How to Change Your Minecraft Server Name and MOTD

Your Minecraft server's name (MOTD - Message of the Day) is the first thing players see when browsing the server list. A compelling server name and description can attract new players and make your server stand out. With Loafhosts' LoafPanel, changing your server's MOTD is simple using our integrated configuration editor.

What is MOTD?

MOTD stands for "Message of the Day" and refers to the text displayed in the Minecraft multiplayer server list. It consists of:

• Server Name: The main title of your server (first line)
• Description: Additional information about your server (second line)
• Colors and Formatting: Custom styling using color codes
• Special Characters: Symbols and Unicode characters

The MOTD is what players see before joining, making it crucial for:

• Attracting new players
• Communicating server type and features
• Displaying server status or announcements
• Building brand identity
• Standing out in server lists

Prerequisites

Before changing your MOTD:

• Access to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
• Server owner access or operator permissions
• Understanding of Minecraft color codes (optional)
• Basic knowledge of text formatting

Method 1: Using the LoafPanel Config Editor (Recommended)

The LoafPanel's integrated configuration editor makes MOTD changes quick and visual.

Step 1: Access the Config Editor

1. Log in to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
2. Select your Minecraft server
3. Navigate to Management → Configs
4. Select server.properties from the dropdown menu

Step 2: Find the MOTD Setting

1. Use the search bar at the top to quickly find "motd"
2. Or scroll through the settings to locate motd
3. The current MOTD value will be displayed in the text field

Step 3: Enter Your New MOTD

1. Click in the motd text field
2. Delete the existing text
3. Type your new server name and description
4. Use \n to create a second line

Example format:

motd=§aWelcome to MyServer!\n§7Best Survival Experience

Step 4: Save Changes

1. Click the orange Save button at the top right
2. Restart your server for changes to take effect
3. The new MOTD will appear in the server list

Your MOTD is now updated and visible to all players!

Method 2: Using File Manager

For direct file editing with more control:

Step 1: Access File Manager

1. Navigate to Management → Files in the LoafPanel
2. Locate and click on server.properties in the root directory
3. The file editor will open

Step 2: Edit the MOTD Line

1. Find the line that starts with motd=
2. Replace the text after the equals sign with your new MOTD
3. Use \n for line breaks

Example:

motd=§6§lMySMP Server§r\n§bSurvival • Economy • Events

Step 3: Save the File

1. Click the Save Content button
2. Restart your server
3. Verify the MOTD appears correctly in-game

Understanding Minecraft Color Codes

Make your MOTD stand out with color formatting!

Basic Color Codes

Use the § symbol followed by a character code:

Formatting Codes

Add special formatting effects:

Combining Colors and Formatting

You can combine multiple codes:

§6§l§oGolden Bold Italic
§a§nGreen Underlined
§c§lRED AND BOLD

Important: Reset formatting with §r before starting new formatting to avoid conflicts.

MOTD Examples

Simple and Clean

motd=§7[§bSurvival§7] §fMyServer Network

Result: [Survival] MyServer Network (colored)

Two-Line with Description

motd=§a§lAwesome SMP§r\n§7Survival • Economy • Community

Result: Line 1: Awesome SMP (green, bold) Line 2: Survival • Economy • Community (gray)

Fancy with Multiple Colors

motd=§6§l⚔ §c§lEPIC§4§lPVP §6§l⚔§r\n§e§oTest your skills in the arena!

Result: Line 1: ⚔ EPICPVP ⚔ (gold and red) Line 2: Test your skills in the arena! (yellow, italic)

Server Status MOTD

motd=§a§l● ONLINE §r§7- §fMyServer\n§bSeason 3 §7• §dNew spawn area!

Result: Line 1: ● ONLINE - MyServer Line 2: Season 3 • New spawn area!

Event Announcement

motd=§d§lMyServer §r§7- §aOnline\n§e§l⚡ DOUBLE XP WEEKEND ⚡

Result: Line 1: MyServer - Online Line 2: ⚡ DOUBLE XP WEEKEND ⚡

Minimalist Modern

motd=§f§lMYSERVER §8|§7 Premium Survival\n§8» §7Custom Enchants §8• §7Dungeons §8• §7Economy

Result: Line 1: MYSERVER | Premium Survival Line 2: » Custom Enchants • Dungeons • Economy

Using Unicode Characters

Add special symbols to make your MOTD unique:

Popular Symbols

❤ ♥ ✦ ✧ ★ ☆ ⚡ ⚔ ⛏ 🗡 🏹 🛡
● ◆ ■ ▪ » « → ← ↑ ↓
┃ │ ║ ═ ╔ ╗ ╚ ╝ ┏ ┓ ┗ ┛

Example with Symbols

motd=§6✦ §e§lGOLD§6§lCRAFT §6✦§r\n§7» §bSurvival §8• §dRPG §8• §aEconomy §7«

Note: Some symbols may not display correctly on all Minecraft clients. Test before deploying.

MOTD Character Limits

Be aware of length restrictions:

• Maximum Length: 59 characters per line (including color codes)
• Two Lines: Use \n to split into two lines
• Color Codes: Each §X counts as 2 characters
• Overrun: Text beyond 59 characters will be cut off

Tip: Keep your MOTD concise and impactful!

