How to Ban, Kick and Mute Players on a Minecraft Server

To ban a player on a Minecraft server, type ban PlayerName reason in the server console (or /ban PlayerName reason in game as an operator). To kick someone, use kick PlayerName reason, and to unban, pardon PlayerName. Vanilla has no mute and no temporary ban, so for those you need a plugin like EssentialsX on a Paper server. Below are the exact commands, the files behind them and which plugin to pick for proper moderation.

Minecraft ban and kick commands

In the console, type them without the /. In game, add the / and you need to be an operator at permission level 3 or higher. Level 4 is the default for ops, so a normal op can use all of these. If you are not an op yet, see how to op someone on a Minecraft server.

Examples:

kick Steve Calm down, read the rules
ban Griefer123 Griefing spawn
ban-ip Griefer123 Ban evasion
pardon Griefer123

The reason is optional, but use one. It shows on the player's disconnect screen and in the ban list, so you remember why later.

How do bans work in Minecraft?

ban blocks the player's account, stored by UUID. Changing their name does not get them back in, and you can ban someone who is offline as long as the name is a real Minecraft account. On an online-mode=true server (the default, and what you want), this is the ban that matters.

ban-ip blocks an IP address. Use it carefully:

• Players on the same home network share an IP, so you may ban a sibling or roommate too.
• Many home and mobile connections change IP over time, so IP bans wear off on their own.
• VPNs get around them easily.
• IPv6 addresses cannot be banned with ban-ip.

Use account bans by default. Add an IP ban only for someone coming back on alt accounts.

Where are bans stored?

Bans live in two files in the server's root folder:

An entry looks like this:

[
  {
    "uuid": "069a79f4-44e9-4726-a5be-fca90e38aaf5",
    "name": "Griefer123",
    "created": "2026-10-01 18:04:12 +0000",
    "source": "Server",
    "expires": "forever",
    "reason": "Griefing spawn"
  }
]

You can unban by deleting an entry, but stop the server first, since it rewrites the file on save. Using pardon is easier and does not need a restart. The expires field is there in the file, but vanilla has no command to set it, which is why temp bans come from plugins.

How to kick or ban from the GamezServers panel

On a GamezServers Minecraft server you do not need to remember the syntax:

• The Players tab lists who is online, with Kick and Ban next to each name.
• The action buttons include Kick player, Ban player and Unban player, which ask for a name and run the command for you.
• The Console tab takes any of the commands above directly.

Friends who share the bill can use the same buttons and console from their own dashboard, which is handy when the owner is not around.

How do I mute a player in Minecraft?

Vanilla has no server side mute. The options:

1. Players can hide someone themselves. In Java Edition, press P (the Social Interactions screen) and hide a player's messages. That only affects the person who does it.
2. Install a plugin on Paper or Purpur. This is the real answer for a server.

For a friend server, EssentialsX is plenty:

mute Spammer 30m Spamming chat
mute Spammer
tempban Griefer123 3d Griefing, back on Friday

Running mute Spammer again with no time unmutes them. Time uses short codes like 30m, 2h, 3d or 1w. Plugins go in the plugins folder and load on restart: our guide to installing plugins on a Minecraft server covers the steps, and the best Minecraft server plugins covers EssentialsX and its friends.

On Fabric, Forge or NeoForge you cannot use plugins. Look for a server side moderation mod for your loader and version on Modrinth or CurseForge, and check it does not need installing on clients.

Giving moderators ban powers without full op

Op level 3 can ban and kick, but it can also do a lot else. If you want a friend to moderate without being able to change gamemodes or give items, use LuckPerms with EssentialsX or a ban plugin:

lp creategroup mod
lp group mod permission set essentials.mute true
lp group mod permission set essentials.kick true
lp group mod permission set essentials.tempban true
lp user FriendName parent add mod

Check each plugin's page for its exact permission nodes, they differ between plugins.

Keep the bad actor out for good

Banning is reactive. A few settings stop most trouble before it starts:

• Whitelist a private server so strangers cannot join at all. New servers on 26.3 and newer have it on by default. See how to whitelist on a Minecraft server.
• Set enforce-whitelist=true, so removing someone from the whitelist kicks them too.
• Keep online-mode=true, so nobody can join with someone else's name.
• Install CoreProtect, so when someone griefs you can see exactly what they did and roll it back before banning.

FAQ

How do I temp ban someone in Minecraft?

Vanilla cannot do it. Use a plugin: with EssentialsX on Paper, tempban PlayerName 1d reason bans for a day and lifts it automatically.

Does banning someone in Minecraft ban their IP?

No. ban only blocks the account. Use ban-ip as well if they keep coming back on other accounts from the same connection.

Why does the ban command say "Unknown or incomplete command"?

You are not an operator with level 3 or higher, or you are on a singleplayer world opened to LAN, where ban commands do not exist. On a server, op yourself from the console first.

Can a banned player still see the server in their list?

Yes. The server still appears and shows its MOTD. They just get the ban message with your reason when they try to join.

How do I unban everyone at once?

Stop the server, open banned-players.json, replace the contents with [], save and start again. Do the same with banned-ips.json for IP bans.

Moderation tools from day one

Every GamezServers Minecraft server comes with kick, ban and unban buttons, a Players tab that shows who is online, with their IP from the server log, and a full console. Paper is the default server type, so EssentialsX and a ban plugin are one upload away. Start from the Minecraft quick start if you do not have a server yet.