Minecraft Color and Format Codes: Explained

May. 25, 2022

We will now explain all the in-game text customization codes that Minecraft has to offer. You can use these to easily color and format labels and text in Minecraft. But before we move forward, you should know that Minecraft Java has a few limitations in this department. We will begin by understanding what the code system actually stands for, so let’s start.

Similar to commands, Minecraft has in-game color and text formatting codes. As for the color codes, they have the power to assign team colors, change the color of any in-game text, and even choose the color you want to dye your leather armor in. For functionality, the game offers just enough color options to the players.

If you want to expand the uniqueness of the text, that’s where format codes will come in handy. You can use them to change the way text looks in-game. The game offers almost all basic text format options, including bold, italics, and more.

Let’s look at the different ways the format and color codes are used by Minecraft players. All of these codes’ use scenarios will remain true in the Bedrock edition of the same. We will go over thedifferences between Java vs Bedrockcodes later. But overall, the ways you can use these color and text codes remain the same, which are:

You will find the most common usage of these codes in online servers. Also, you can even notice them in custom-made creations like thismodel of Earth in Minecraft. Now, we will see what exactly are all the options that Minecraft offers.

Here, the color codes represent the in-game commands you can use to insert these colors. Each color code is in the following format,”the§symbolfollowed bya single character“. Meanwhile,MOTD stands for “Message Of The Day”color in Minecraft, which is usually changed in custom mods or worlds.

Now, after color codes, let’s focus on the text formatting codes. These can help you go beyond colors to make your texts more lively and stand out on online servers. You can even combine the two, as we have demonstrated in the examples below.

Here’s a complete list of all the available format codes that you can use to stylize your text in Minecraft.

The place where you use these codes might differ in each edition, but the format is more or less the same. Youneed to enter the code as § (section symbol) + (a character)followed by the text you want to enter in that color or format. Let’s take a look at how it works:

If you want to type text in bold format, you will have to enter§lMinecraftto make it appear as “Minecraft” in-game. Similarly, you can make it appear in a different color by using§cMinecraftto make the text look like “Minecraft“.

One of the most common uses of text codes is within the chat. For example, if you want to send a green “Hi” to someone, you have to type “§2Hi” and press enter. Similarly, you can use the above-mentioned codes to use a variety of other text colors and formatting options in Minecraft

Just like the chat, you have to enter your text after the § symbol and value character to modify the text on your signs. If you want to make a bold blue sign saying “Home”, you have to type “§1§lHome“.

The other possible combinations of§+(a character) will yield the following results:

Combining the two works differently on the Bedrock and Java editions of the game. In Bedrock, the formatting remains intact even after a color code is entered. But in the Java edition, the formatting gets disabled beyond the color code point. Before moving on, let’s first clarify more differences between Minecraft Java & Bedrock edition’s color codes.

Due to the difference in coding language of both versions of Minecraft, the codes also function a little differently. Some codes favor the Java edition, while other times Bedrock edition has an advantage. Here’s how.

Before you jump into your game to try these color codes, you will need to find the not-so-popular “§“symbol. Thesection symbolis not a common character, but you can find it on every platform that Minecraft is available on. The methodology for finding this character on each device will be different. But worry not, we are going to cover all of them, including PC, Android, and iOS. Let’s begin.

For this tutorial, we will be using the popular Gboard keyboard from Google. It should work in a similar manner on other keyboards too.

1. From your keyboard, press thenumbers buttonat the bottom left corner.

2. Then, click on thesymbols button, marked by“=<“. It is usually the second button at the bottom left corner.

3. Now, look for the “¶” symbol towards the top right area of the keyboard. Once you find it, tap and hold until the§symbol pops up.

4. Once the§symbol pops up, highlight and enter it by swipingup with your finger.

For iOS & iPadOS, we will be using the default Apple Keyboard and the tutorial remains the same across all mobile Apple mobile and tablet devices. Here’s how it works:

1. From the standard keyboard layout,press thenumberskey,which is marked by “.?123“.

2. You will see a hint of§above the%sign. You can swipe down on it to enter it.

3. Alternatively, if you choose to tap on the symbols key marked with “#+=“, you can then open the full symbols menu.

4. Here, you cantapon the§ keyto enter this section symbol.

As Microsoft is not fond of changing itsWindows shortcutsoften, you can use this method on any version of Windows. Here’s how to use the section symbol on Windows:

1. Make sure yournum lock is active, as this only works with a Numpad on your keyboard.

2. Now, press and hold theAlt key, then press the2 & 1 key on Numpadin that order. The combination ofAlt + 21should give you a§symbol in Windows.

3. For users without a Numpad on their keyboard, you can open the “Character Map” on Windows. Search for itin the Start Menu after pressing the Windows keyand open it.

4. In the character map, you will see the§symbol in the6th rowunder the small case “r“. You can click to highlight it. Then, click the“Select” option,followed by the“Copy” option. Now, you can paste it in-game by pressingCtrl + V.

The easiest way to type the section symbol (§) in macOS is using the keyboard shortcut – Option + 6. Press these keys simultaneously to have the § symbol appear in the chat or on signs in Minecraft. If that doesn’t work, you can use theOption +00a7shortcut instead.

1. Before moving forward, make sure theoption to insert symbols and emojis from the Menu bar is turned onby going to the keyboard settings in macOS Catalina and before. Usually, it’s enabled by default on newer versions of macOS.

2. Now, from the top right corner of your screen,click on the keyboard iconand select the “Show Emoji & Symbols”option. You can also use theCommand + Control + Spaceshortcut to access it.

Note: In macOS Mojave and Monterey, you will see the “Show emojis and symbols” option in the menu bar by default.

3. Now, search for “section” here, and you will find the§symbol.

If you can’t find it on any of your devices, it can be due to the selected keyboard language. Switching the keyboard language to US English will make it simpler for you to find the symbol. With everything else out of the picture, it’s finally time to take these codes to the next level.

It’s a simple-to-use low-level editor available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The program has huge potential, but we won’t suggest you go beyond your knowledge in order to avoid crashing the game. Sticking to changing text and names is way less risky, and you can achieve it within no time.

Use Minecraft Color and Text Formatting Codes Today

In the name of customization, Minecraft color and format codes can change your in-game experience a lot. However, if you want to push your in-game graphics to a higher level, you can alsoinstall Optifine in Minecraft. They allow you to use thebest Minecraft shaders, which give you realistic graphics and better texture mapping. Coming back to the format codes, even with such a variety of options, you can only do limited things with them. So, make sure to install thebest Minecraft modsto get a wider range of text customization in the game. You can then explore thebest Minecraft discord serversto get ideas for better customization. Having said that, what more text customization options should Mojang add to the game? Tell us in the comments below!