Minecraft Server Icon Guide: Size, Format, and Setup (2026)

Minecraft Server Icon Guide: Size, Format, and Setup (2026)

Your server icon is the first thing players see in the multiplayer menu. A custom icon makes your server look professional and recognizable. Here is how to set one up.

Requirements

The file must be named exactly server-icon.png and placed in the same folder as server.jar.

How to Create a Server Icon

Step 1: Design or Find an Image

• Design a logo in any image editor
• Use a pixel art tool for a Minecraft-themed look
• Keep it simple because 64x64 is tiny
• High contrast colors work best at small sizes

Step 2: Resize to 64x64

In any image editor:

1. Set canvas size to 64x64 pixels
2. Export as PNG (not JPG, not GIF)

Free tools:

• Paint.net (Windows)
• GIMP (all platforms)
• Pixlr (browser-based)
• Canva (resize after designing)

Step 3: Upload to Server

1. Name the file server-icon.png
2. Upload to the server root directory (next to server.jar)
3. Restart the server

Troubleshooting

Icon Not Showing

• Verify the file is exactly server-icon.png (case-sensitive on Linux)
• Confirm the file is 64x64 pixels
• Confirm PNG format (not jpg renamed to .png)
• Restart the server after adding the icon
• Clear your Minecraft client cache (refresh server list)

Icon Looks Blurry

• Design at 64x64 from the start instead of shrinking a large image
• Use nearest-neighbor scaling for pixel art
• Avoid gradients and fine details that get lost at 64px

Icon Looks Wrong in Multiplayer List

• The server list may cache old icons
• Click "Refresh" in the multiplayer screen
• Remove and re-add the server entry

Design Tips

• Use your server name as text (keep it to 1 or 3 letters max)
• Pick a recognizable symbol (sword, pickaxe, creeper face)
• Use your brand colors consistently
• Avoid thin lines because they disappear at 64px
• Test how it looks on the multiplayer screen before finalizing

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