Symbols & Color Code Reference

Click-to-copy Unicode symbols and Minecraft chat color/formatting codes for signs, books, and item names.

Works in signs, written books, item/entity custom names, and any place that accepts Minecraft’s formatted text — not all formatting codes work in every context (e.g. some UI elements ignore obfuscated). Minecoin Gold (&g) is a 17th color code exclusive to Bedrock Edition (used for Minecoins/Marketplace UI) — it has no effect on Java Edition.

Quick guides

How to use this tool, and the questions players ask most.

Colour and formatting codes: § codes, hex, and where each one still worksSection-sign codes still work in some places and are ignored in others. Here is the full table, the hex

How to color code signs in Minecraft?

You change sign text color in survival by applying any of the 16 dye colors directly to the placed sign with right-click. Using a glow_ink_sac on the dyed sign gives the text a luminous outline.

How to color code items in an

anvil?

Survival anvils in Java Edition do not accept the § symbol or formatting codes in the rename field. In Bedrock Edition, typing § followed by a character like §c directly renames the item with colored text.

How to use color codes in Minecraft

Bedrock?

Type the section symbol § followed by a digit from 0 to 9 or letter a to f in chat, signs, or books. On Windows, press Alt + 0167 on the numpad to generate the symbol.

How to color code items in Minecraft Java?

Use the /give command with the custom_name item component formatted as raw JSON. In Java 1.20.5 and later, run /give @p diamond_sword[custom_name='{"text":"Excalibur","color":"gold"}'] to obtain an item with custom colored name text.

Why do & color codes not work in vanilla chat?

Vanilla Minecraft requires the /tellraw command with JSON text formatting rather than ampersand codes. The & symbol format is a third-party feature provided by server software like Paper and Spigot using plugins such as EssentialsX.