All previews on this page are CSS/canvas approximations for quick reference — not pixel-perfect in-game renders. Always confirm the final look in Minecraft itself.

How to Use the Color Codes Reference

  1. Click any swatch to copy its &-form code straight to your clipboard.
  2. Use the & form in most plugin/server config files, then let the plugin convert it to the real formatting character at runtime.
  3. Use the § (section sign) form directly anywhere the game or console expects a raw legacy color code, such as a sign, book, or command argument.
  4. Reference the hex value alongside each code if you need the exact color for a resource pack, website, or design tool outside the game.

Color Codes vs. Formatting Codes

Minecraft’s legacy text styling system uses single-character codes, always preceded by either an ampersand (&) or the special section-sign character (§, Unicode U+00A7) that the game itself recognizes as a formatting escape. There are two distinct categories:

  • 16 color codes (0–9 and a–f) – each maps to one specific, fixed hex color from Black (0) through White (f), matching the exact palette used in chat, signs, books, and any other legacy-formatted text in the game.
  • 6 formatting codes (k l m n o r) – these don’t set a color at all; they toggle a text style instead: k (Obfuscated/scrambling), l (Bold), m (Strikethrough), n (Underline), o (Italic), and r (Reset, which clears all active color and formatting back to default).

Why two notations for the same codes? The & form is a convention used almost universally across plugins and config files specifically because the real section-sign character is awkward to type directly into most text editors and config formats – plugins detect & and swap it for the real § character internally before sending text to the client. Anywhere you’re editing raw game data that the client reads directly (signs, written books, some command arguments), you need the actual § character, not the ampersand placeholder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between using & and § in my text?

They represent the exact same formatting codes – & is a plugin-ecosystem convention that gets converted internally to the real § character before the client renders it. Use & in plugin/server config files (where the plugin handles the conversion), and use the literal § character directly in raw game text the client reads without any plugin processing in between, like signs or books.

Does the r (Reset) code clear color, formatting, or both?

Both – r resets all active color and all active style flags (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, obfuscated) back to the default, all at once. It’s commonly placed right before switching to a fresh color/style combination to guarantee nothing carries over from earlier in the string.

Can I combine multiple formatting codes, like bold and underline, at once?

Yes – formatting codes stack. Applying &l&n (or their § equivalents) in sequence turns on both Bold and Underline simultaneously, and they stay active until a Reset code or the end of the text component.

Are these hex values exact enough to use outside Minecraft, like on a website?

Yes – these are the standard, fixed legacy color palette values Minecraft itself uses internally, so they’re accurate for matching Minecraft’s exact look in external contexts like a companion website, Discord embed, or resource pack design reference.

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