Why Bedrock player names start with a dot (Floodgate prefix)
Floodgate adds a prefix like a dot to Bedrock player names to avoid clashes with Java names. Here is how to change it, and when not to.
Updated · 2 min read
Floodgate puts a prefix in front of every Bedrock player's name, by default a dot, so Steve on Bedrock becomes .Steve on your server. This stops a Bedrock gamertag from colliding with a real Java account of the same name. You can change the prefix in Floodgate's config.
Why the prefix exists
Java usernames and Xbox gamertags are separate namespaces. Without a prefix, a Bedrock player called Notch and the Java player Notch would look identical to plugins, which could mix up their inventories, permissions or bans. The prefix makes every Floodgate player's name unique.
Floodgate also gives Bedrock players a UUID that starts with zeros, generated from their Xbox ID, so they never share a UUID with a Java player either.
Where the setting lives
Open plugins/floodgate/config.yml (on a BungeeCord network, the proxy's Floodgate config):
# The prefix added before Bedrock player names
username-prefix: "."
# Replace spaces in gamertags with underscores
replace-spaces: true
Changing the prefix
- Stop the server.
- Edit
username-prefix. Common choices are".","*"or"BE_". - Start the server.
Tips:
- Keep the result short. Java names are limited to 16 characters, and Floodgate trims long names to fit, so a long prefix eats into the gamertag.
- Pick a character Java names cannot contain (like
.or*) so a Java player can never register the same name. - Changing the prefix changes the name, not the UUID. Most plugins store data by UUID, so homes and inventories usually survive. Plugins that store by name, and name-based whitelists or ban lists, may not.
Can I remove the prefix?
You can set username-prefix: "", but it is not recommended on a public server: a Bedrock gamertag could then match a Java username, which can cause impersonation or data conflicts. On a small private server with known players it is less of a concern.
Spaces in gamertags
Gamertags can contain spaces; Java names cannot. With replace-spaces: true, Steve Builder becomes .Steve_Builder. Leave this on, since many plugins and commands break on names with spaces.
Using the prefixed name in commands
When you run commands about a Bedrock player, use the full name including the prefix:
/op .Steve_Builder
/tp .Steve_Builder ~ ~ ~
For permissions plugins, see LuckPerms permissions for Bedrock players. For the whitelist, see whitelist Bedrock players.
Linked accounts have no prefix
If a Bedrock player links their account to a Java account, they join with the Java name and UUID instead. See link Java and Bedrock accounts.