Minecraft tellraw generator: visual colored text editor

What is the /tellraw command?

The /tellraw command was added in Minecraft Java Edition 1.7.2 (October 2013). It sends a formatted JSON message to the selected players. Unlike the plain /say and /tell commands, /tellraw gives you full control over formatting:

• 16 text colors - from black (§0) to white (§f), including gold, red, green and more
• 5 formatting styles - bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, obfuscated
• Click events - run a command, open a URL, copy text to the clipboard
• Hover events - show text, show an item, show entity information
• Selectors - insert a player name, a scoreboard score or a language translation

/tellraw is essential for adventure maps, NPC dialogue systems, server menus, interactive guides and advanced mechanics on multiplayer servers.

/tellraw syntax

The basic syntax is simple, but the JSON can get complex:

/tellraw <selector> <raw JSON>

Player selectors

The selector decides who sees the message:

• @a - all players on the server
• @p - the nearest player (or the player who runs the command from chat)
• @s - the entity that executes the command (for example a player or a command block)
• @r - a random player
• "PlayerName" - a specific player by name

Selectors support filters, for example @a[distance=..10] (players within 10 blocks), @a[team=Red] (members of the team named Red), @a[gamemode=survival] (players in Survival mode).

JSON object structure

Every text segment is a JSON object with these fields:

• "text" - the text content (required)
• "color" - the color name: "black", "dark_blue", "dark_green", "dark_aqua", "dark_red", "dark_purple", "gold", "gray", "dark_gray", "blue", "green", "aqua", "red", "light_purple", "yellow", "white"
• "bold" - true/false (bold)
• "italic" - true/false (italic)
• "underlined" - true/false (underline)
• "strikethrough" - true/false (strikethrough)
• "obfuscated" - true/false (random characters, the "magic" effect)
• "clickEvent" - an object with the action for a click
• "hoverEvent" - an object with the action for a hover

Multiple segments: a JSON array

To combine several segments with different formatting, use a JSON array:

/tellraw @a ["",{"text":"Welcome ","color":"gold"}, {"text":"to the server!","color":"green","bold":true}]

The first element of the array is an empty string "". This is a Minecraft convention that stops the later elements from inheriting the formatting of the first one. Our generator adds this empty element automatically.

Click events (clickEvent)

Click events make text interactive. The player clicks the text and something happens:

run_command: run a command

Runs the given command automatically as the player who clicked. Great for menus and buttons. The command has to start with a slash (/). Example: on click, the player is teleported with /tp.

suggest_command: suggest a command

Puts text into the player's chat box without running it, so the player can edit the command before sending it. Useful for forms and polls on a server.

open_url: open a URL

Opens the given link in the player's browser (after confirmation). Minecraft shows a security warning before opening an external link. The address has to start with https:// or http://.

copy_to_clipboard: copy to the clipboard

Copies the given text to the player's system clipboard. Added in Java Edition 1.15. Handy for sharing codes, server IP addresses, coordinates and so on.

Hover events (hoverEvent)

Hover events show extra information when the player moves the cursor over the text:

show_text: show text

Shows a text tooltip. The tooltip can have its own formatting (colors, bold and so on): just pass a JSON object instead of a plain string. Great for glossaries, explanations and larger menus.

show_item: show an item

Shows an item preview in the tooltip, identical to the one in your inventory. It needs the item ID (for example minecraft:diamond_sword). Useful in server shops and reward lists.

Practical uses of /tellraw

Server menu systems

/tellraw combined with command blocks makes interactive menus. Each option is a separate text segment with a run_command clickEvent. For example, a teleport menu:

• [Spawn] - clicking runs /tp @p 0 64 0
• [PvP Arena] - clicking runs /tp @p 100 70 200
• [Shop] - clicking runs /trigger shop

NPC dialogue in adventure maps

Adventure maps use /tellraw to show NPC dialogue with choices. The player clicks an answer, which runs a command that changes the quest state (for example it sets a scoreboard value).

