How to Private Message in Minecraft: /msg, /tell and /w
Type /msg <player> <message> and only that player sees it; /tell and /w do the same. Works on both editions without cheats. Team chat, /me and /say.
To send a private message, type /msg <player> <message>, for example /msg Steve meet me at the portal. Only that player sees it. /tell and /w do exactly the same thing. It works on Java and Bedrock, and it doesn’t need cheats.
/msg, /tell and /w syntax
Both editions:
/msg <targets> <message>
/tell <targets> <message>
/w <targets> <message>The target can be a player name or a selector. With a selector, every matching player gets the message.
/msg examples
/msg Alex bring more iron
/tell @a server restarts in 5 minutes
/w @p you dropped your sword
/msg @a[distance=..30] anyone nearby want to trade?Names with spaces (common on Bedrock gamertags) need quotes:
/msg "Cool Gamer 123" hi thereOther ways to talk
| Command | What it does | Editions |
|---|---|---|
/me <action> |
Shows “* YourName action” to everyone | Both |
/say <message> |
Broadcasts with a [YourName] prefix; usually needs operator | Both |
/teammsg <message> or /tm |
Sends to your scoreboard team only | Java |
/tellraw <targets> <json> |
Sends formatted text with colors and click events | Both |
/tellraw is the tool for colored, clickable messages in maps. Java example:
/tellraw @a {"text":"Welcome!","color":"gold","bold":true}Bedrock uses a rawtext wrapper:
/tellraw @a {"rawtext":[{"text":"§6Welcome!"}]}For the § color codes on Bedrock, see our color codes page.
Why your message didn’t arrive
- Spelling. Player names must match exactly. Use Tab on Java to autocomplete.
- The player is offline or in another world. Private messages only reach players on the same server or world.
- The server replaced the command. Many servers use a plugin version of
/msgwith its own rules, mutes and ignore lists. Check the server’s help. - Chat hidden. A player who set chat to Hidden in their settings won’t see anything, including private messages.
- Not on a multiplayer world. It only makes sense with other people; see how to play multiplayer or how to join a server.
Private messages are not private from server operators or logs. Don’t send passwords or personal info through them.
More commands are in the full command list and on the commands hub.
Common questions
Are /msg, /tell and /w the same command?
Yes. They are three names for the same private message command on both Java and Bedrock.
Do you need cheats to use /msg?
No. Private messages work for any player, even with cheats off. Servers can still block or replace the command with a plugin.
How do you reply to the last person who messaged you?
Vanilla Minecraft has no /r reply command. Many servers add one through plugins, but in single-player LAN or Realms, you type /msg and the name again.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
Keep reading