How to change your Minecraft server MOTD (with colors)
Set the message shown under your server name in the Minecraft server list, add colors and formatting, and use two lines.
Updated · 2 min read
The MOTD (message of the day) is the text shown under your server's name in the Minecraft multiplayer list. Change it with the motd key in server.properties, then restart the server.
Change the MOTD
- Open the file manager and edit
server.propertiesin the server's root folder. - Find the
motd=line and replace the text:
motd=Welcome to our survival server
- Save the file and restart the server.
- Refresh the multiplayer list in Minecraft to see the new message.
Add colors and formatting
Minecraft uses the section sign § followed by a code to color text. Typing § directly into the file can turn into garbled characters because of text encoding, so the reliable way is to write it as the escape §:
motd=§6§lGold Bold Title §r§7- survival since 2024
Color codes
| 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 |
|---|---|
l | Bold |
o | Italic |
n | Underline |
m | Strikethrough |
k | Obfuscated (scrambled) |
r | Reset to default |
Put the color code before formatting codes. A color code resets any formatting that came before it.
Two-line MOTD
The server list shows up to two lines. Add a line break with \n:
motd=§b§lSkyline SMP\n§7Whitelisted survival §8| §aJoin our Discord
Each line fits roughly 45 characters before it is cut off, so keep it short.
Using a plugin instead
On Paper, plugins like MiniMOTD let you use hex colors, gradients and random MOTDs, which server.properties cannot do. If a MOTD plugin is installed, it overrides the motd value.
MOTD not changing?
- Make sure you restarted the server after saving.
- Check there is only one
motd=line in the file. - Some launchers cache the server list. Click Refresh or remove and re-add the server.
- If your text shows strange characters such as
§, replace the§symbols with§.
While you are customizing the server list, you can also add a server icon.