Formatting Codes

File:Minecraft Formatting.gif

Formatting Codes (also known as Color Codes) are codes that can add color and modifications to text in Minecraft.

Information

Texts can be formatted with the section sign "§" and that can be typed with pressing Alt + Numpad2Numpad1 or Alt + Numpad0Numpad1Numpad6Numpad7, in normal gameplay, this sign can only be entered into Book and Quills. In Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, it can also be written into signs, world names, renaming items and in the chat. However, programs and editors can be used to insert it in other locations.

Colors

File:MinecraftColors.png

Messages sent from the server to the client can contain colors, which allow coloring of text for various purposes. Hex digit to color mapping. Use § followed by the corresponding color letter/number; e.g. §e will give you yellow. The sign "§" followed by a hex digit in the message tells the client to switch colors while displaying text.

Code	Official Name	Technical Name	Foreground Color				Background Color
			R	G	B	Hex	R	G	B	Hex
§0	Black	black	0	0	0	000000	0	0	0	000000
§1	Dark Blue	dark_blue	0	0	170	0000AA	0	0	42	00002A
§2	Dark Green	dark_green	0	170	0	00AA00	0	42	0	002A00
§3	Dark Aqua	dark_aqua	0	170	170	00AAAA	0	42	42	002A2A
§4	Dark Red	dark_red	170	0	0	AA0000	42	0	0	2A0000
§5	Dark Purple	dark_purple	170	0	170	AA00AA	42	0	42	2A002A
§6	Gold	gold	255	170	0	FFAA00	42	42	0	2A2A00
§7	Gray	gray	170	170	170	AAAAAA	42	42	42	2A2A2A
§8	Dark Gray	dark_gray	85	85	85	555555	21	21	21	151515
§9	Blue	blue	85	85	255	5555FF	21	21	63	15153F
§a	Green	green	85	255	85	55FF55	21	63	21	153F15
§b	Aqua	aqua	85	255	255	55FFFF	21	63	63	153F3F
§c	Red	red	255	85	85	FF5555	63	21	21	3F1515
§d	Light Purple	light_purple	255	85	255	FF55FF	63	21	63	3F153F
§e	Yellow	yellow	255	255	85	FFFF55	63	63	21	3F3F15
§f	White	white	255	255	255	FFFFFF	63	63	63	3F3F3F

Trivia

• The color codes almost exactly match, in order, the 16 colors available using a Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), as released in 1981. Only color 6 differs; the formula exception for color 6 in Minecraft, #FFAA00 – differs from that made for CGA – #AA5500.
• In Java Edition, they use Raw JSON Text Format.