Minecraft
Minecraft gradient text: hex color codes for your server
Since 1.16, Minecraft Java can show any color – not just the classic 16. Gradients have become the norm for ranks, MOTDs, scoreboards and holograms. Here is which format your server needs and how to generate it.
Type your text, pick colors, open the Minecraft format and copy the code as MiniMessage, &#RRGGBB or §x.
Create Minecraft gradientThe short version
- Enter your text in Color Text Studio, e.g. your rank or server name.
- Pick two or three colors and the Gradient mode. Set the background to Dark – that is how chat looks.
- Under “As code”, choose Minecraft and your plugin’s format: MiniMessage, &#RRGGBB or §x.
- Copy the code and paste it into your config or command.
The 16 classic color codes
Before 1.16 there were only 16 fixed colors, written with the section sign § plus a digit or letter. Many plugins accept the easier-to-type & instead. These codes still work today – including in Bedrock Edition.
| Code | Color | Code | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
&0 – &7 | Black, dark blue, dark green, dark aqua, dark red, dark purple, gold, gray | &l | Bold |
&8 – &f | Dark gray, blue, green, aqua, red, light purple, yellow, white | &o | Italic |
&n / &m | Underline / strikethrough | ||
&k / &r | Obfuscated / reset |
Important: a color code resets bold and italic. Format codes must therefore come after the color – in a gradient, after every single color. Color Text Studio does this automatically when you switch on “Bold” or “Italic”.
Hex colors: which format for what
Since Java Edition 1.16, Minecraft understands hex colors such as #ff5555. How they are written in text is not defined by Minecraft but by your server plugin. Three notations are common:
| Format | Example | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| MiniMessage | <#ff5555>H<#ff9955>i | Paper, Velocity and modern plugins such as LuckPerms chat formatters, TAB, DeluxeMenus, MiniMOTD |
| &#RRGGBB | &#ff5555H&#ff9955i | EssentialsX, CMI and many Spigot plugins |
| §x | §x§f§f§5§5§5§5H | Plugins and configs that only understand § codes in the Bukkit/Spigot format |
MiniMessage tip: it also has a <gradient:#ff5555:#5555ff>Text</gradient> tag that computes the gradient itself and is much shorter. The code from Color Text Studio colors every letter individually instead – that also works where a plugin doesn’t support the gradient tag, and allows any number of colors plus modes like words or random.
Not sure which format your plugin wants? Check its docs or sample config: if you see <red> or <#...>, it’s MiniMessage. If you see &c, try &#RRGGBB first.
Rank, server name or MOTD as a gradient: pick colors, choose the Minecraft format, copy.
Create a gradient step by step
- Enter text. In Color Text Studio, type only the visible text, e.g.
[Admin]– no color codes. - Pick colors. Click a preset or set your own colors. Two or three colors look cleanest for ranks.
- Skip spaces. On by default; saves codes because spaces need no color.
- Dark preview. Minecraft chat is dark. Set the preview background to Dark and watch the contrast check.
- Choose the format. “As code” › Minecraft › matching format.
- Paste. Copy the code into your plugin config. In YAML files, quote the value, e.g.
prefix: "&#ff5555[Admin]".
Watch the character limit
Every letter of a gradient needs its own color code: 8 characters with &#RRGGBB, 9 with MiniMessage and as many as 14 with §x. Minecraft’s chat input is limited to 256 characters – so a gradient longer than about 25 letters no longer fits into a command.
- Configs instead of chat: config files don’t have this limit.
- “Words” mode: each word gets only one code – much shorter.
- Gradient tag: for long texts in MiniMessage, use the built-in
<gradient>tag.
Color Text Studio shows the code length right below the code.
When the colors don’t show
| Symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
Codes show up as text, e.g. &#ff5555 | The plugin doesn’t know this format. Try the other one (MiniMessage ↔ &#RRGGBB). |
| Only the 16 old colors appear | Server or client is older than 1.16, or a plugin rounds to the nearest classic color. |
| Bedrock players see it differently | Bedrock Edition has no hex colors. Through Geyser they are mapped to the nearest classic color. |
| Bold/italic only on the first letter | With & codes, every color resets the format. Switch on “Bold” in the tool – it is then repeated after each color. |
| YAML error on server start | Value without quotes, or starting with &/#. Always wrap it in "…". |
Note: vanilla commands such as /tellraw need JSON text. Color Text Studio doesn’t generate that format – it is meant for plugin servers.
Create Minecraft gradient text now
Type your text, pick colors and copy it as MiniMessage, &#RRGGBB or §x. Free, no sign-up.
FAQ
Which Minecraft version supports hex colors?
Java Edition 1.16 and newer. Older versions and Bedrock Edition only know the 16 classic colors.
What is the difference between & and §?
Minecraft itself uses the section sign §. Many plugins accept & instead because it is easier to type, and convert it internally.
Which format does LuckPerms use?
LuckPerms stores prefixes as plain text. How they are displayed is up to your chat plugin. Modern Paper setups usually use MiniMessage, EssentialsX Chat understands &#RRGGBB.
Can I use gradients on signs or in books?
Only through plugins or commands. When writing normally in-game, color codes are not interpreted.
Is the generator free?
Yes, no sign-up. Your text is only processed in the browser.
Sources
- Formatting codes, Minecraft Wiki.
- MiniMessage Format, Adventure documentation (KyoriPowered).