Common MOTD Mistakes to Avoid

Too Many Colors

Bad:

§a§b§c§d§e§fRainbow Server

Problem: Overwhelming and hard to read

Good:

§b§lCool Server §r§7- §fAwesome gameplay

Formatting Not Reset

Bad:

§l§cBold Red\n§aGreen but still bold

Problem: Second line inherits bold from first line

Good:

§l§cBold Red§r\n§aGreen normal

Too Long

Bad:

Welcome to the most amazing Minecraft survival server with custom plugins and awesome community

Problem: Text gets cut off in server list

Good:

§a§lAwesome SMP§r\n§7Custom plugins • Great community

Special Characters Issues

Bad: Using special characters that don't render

Good: Test all characters before using them publicly

Testing Your MOTD

Before Publishing

1. Save your MOTD changes
2. Restart the server
3. Open Minecraft multiplayer
4. Refresh the server list
5. Check how the MOTD appears
6. Verify colors display correctly
7. Ensure text isn't cut off
8. Test on both Java and Bedrock (if applicable)

MOTD Preview Tools

Use online MOTD generators to preview:

• MinecraftTools MOTD Creator
• MOTD.gg
• Minecraft.tools MOTD Generator

These tools let you visually design and preview your MOTD before applying it.

Dynamic MOTDs with Plugins

For advanced MOTD features, consider plugins:

ServerListPlus

• Random MOTDs from a list
• Different MOTDs for different regions
• Player count modifications
• Hover messages
• Favicon support

MOTD Manager

• Schedule different MOTDs
• Time-based MOTDs
• Event-specific messages
• Dynamic player count
• Custom hover text

ProtocolLib + Various MOTD Plugins

• Advanced MOTD customization
• Server list ping modifications
• Custom version text
• Animated MOTDs

Install through Management → Plugins in the LoafPanel.

Server Icon (Favicon)

Complement your MOTD with a custom server icon:

Requirements

• PNG format
• Exactly 64x64 pixels
• Named server-icon.png
• Placed in server root directory

Adding Server Icon

1. Create or download a 64x64 PNG image
2. Navigate to Management → Files
3. Upload the file as server-icon.png to root directory
4. Restart your server
5. The icon appears next to your MOTD

Troubleshooting

MOTD Not Updating

Solution:

• Verify you saved the server.properties file
• Restart your server completely
• Clear Minecraft client cache
• Remove and re-add server in multiplayer list
• Check for syntax errors in the MOTD

Colors Not Displaying

Solution:

• Ensure you're using § (section sign), not & or $
• Verify the color code is correct (0-9, a-f)
• Check for proper formatting reset with §r
• Test on vanilla Minecraft client

Second Line Not Showing

Solution:

• Verify you used \n for line break (not \n or /n)
• Check that total length isn't too long
• Ensure proper escaping in the properties file
• Try removing and re-adding the line break

Special Characters Not Appearing

Solution:

• Some characters don't work in Minecraft
• Test characters before using them
• Use standard Unicode symbols
• Verify server encoding supports the characters

MOTD Appears Garbled

Solution:

• Check file encoding is UTF-8
• Remove any hidden characters
• Retype the MOTD manually
• Use the LoafPanel editor instead of external editors

Best Practices

Keep It Professional

• Use colors sparingly
• Maintain readability
• Avoid excessive symbols
• Keep it concise

Update Regularly

• Change MOTD for events
• Announce server updates
• Seasonal variations
• Special announcements

Match Your Brand

• Consistent color scheme
• Reflect server theme
• Match server icon
• Align with server website

Test Thoroughly

• Check on different clients
• Verify on mobile (Bedrock)
• Test length limits
• Preview before publishing

Creative MOTD Ideas

Seasonal MOTDs

Summer:

motd=§e§l☀ §6§lSUMMER UPDATE §e§l☀§r\n§bNew beach biomes & water parks!

Halloween:

motd=§6§l🎃 §c§lSPOOKY SEASON §6§l🎃§r\n§5Haunted dungeons • Trick or treat!

Winter:

motd=§b§l❄ §f§lWINTER WONDERLAND §b§l❄§r\n§7Snow wars • Ice skating • Presents!

Game Mode Focus

Survival:

motd=§2§l⛏ §a§lPURE SURVIVAL §2§l⛏§r\n§7Vanilla+ • Economy • Land claims

Creative:

motd=§d§l✦ §5§lCREATIVE PLOTS §d§l✦§r\n§eFree plots • WorldEdit • Competitions

Minigames:

motd=§6§l🎮 §e§lMINIGAME HUB §6§l🎮§r\n§bSkyWars §8• §aBedWars §8• §cParkour

Server Status

Online and Healthy:

motd=§a§l● ONLINE§r §8| §fMyServer\n§7Join now for adventure!

Maintenance:

motd=§e§l⚠ MAINTENANCE§r\n§7Back soon • Check Discord for updates

Update In Progress:

motd=§6§l⟳ UPDATING§r\n§7New features coming • Be back shortly!

Need Help?

If you have questions about customizing your server MOTD:

• Discord Support: Join our community at https://discord.gg/loafhosts
• Support Center: Visit https://loafhosts.com/support for more guides
• Panel Support: Click the support button in your LoafPanel

With Loafhosts' LoafPanel, changing your Minecraft server's MOTD is simple and effective. Create an eye-catching server name that attracts players and reflects your server's unique identity!

Updated on: 10/11/2025