How to Whitelist Players on Your Minecraft Server

Managing who can join your Minecraft server is crucial for creating a safe, controlled community. The whitelist feature allows you to create an exclusive server where only approved players can connect. With Loafhosts' LoafPanel, managing your whitelist is simple and efficient through our integrated Player Manager.

What is a Minecraft Whitelist?

A whitelist is a security feature that restricts server access to only approved players. When whitelist mode is enabled, only players whose usernames are on the whitelist can join your server. This is perfect for:

• Private servers for friends and community members
• Roleplay servers with application processes
• Creative building projects with controlled access
• Preventing griefing and unwanted visitors
• Managing your player base effectively

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Access to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
• Operator (OP) permissions or server owner access
• The exact Minecraft username of players you want to whitelist (case-sensitive)

Method 1: Using the LoafPanel Player Manager (Recommended)

Loafhosts offers an intuitive Player Manager that makes whitelisting players incredibly easy with just one click.

Step 1: Access the Player Manager

1. Log in to your Loafhosts panel at https://panel.loafhosts.com
2. Select your Minecraft server from the server list
3. Navigate to Management → Players in the left sidebar
4. The Player Manager will display all players who have ever joined your server

Step 2: Locate the Player

You can find players in several ways:

• Scroll through the player list - All players who have joined are displayed with their Minecraft skins
• Use the search bar - Type the player's username to quickly find them
• Filter by status - Click on "All Players" to see everyone, or use filters for online/offline players

Step 3: Whitelist the Player

1. Click on the player's name or avatar to open their Player Details panel
2. In the Player Actions section, click the green Whitelist button
3. The player will be immediately added to your server's whitelist
4. A confirmation message will appear

The whitelist change takes effect immediately - no server restart required!

Step 4: Enable Whitelist Mode

After adding players to the whitelist, you need to enable whitelist enforcement:

1. Navigate to Management → Configs in the LoafPanel
2. Select server.properties from the dropdown
3. Find the setting white-list and change it to true
4. Click the orange Save button at the top right
5. Restart your server for the change to take effect

Method 2: Using the In-Game Console

You can also manage the whitelist directly through commands.

Adding Players via Console

1. Navigate to General → Terminal in the LoafPanel
2. Type the following command:

whitelist add PlayerName

Replace PlayerName with the exact Minecraft username (case-sensitive).

Enabling Whitelist via Console

whitelist on

Checking Whitelist Status

whitelist list

This displays all whitelisted players.

Method 3: Editing the Whitelist JSON File

For bulk additions or advanced management, you can edit the whitelist file directly.

Step 1: Access the File Manager

1. Navigate to Management → Files in the LoafPanel
2. Locate and open the file named whitelist.json
3. The file contains a JSON array of whitelisted players

Step 2: Add Players Manually

The whitelist.json file structure looks like this:

[
  {
    "uuid": "8f8c84ff-7ac4-46d4-8e39-42feb60d4ded",
    "name": "IXuka_Vuraml"
  },
  {
    "uuid": "a0728eab-df01-406b-ad83-7a9df9c8b6f8",
    "name": "JaHpenguin"
  }
]

To add a new player:

1. Add a comma after the last entry
2. Copy the format and add the new player's information
3. You'll need both the UUID and exact username
4. Save the file

Note: Finding player UUIDs can be done at https://mcuuid.net

Step 3: Reload the Whitelist

After editing the file, reload it with:

whitelist reload

Removing Players from the Whitelist

Via Player Manager

1. Go to Management → Players
2. Find and click on the player
3. Click the green Whitelist button again to toggle it off (it will turn red)
4. The player is immediately removed from the whitelist

Via Console Command

whitelist remove PlayerName

Common Whitelist Commands

Here are essential whitelist commands for managing your server:

Troubleshooting

Player Can't Join Despite Being Whitelisted

Solution:

• Verify the username is spelled exactly correct (case-sensitive)
• Check that whitelist mode is enabled with whitelist list
• Ensure the player is using the correct Minecraft edition (Java vs Bedrock)
• Try removing and re-adding the player
• Reload the whitelist with whitelist reload

Whitelist Not Working After Enabling

Solution:

• Restart your server after changing the white-list setting in server.properties
• Verify white-list=true is saved in server.properties
• Check that enforce-whitelist=true is also set in server.properties

Can't Find a Player in Player Manager

Solution:

• The player must have joined your server at least once to appear in the Player Manager
• For new players who haven't joined yet, use the console command method: whitelist add PlayerName
• Double-check the spelling of the username

Operator Can't Join Whitelisted Server

Solution:

• Even operators must be on the whitelist when whitelist mode is enabled
• Add the operator to the whitelist using the Player Manager or console commands
• Alternatively, set enforce-whitelist=false in server.properties to allow ops to bypass

Best Practices

Security Tips

• Enable whitelist mode before making your server public
• Regularly review your whitelist and remove inactive players
• Keep whitelist enabled for private/community servers
• Document your whitelist application process if you run a community server

Managing Applications

If you run a server with an application process:

1. Have applicants provide their exact Minecraft username
2. Review applications before whitelisting
3. Use the Player Manager to quickly add approved players
4. Keep records of whitelist additions and removals
5. Consider using a Discord bot to automate whitelist applications

Backup Your Whitelist

Periodically backup your whitelist.json file:

1. Navigate to Management → Files
2. Right-click whitelist.json
3. Download a copy to your local computer
4. Store it securely in case you need to restore it

LoafPanel Advantages

Managing your whitelist through Loafhosts' LoafPanel offers several advantages:

• Visual Interface: See player skins and easily identify who's on your server
• One-Click Actions: Add or remove players from whitelist with a single click
• No Restart Required: Changes via Player Manager take effect immediately
• Player History: View detailed statistics and history for each whitelisted player
• Bulk Management: Quickly manage multiple players without typing commands
• Mobile Friendly: Manage your whitelist from any device

Advanced Configuration

Enforce Whitelist for Ops

In server.properties, you can control whether operators bypass the whitelist:

enforce-whitelist=true

When set to true, even operators must be whitelisted. When false, ops can join even if not whitelisted.

Whitelist Kick Message

Players who try to join without being whitelisted see a default message. You can customize this message in some server types, or use plugins like EssentialsX to create custom kick messages.

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues with whitelisting players or have questions about server management, our support team is here to help:

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

The LoafPanel Player Manager makes managing your Minecraft server whitelist simple and efficient. With just a few clicks, you can control exactly who has access to your server and maintain a safe, enjoyable community for your players!

Updated on: 10/11/2025