How long can a MOTD be?

The server list shows two lines of roughly 45-50 characters each, depending on character widths. Longer lines are cut off - the preview shows you exactly where.

Why do my color codes not work in server.properties?

The file is read with ISO-8859-1 encoding, so a raw § often breaks. Use the escaped form \u00A7b instead of §b - this generator outputs exactly that.

Can I use line breaks in the MOTD?

Yes - the second line is separated with \n in server.properties. The generator manages both lines separately and inserts the escape for you.

Do hex colors work in the MOTD?

Vanilla servers only render the 16 classic colors in the MOTD. Some proxies and plugins (BungeeCord, Velocity, ServerListPlus) support full RGB - check your setup's documentation.

How do I add a server icon?

Place a 64x64 PNG named server-icon.png in the server's root folder and restart. The preview here shows how icon and MOTD look together.

Does the MOTD affect the server ping?

No - the MOTD is part of the status response the client requests anyway. Fancy formatting has zero performance impact.

MOTD Generator

Design your server's message of the day with color codes and see exactly how it will look in the multiplayer server list.

MOTD editor

Line 1 26/45Line 2 38/45

Server list preview

Server name

My Server0/20

My Minecraft Server [1.21]

Welcome! Join now - fresh worlds await

Output

Raw MOTD (§ codes, \n as line break)

§6§lMy Minecraft Server §r§7[1.21]\n§eWelcome! §aJoin now §7- §b§ofresh worlds await

server.properties (unicode-escaped, paste as the motd line)

motd=\u00A76\u00A7lMy Minecraft Server \u00A7r\u00A77[1.21]\n\u00A7eWelcome! \u00A7aJoin now \u00A77- \u00A7b\u00A7ofresh worlds await

server.properties only accepts ASCII, so the § character has to be written as the \u00A7 unicode escape.

Design a server list entry that stands out

The MOTD is your server's first impression: two lines in the multiplayer server list that decide whether players click join. This generator styles both lines with all color and formatting codes, shows a pixel-accurate server-list preview with your icon, and outputs the escaped string ready to paste into server.properties.

Authentic server-list preview

Your MOTD renders exactly like in the multiplayer screen - Minecraft font, icon, ping bar and player count included.

All colors and formats

The 16 classic colors plus bold, italic, underline, strikethrough and obfuscated - freely mixed within each line.

Two-line layout control

Edit both MOTD lines separately and keep an eye on the width limit so nothing gets cut off in the list.

server.properties output

Copy the finished MOTD with § escaped as \u00A7 - paste it straight into server.properties without breaking encoding.

Symbols and unicode

Spice up the MOTD with arrows, stars and other unicode symbols that render in the Minecraft font.

Centering helper

Center lines automatically with the right amount of padding - the classic MOTD look, without counting pixels.

How to set a custom MOTD

1
Style both lines
Write your two MOTD lines and apply colors and formatting - the server-list preview updates live.
2
Copy the escaped string
Copy the generated motd= value with escaped color codes (\u00A7).
3
Paste into server.properties
Replace the motd line in server.properties and restart or reload the server - done.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a MOTD be?: The server list shows two lines of roughly 45-50 characters each, depending on character widths. Longer lines are cut off - the preview shows you exactly where.
Why do my color codes not work in server.properties?: The file is read with ISO-8859-1 encoding, so a raw § often breaks. Use the escaped form \u00A7b instead of §b - this generator outputs exactly that.
Can I use line breaks in the MOTD?: Yes - the second line is separated with \n in server.properties. The generator manages both lines separately and inserts the escape for you.
Do hex colors work in the MOTD?: Vanilla servers only render the 16 classic colors in the MOTD. Some proxies and plugins (BungeeCord, Velocity, ServerListPlus) support full RGB - check your setup's documentation.
How do I add a server icon?: Place a 64x64 PNG named server-icon.png in the server's root folder and restart. The preview here shows how icon and MOTD look together.
Does the MOTD affect the server ping?: No - the MOTD is part of the status response the client requests anyway. Fancy formatting has zero performance impact.