How to Whitelist on a Minecraft Server (2026 Commands)

To whitelist someone on a Minecraft server, turn the whitelist on with whitelist on, then add each player with whitelist add PlayerName in the server console. Only players on the list can join, which is the simplest way to keep strangers and griefers off a server for friends. Since Minecraft 26.3, new servers start with the whitelist already on, which catches a lot of people out. This guide covers every command, the settings behind them and the common mistakes.

Short answer

Type these in the server console, or in game with a / in front if you are an operator:

whitelist on
whitelist add Steve
whitelist add Alex
whitelist list

The players can join straight away, no restart needed. On GamezServers you can also click Whitelist player in the control panel and type the username.

Whitelist commands

In game these need operator level 3 or higher. See how to op someone on a Minecraft server if the commands say "Unknown or incomplete command".

New in 26.3: the whitelist is on by default

Minecraft 26.3 changed the default in server.properties to white-list=true. A freshly created server now lets nobody in, including its owner, until someone is added. If you just made a server and everyone gets this message, that is why:

You are not white-listed on this server!

Servers that already had a server.properties before updating keep their old setting. Only new or reset files get the new default.

The fix is to add yourself and your friends from the console. If you want a server anyone can join, run whitelist off or set white-list=false and restart.

The settings in server.properties

Two lines control the whitelist:

• white-list=true turns the whitelist on. The whitelist on and whitelist off commands change this line for you.
• enforce-whitelist=true kicks anyone online who is not on the list when the whitelist is reloaded or turned on. With false (the default), removed players stay connected until they log out.

For a private server, set both to true, so whitelist remove followed by whitelist reload removes someone right away.

whitelist.json

The list itself lives in whitelist.json in the server folder:

[
  {
    "uuid": "069a79f4-44e9-4726-a5be-fca90e38aaf5",
    "name": "Notch"
  }
]

The UUID is what really counts, which is why a player who changes their username stays whitelisted. Adding players with the command is easier than editing this file, because the server looks up the UUID for you. If you do edit it, stop the server first or run whitelist reload afterwards.

Whitelisting Bedrock players with Geyser

Bedrock players joining through Geyser and Floodgate have names with a prefix, usually a dot, such as .Steve. Use Floodgate's command, which finds the right ID for you:

fwhitelist add Steve

Plain whitelist add .Steve can fail because Mojang does not know Bedrock accounts. The Bedrock player must also have joined once or be looked up by Floodgate.

Common problems

• "That player does not exist": the name is misspelled, or it is a Bedrock name (use fwhitelist). Online mode servers check names with Mojang.
• Whitelisted but still "not white-listed": the player changed their name and you added the old one, or you edited whitelist.json while the server ran and it overwrote your change. Remove and add them again.
• Offline mode servers: UUIDs are made from the name instead of the Mojang account, so whitelisting behaves differently and cracked accounts can pose as anyone. Keep online-mode=true.
• Ops are let in anyway: operators can always join, even if they are not on the whitelist.
• Removed player is still online: set enforce-whitelist=true, then run whitelist reload, or kick them.

Whitelist vs a password

Minecraft: Java Edition has no server password. The whitelist is the built in way to keep a server private, and it is stronger than a password because it checks the account, not something that can be shared. Keep your server address to your group as well, but do not rely on it being secret: server scanners find open Minecraft servers quickly, which is exactly why the whitelist now defaults to on.

The easy way

On a GamezServers server the whitelist is one button: click Whitelist player in the control panel and type the name, and the console is always there for everything else. Friends who split the bill and made an account can manage the whitelist from their own dashboard too. See Minecraft server hosting or the quick start guide.

FAQ

Do I need to restart after whitelisting someone?

No. whitelist add works immediately. Only manual edits to whitelist.json or server.properties need a reload or restart.

How do I turn off the whitelist on my Minecraft server?

Type whitelist off in the console. Anyone with the address can then join.

Why can't I join my own new server?

On Minecraft 26.3 and newer, a new server starts with the whitelist on and an empty list. Run whitelist add YourName in the console.

Can I whitelist a player who has never joined?

Yes, on an online mode server. The server looks the name up with Mojang, so they do not need to have joined before.