How do I put a coloured MOTD on my server?
Design the MOTD above, open the server.properties tab and copy the line. Stop the server, replace the line that starts with motd= in server.properties, save the file and start the server again. Refresh the server list in Minecraft to see the new message.
Why does my MOTD show strange characters like §?
server.properties is read with an old text encoding, so a § typed straight into the file can turn into § or a question mark. The generator writes every § as \u00A7 and escapes all other special characters too, so the line works no matter how your editor saves the file.
Can I use hex colours and gradients in a MOTD?
Minecraft Java Edition shows any RGB colour since version 1.16. Paper and Spigot servers, proxies such as Velocity and most MOTD plugins accept hex colours, but a plain vanilla server only understands the 16 classic colours in server.properties. Choose "Vanilla" in the server.properties tab and the generator swaps every hex colour for the closest classic one.
How long can a MOTD be?
The server list shows two lines, each about 271 pixels wide. That is roughly 45 average characters; narrow letters like i and l take less space, bold text more. Longer lines wrap and the extra lines are cut off. The counter under each line shows the width in pixels and the preview wraps exactly like the game.
How do I centre the text?
Minecraft has no centre option, so centred MOTDs start with spaces. The Centre button adds the right number of spaces for each line from the pixel widths of the characters, and the outputs include them. Centring works best when a line is clearly shorter than the full width.
What is MiniMessage?
MiniMessage is a text format with tags such as <gold>, <bold> or <gradient:#ff5555:#ffaa00>, used by Paper, Velocity and many plugins. It is easier to read than § codes and supports gradients directly. Use the MiniMessage tab for those configs and the & codes tab for older plugins.
