Minecraft Color Codes and Formatting Codes in One Table
§c is red, §l is bold, §r resets. All Minecraft color and formatting codes, Bedrock's material colors, and where they work: servers, signs, MOTDs.
Minecraft color codes are a section sign (§) followed by one character: §c makes text red, §l makes it bold, §r resets everything. Server plugins usually accept & instead of § (so &c for red), because & is easier to type.
Color codes (both editions)
| Code | Color | Code | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| §0 | Black | §8 | Dark gray |
| §1 | Dark blue | §9 | Blue |
| §2 | Dark green | §a | Green |
| §3 | Dark aqua | §b | Aqua |
| §4 | Dark red | §c | Red |
| §5 | Dark purple | §d | Light purple |
| §6 | Gold | §e | Yellow |
| §7 | Gray | §f | White |
Formatting codes
| Code | Effect | Editions |
|---|---|---|
| §l | Bold | Both |
| §o | Italic | Both |
| §k | Obfuscated (scrambling characters) | Both |
| §r | Reset color and formatting | Both |
| §m | Strikethrough | Java only |
| §n | Underline | Java only |
On Java, a color code switches off any formatting before it, so put the color first: §c§l gives bold red, but §l§c gives plain red.
Extra colors on Bedrock
Bedrock adds a set of colors named after materials. They’re handy for item names in add-ons and for Bedrock server messages.
| Code | Color | Code | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| §g | Minecoin gold | §p | Material gold |
| §h | Material quartz | §q | Material emerald |
| §i | Material iron | §s | Material diamond |
| §j | Material netherite | §t | Material lapis |
| §m | Material redstone | §u | Material amethyst |
| §n | Material copper | §v | Material resin |
Because §m and §n are colors on Bedrock, text written for Java with strikethrough or underline comes out tinted instead.
Where the codes work
Java Edition. You can’t use § in normal chat: typing it there disconnects you, even in single-player. The codes do work in server.properties (the motd line), in pack.mcmeta descriptions, world names and language files. For commands like /tellraw and /title, use JSON text with a "color" field instead, or write the sign as §. Since Java 1.21.6 you also can’t paste § into books.
Bedrock Edition. § codes work in more places, including signs, book text and item names set in an anvil, as long as you can get the character onto the screen. On a phone keyboard it’s usually under the symbols page.
Servers. If you run a Minecraft server, the MOTD and most plugin config files take & codes, and many plugins also accept hex colors like &#FF5555. Which syntax works depends on the plugin, so read its documentation. In-game, the message and tellraw commands are the vanilla way to send colored text, and a command block can repeat it automatically.
Quick examples
§6§lWelcome!gives bold gold text.&aServer online &7| &eSurvivalis a typical plugin MOTD: green, gray separator, yellow.§kxx§r Secret §kxxgives scrambled characters on both sides of a normal word.
If you just want colored text on a sign in survival, you don’t need codes at all: use dye on the sign, and a glow ink sac to make it brighter.
Common questions
How do I type the § symbol?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0167 on the number pad. On a Mac, press Option+6. In Java chat it won't work anyway, because typing § there disconnects you, so it's mainly for config files.
What is the difference between & and § codes?
The game itself only understands §. The & versions are a convention used by server plugins, which swap & for § before showing the text, so & only works where a plugin supports it.
Why does §m show red on Bedrock?
On Bedrock, §m and §n are material colors (redstone and copper), not strikethrough and underline. Bedrock doesn't support those two formats at all.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
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