Welcome messages

On servers, a /tellraw in a command block triggered by a pressure plate shows a personalized greeting to a player entering the spawn. You can use the @p selector with a distance filter so that only a nearby player sees the message.

Announcements with links

Server admins can send announcements with clickable links to the website, Discord or the rules. Colored text grabs attention better than a plain /say.

Voting systems

/tellraw with suggest_command lets you build voting systems: the player clicks an option, the command is inserted into chat and the player confirms it with Enter. Combined with a scoreboard, this makes a complete polling system.

How to use the tellraw generator

1. Add text segments - click "Add text segment" and type the content. Each segment can have different formatting.
2. Set the color - click a segment to expand it and pick a color from the palette of 16 Minecraft colors.
3. Format the text - turn on bold (B), italic (I), underline (U), strikethrough (S) or obfuscated (?).
4. Configure events - add a click event (command, URL, clipboard) and/or a hover event (text, item).
5. Watch the preview - at the top of the page you can see how the text will look in the game.
6. Choose a selector - decide who sees the message (@a, @p, @s, @r).
7. Copy the command - click "Copy" next to the finished command, or "Copy JSON" for just the data format.

Tips

Test it in chat first

Before you put the /tellraw command into its final command block, test it in chat. If you see a syntax error, the JSON is invalid. Our generator guarantees valid syntax, so the problem may come from extra spaces added while copying.

Don't overdo the formatting

Text with lots of colors and effects is hard to read. Use colors with a purpose: gold for headings, white for body text, gray for less important information, red for warnings, green for positive messages.

Message length

Minecraft limits a command to 32,500 characters (Java Edition). That is a lot of room, but very elaborate messages with many events can get close to the limit. For really long texts, consider splitting them into several /tellraw commands.

Obfuscated: the "Matrix" effect

The obfuscated style turns text into constantly changing random characters, the effect you know from the enchanting table's language. Our preview simulates it with blocks (Unicode U+2588), but in the game the characters animate.

Use it in data packs and .mcfunction files

/tellraw commands work great with data packs. Use the "Copy JSON" button to get just the data format. In .mcfunction files you don't need a slash before a command.

The 16 text colors in Minecraft

Minecraft defines 16 named colors, each with a formatting code (§) and a JSON equivalent. Here is the complete list with hex codes:

• black (§0) - #000000 (watch out: it disappears against the dark chat background!)
• dark_blue (§1) - #0000AA
• dark_green (§2) - #00AA00
• dark_aqua (§3) - #00AAAA - dark cyan / teal
• dark_red (§4) - #AA0000
• dark_purple (§5) - #AA00AA
• gold (§6) - #FFAA00 (popular for headings)
• gray (§7) - #AAAAAA
• dark_gray (§8) - #555555
• blue (§9) - #5555FF
• green (§a) - #55FF55 (the light green)
• aqua (§b) - #55FFFF - cyan / light teal
• red (§c) - #FF5555 (the light red)
• light_purple (§d) - #FF55FF - pink
• yellow (§e) - #FFFF55
• white (§f) - #FFFFFF

Since Minecraft Java Edition 1.16, any hex color is supported too (for example "color":"#7B68EE"), but our generator sticks to the 16 standard colors, which work in both editions.

/tellraw vs /title vs /actionbar

Minecraft has several commands for showing text. Here is how they differ:

• /tellraw - a chat message. Scrollable, clickable, with hoverEvent. Best for menus, announcements and dialogue.
• /title - big text in the middle of the screen with a fade in/out animation. Ideal for announcements and transitions between chapters on maps.
• /title ... actionbar - the action bar above the hotbar. Ideal for statuses, timers and short info that should not clutter chat.

/tellraw is the only one of these commands that supports clickable links and full interactive events. That makes it irreplaceable for menu systems and interactive elements on servers.

Frequently asked questions