How to color signs in Minecraft 1.19 update

Signs are one of the best ways in Minecraft for players to add a bit of personalization and flair to their worlds. Players can use signs to keep track of things they need to do or leave messages for their friends. But there are also different ways to customize the Minecraft experience, including world names, books, custom item names, and even chat messages.

Players wanting to push this customization even further can do things such as change the color of text or even add a handful of different text effects.

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All about customizing sign text in Minecraft 1.19

The Section Sign (§)

Players in Minecraft can format their text by using a symbol known as the section sign, which is this Unicode character: §. If the player enters this character and follows it with a set of characters, it will impact the rest of the text that follows.

Players can use this to change the color of the text typed and add different text effects, which help customize many of the game's different aspects that involve text. This includes things like signs, world names, and custom item names.

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How to get different text colors

Multiple text colors used on a single sign (Image via Minecraft)

There are a total of 16 different potential text colors that players can place onto signs, as well as world names, books, renamed items, and in the chat. These colors include dark blue (§1), dark green (§2), dark aqua (§3), dark red (§4), dark purple (§5), gold (§6), gray (§7), dark gray (§8), blue (§9), green (§a), aqua (§b), red (§c), light purple (§d), yellow (§e), white (§f), and minecoin gold (§g).

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Other text effects in the game

An example of text obfuscation (Image via Minecraft)

Changing the color of the text on a sign is not the only thing that players can do to customize their signs. There are a total of six different formatting codes outside of coloration that players have access to, depending on the version of the game.

Java players have access to all six of the formatting codes, whereas Bedrock players will only have access to four of the formatting codes. The full list of other formatting codes is detailed below.

§k

This formatting code will result in the text being obfuscated. This means that text will be replaced by a bunch of text that randomly changes over time, meaning that players cannot actually read the typed text. This is one of the formatting codes that is compatible with both Bedrock and Java.

§l

This formatting code will result in the text being bolded. This means that any text typed will have a thicker outline. This might result in some characters becoming illegible. This is one of the formatting codes that players on both editions of the game can use.

§m

This formatting code will result in text being struck through, and any text typed will have a horizontal line through it. This is one of the two formatting codes that cannot be used on both versions of the game. It can only be used on the Java edition.

§n

This formatting code will result in an underline. This means that any text typed after this formatting code is applied will have a thin horizontal line underneath it. This formatting code is the second of the formatting codes that can only be used on the Java edition of the game and is unavailable for Bedrock players.

§o

This formatting code will result in italics. The text will be slightly angled, and this is useful for adding emphasis to certain words. This is another formatting code that is available on both the Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.

§r

This formatting code will reset any formatting code changes to the text. This means that any text that follows this formatting code will be returned to normal text with a black coloration. This is a formatting code that can be used on both versions of the game.