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To make a player an operator on a Minecraft Java Edition server, run /op PlayerName in the server console or as an existing operator, replacing PlayerName with the player’s in-game name. The server records the operator in ops.json. By default, new operators receive permission level 4, controlled by op-permission-level in server.properties.
If you need a lower permission level, want an operator to join when the server is full, or cannot get the command to work, use the steps and checks below. This guide covers Java Edition server configuration; Bedrock Edition is outside its scope.
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An operator, commonly called an OP, is a player with server-granted permissions. The permission level determines the scope of those permissions. Operator status is separate from simply being able to join the server: it grants elevated control, and the level can affect gameplay, moderation, and server-process commands.
The server stores operator entries in ops.json. That file holds each operator’s UUID, name, permission level, and whether the player bypasses the player limit. For ordinary setup, use the /op command rather than editing the file; edit it directly only when you need to set a particular level or player-limit behavior.
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Add an operator with /op
- Choose a way to issue the command. Use the server console, or sign in as a player who already has operator permissions.
- Enter the player’s name. In the server console, type
op PlayerName. As an operator in-game, type/op PlayerName. ReplacePlayerNamewith the target player’s in-game name. - Check the result. Confirm that the command is accepted and that the player can use the permissions intended for their role. The server writes the operator entry to
ops.json.
The console command does not need the leading slash; the in-game command does. If you are not already an operator, running /op as an ordinary player will not grant you operator status. Use the server console or ask an existing operator to run the command.
Understand permission levels before assigning access
Java server operator levels run from 0 to 4. Level 4 is the default value of op-permission-level and gives full owner-level control, including the ability to use /stop. The general division below is useful for choosing a level, but exact command lists can vary; do not treat it as a definitive command-by-command reference.
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| Level | General scope | Practical implication |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No operator permissions | This is not an elevated operator role. |
| 1 | Bypasses spawn protection; no commands, according to the available permission-level guides | Limited access rather than command-based administration. |
| 2 | Gameplay commands such as /gamemode, /give, /tp, and /gamerule; command blocks are also included in the reported scope |
Can change gameplay and world rules. |
| 3 | Moderation commands such as /ban, /kick, /op, and /deop |
Can affect other players and operator access. |
| 4 | Server-process commands such as /stop and /reload, plus save commands |
Full control carries the greatest risk of disrupting or changing server operation. |
These are broad categories, not a promise that every listed command is available at exactly the same level on every server version. If a role depends on a specific command, verify that command on the server version you run before granting access. Give each player only the level their responsibilities require.
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Set the default level for newly opped players
The op-permission-level setting in server.properties determines the level assigned to newly opped players. Its default is 4. If you change it, restart the server to apply the setting. The change applies to players opped after the new setting takes effect; existing operators keep the level already stored for them.
- Stop the server cleanly before making configuration changes.
- Open the server’s
server.propertiesfile and findop-permission-level. - Set the value to the level you want new operators to receive, from 0 through 4.
- Save the file and restart the server.
- Op a test player or newly authorized player, then check which permissions that player can use.
There is conflicting guidance about whether /op always assigns level 4 or uses the configured op-permission-level value. The default is 4, and the setting is documented as controlling the level for new operators, but behavior may depend on server version. If you lower the setting, test what level a newly opped player actually receives rather than assuming the result.
Assign a specific level or let an operator join a full server
For per-player settings, edit the relevant entry in ops.json. Each entry contains four fields: uuid, name, level, and bypassesPlayerLimit. The level is the operator’s stored permission level. Set bypassesPlayerLimit to true if that operator should be able to join when the server has reached its player limit.
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Stop the server before editing ops.json. The server writes this file on shutdown, so an edit made while it is running can be overwritten when the server later saves its data. After editing, start the server and verify the player’s access and, if relevant, their ability to join a full server.
- Need a level below 4 for one person? Set that player’s
levelin their operator entry rather than relying only on the default setting. - Need new operators to start at a lower level? Change
op-permission-levelinserver.properties, restart, and test the result. Existing entries retain their stored levels. - Need an operator to join when the server is full? Set that player’s
bypassesPlayerLimitvalue totrue.
The UUID identifies the player in the entry. If you do not know the correct UUID, a guide suggests using mcuuid.net to look it up; verify the result carefully before changing the file. A name alone should not be used as a substitute for checking that the entry belongs to the intended player.
Remove operator status
Run /deop PlayerName from the server console or as an operator, replacing the name with the player’s in-game name. This removes that player from the operator list. If you manage the file directly, make changes only while the server is stopped so that a shutdown save does not overwrite them.
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Troubleshoot /op not working
The command is rejected in chat
If you are entering the command as a player, you need to be an existing operator. An ordinary player cannot grant themselves operator status with /op. Have an existing operator run the command, or enter op PlayerName in the server console.
The console does not recognize the command
In the console, use op PlayerName without the leading slash. The slash form, /op PlayerName, is used in-game. Also check that you are typing the player’s correct in-game name.
The player is an OP but lacks the expected permissions
Check the player’s stored level in ops.json and the intended op-permission-level value in server.properties. Changing the default and restarting does not update the stored level of existing operators. If you need to change one existing player’s level, stop the server, update that player’s entry, and start the server again. Because the exact command lists and /op behavior can vary, test the specific permission on the server version in use.
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The player cannot join when the server is full
Operator status by itself is not the player-limit setting. In that player’s ops.json entry, check that bypassesPlayerLimit is set to true. Make the change with the server stopped, then restart it and test.
A change to ops.json disappears
The server writes ops.json on shutdown. If you edited the file while the server was running, its later save can replace your edit. Stop the server first, make and save the change, then start it.
Quick Recap
Quick decision guide
- Grant the normal default operator role: run
/op PlayerNameas an existing operator, orop PlayerNamein the console. - Choose the default level for future operators: set
op-permission-levelinserver.properties, restart, and test. - Set a particular operator’s level: stop the server and edit that player’s
levelinops.json. - Allow an operator to enter a full server: stop the server and set their
bypassesPlayerLimitfield totrue. - Revoke operator status: run
/deop PlayerName.
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