format button to insert its code where your cursor is.
- Check the preview, then press Copy on the format you need.
- For a Java server, replace the motd= line in server.properties and restart the server.
How it works
Minecraft styles text with codes made of § plus one character: 0 to f for colours, l, o, n, m and k for formats, and r to reset. Many servers let you type & instead of §, so both work here. server.properties is read as Latin-1 text, so the tool writes § as \u00A7, which is why your colours don't break.
Questions
How do I change my Minecraft server MOTD?
Open server.properties in your server folder, replace the line that starts with motd= with the line from this tool, save, and restart the server.
Why do my colours show as strange characters?
The § symbol was saved in the wrong text encoding. Use the line from this tool: it writes § as \u00A7, which every server reads correctly.
Can I use colour codes in chat or on signs?
On Bedrock, you can type § codes on signs and in anvil names. On Java, vanilla chat and signs block §, so use the /tellraw command from this tool instead.
How long can a MOTD be?
Two lines show in the server list. Long lines get cut off by the width of the list, so check the preview and keep each line short.
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By PickaxeKit Editorial Team. Updated 2026-11-09.