How to use the Minecraft MOTD Generator
- Write your two lines. Type in Line 1 and Line 2. A colour or style code starts with an ampersand, like
&6for gold. - Click to style. Press a colour or a style button to add its code where your cursor is. The preview shows the result straight away.
- Copy the line. Copy the
motd=line forserver.properties. Plugin configs that use ampersand codes have their own box. - Restart the server. Save the file and restart. The new message shows in the multiplayer list.
How colour codes work
Minecraft formats text with the section sign followed by one character. §6 turns text gold, §l makes it bold and §r clears everything. Most people type an ampersand instead because it is easy to reach, and the tool converts it for you.
A new colour clears any bold, italic or other style before it, so add the style again after changing colour. The sixteen colours run from 0 to f. The styles are l bold, o italic, n underline, m strikethrough and k obfuscated, which scrambles the letters.
Why server.properties shows \u00a7
The server.properties file stores special characters as escape codes. The section sign becomes \u00a7 and a line break becomes \n. That is exactly what the first box gives you, so you can paste it as it is.
Limits to keep in mind
- The list shows two lines. Anything longer is cut off, and a line holds roughly 45 to 60 characters depending on the letters.
- Hex colours work on Paper, Purpur and Spigot 1.16 and newer. Vanilla servers only know the sixteen standard colours.
- The preview uses a pixel font to look like the game, so spacing differs slightly in-game.
- This tool is for Java Edition servers.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I put the MOTD?
In the motd= line of server.properties in your server's main folder. Restart the server afterwards. Some plugins, such as server-list or MOTD plugins, have their own config, and the ampersand box is for those.
Why do my colours show as odd symbols?
Usually the section sign was saved in the wrong encoding. Use the first box, which writes every special character as a \u escape, so it works regardless of how the file is saved.
Can I centre the text?
Minecraft has no centring option. Servers add spaces to push a line toward the middle. Because the in-game font is not fixed width, check the result in the game's server list.
Can I add an image or server icon?
The icon is a separate file called server-icon.png, 64 by 64 pixels. The server icon maker on this site builds one.
What does the obfuscated style do?
It swaps the letters for random characters that keep changing. In the preview it animates unless your device asks for reduced motion.