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The method depends on your edition. In Java Edition, the bold server-list name is chosen and stored by each player in the Minecraft client, so the server owner cannot rename that label from the server. The server owner can change the descriptive text underneath it by editing motd= in server.properties. A Bedrock Dedicated Server has a server-side server-name= setting that controls the name shown in the server list and when players join.
First, identify which “name” you want to change
Minecraft displays more than one piece of text for a multiplayer server. Confusing these fields is the main reason a rename appears not to work.
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| Edition | Text a player sees as the saved server title | Setting controlled by the server owner | File and key |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition | The bold label in that player’s multiplayer list. It is entered and saved on the player’s device. | The MOTD, normally shown as the second line of the entry. | server.properties, motd= |
| Bedrock Dedicated Server | The server name supplied by the dedicated server. | The same server-side name is shown in the list and when players join. | server.properties, server-name= |
If a Java player says “the server name did not change,” ask whether they mean the bold label they typed when adding the server or the MOTD beneath it. Changing motd= updates the latter; it does not overwrite an existing client-side label.
Change the visible text on a Java Edition server
For a self-hosted or command-line Java server, edit the server.properties file in the server’s root directory. Do not edit it while the server is running: the server can rewrite the file during operation and overwrite your changes.
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- Stop the server cleanly. Use the normal stop control in your terminal, service manager, or hosting interface, and wait until the process has finished shutting down.
- Open the correct file. In the directory containing the Java server files, open
server.propertieswith a plain-text editor. Do not use a word processor that adds formatting. - Find the MOTD entry. Locate the line beginning with
motd=. If it has an existing value, replace only the text after the equals sign. - Enter the new message. For a simple name-like message, use a line such as
motd=My Server. The value is the server’s message of the day, not a client-side rename field. - Save the file without changing its format. Keep the key spelled
motd, retain the equals sign, and avoid adding quotation marks unless your editor already shows them as part of the value. - Start the server again. Launch it with the same method you normally use and wait for it to finish loading.
- Refresh the multiplayer list. A newly added entry should display the new MOTD. Players who already added the server may still see their own saved bold label; that is expected.
Use two MOTD lines
The Java MOTD supports two lines. Put the newline escape n inside the value rather than pressing Enter and creating a second physical line in server.properties. For example:
motd=My ServernWelcome to survival!The first part appears on the first MOTD line and the text after n appears on the second. Keep both lines in the same property entry. A literal line break can turn the second line into an invalid or unrelated property.
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Add colour codes
Java MOTD formatting uses the section-sign character followed by a formatting code. Insert the section sign directly in the value, for example:
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motd=§aMy Server §f- Welcome!Here, §a and §f are formatting sequences; the exact appearance depends on the code used. If your editor or control panel offers a colour-code picker, it may insert the same character for you. Check the saved file afterward to ensure the section sign has not been replaced by a different symbol or removed by the panel.
Why a Java server “name” may still look unchanged
The bold label belongs to the player
When a Java player adds a server, the client asks that player for a name and stores it locally. Two players can therefore have different bold labels for the same address. No edit to the server’s server.properties can force every Java client to replace its saved label.
To change that bold label, the individual player must edit the entry in the Multiplayer screen or remove and add the server again with a new name. The server owner can instead publish the preferred wording in the MOTD so new and returning players see it beneath their chosen label.
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The file was edited while the server was online
If the new MOTD disappears after a restart, stop the server first, make the edit, save it, and then start the server. A running Java server may write its current configuration back to server.properties, replacing an unsaved or incompatible manual change.
The wrong file or directory was edited
Large installations can contain more than one world or server directory. Edit the server.properties file used by the process that players actually join. A quick check is to compare the file’s other settings with the server you recognize, then restart that same instance and refresh the client list.
The property syntax was changed
The key must remain motd=. Do not rename it to server-name= on Java, and do not place the value on a separate line. A minimal valid entry is:
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motd=My ServerFor a two-line message, keep the escape sequence on one physical line:
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motd=My ServernWelcome!The client has not refreshed its cached list
After the server restarts, leave and reopen the Multiplayer screen or use its refresh control. If the MOTD updates but the bold label does not, the client is behaving normally: those are two different fields with different owners.
Change the name on a Bedrock Dedicated Server
Bedrock Dedicated Server uses a server-side property named server-name. This differs from Java’s motd key and is the setting to edit when you want the dedicated server’s name to appear in the server list and when players join.
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- Stop the Bedrock Dedicated Server. Wait for the process to exit before changing its configuration.
- Open the Bedrock server’s
server.properties. Use the file shipped with the Bedrock Dedicated Server instance that players connect to. - Locate
server-name=. Replace the existing value after the equals sign. For example,server-name=My Bedrock Server. - Escape apostrophes. If the name contains an apostrophe, precede it with a backslash. For example,
server-name=Alex's Realm. - Save the plain-text file and restart the server. Then reconnect or refresh the server list to confirm the new name.
Do not substitute Java’s motd= key for Bedrock’s server-name=. The two editions use different property names, so an edit to the wrong key has no effect on the intended display.
Editing through a hosting panel
A managed host may provide a settings page instead of direct access to server.properties. Some panels expose a field called “Server name,” “MOTD,” or something similar. Those labels are panel-specific and were not standardized across hosting services.
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- For Java, a panel field that writes the MOTD changes the descriptive line, not the bold name already saved by each player’s client.
- For Bedrock Dedicated Server, use the panel’s documented field that writes
server-name=, if it provides one. - Stop the server whenever the panel instructs you to edit the underlying properties file, then restart it after saving.
- If a panel regenerates configuration files, make the change through its supported interface so it is not replaced on the next restart.
Because panel names and workflows change, follow the instructions for the specific service and server version. The underlying Java-versus-Bedrock distinction remains the same.
Formatting examples you can copy
| Goal | Java Edition entry | Bedrock Dedicated Server entry |
|---|---|---|
| Simple one-line text | motd=My Server |
server-name=My Bedrock Server |
| Two-line Java MOTD | motd=My ServernWelcome! |
Use the server-name field; the Java MOTD newline syntax does not rename a Bedrock server. |
| Java colour formatting | motd=§aMy Server §f- Welcome! |
Use the Bedrock server’s supported name syntax; do not copy the Java motd key. |
| Apostrophe in a Bedrock name | Use the Java MOTD rules. | server-name=Alex's Realm |
Pre-restart checklist
- You identified the edition: Java or Bedrock Dedicated Server.
- You stopped the correct server instance before editing.
- You opened the
server.propertiesfile in that instance’s root directory. - You used
motd=for Java orserver-name=for Bedrock. - Your value remains on the correct property line.
- You used
nfor a second Java MOTD line instead of inserting a physical line break. - You escaped apostrophes in a Bedrock
server-namevalue. - You saved the file as plain text, restarted the server, and refreshed the client list.
- For Java, you checked the MOTD separately from each player’s locally saved bold label.
Version and configuration caveats
Property names and available options can change between Minecraft server versions. Before applying version-specific instructions, verify the current server.properties reference for the exact Java or Bedrock release you run. If a newly generated file uses a different documented key, follow that version’s key rather than copying an older example.
The most reliable expectation is therefore edition-specific: Java owners publish a server-side MOTD, while Java players control their own saved list names; Bedrock Dedicated Server provides a server-side server-name value. Treat those as separate settings when diagnosing a name that appears not to have changed.
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