Server icon maker: make a 64 × 64 server-icon.png for your Minecraft Java server
Make the picture players see beside your server in the multiplayer list: crop any image to 64 × 64, preview it in a list row, and save server-icon.png.
Every Java Edition server can show a small picture beside its name in the multiplayer list. It is the first thing players see, before they read the message of the day or the player count, so a clear icon helps your server stand out. This maker turns any picture into the file the server needs: a PNG named server-icon.png, exactly 64 × 64 pixels. Your picture stays in this page; nothing is uploaded.
How to make a server icon
- Choose a picture, drop it on the box, or paste it. A logo, a screenshot of your spawn, or your own drawing all work. Until you add one, a sample shows how it looks.
- Drag the enlarged icon to choose what shows, and zoom with the wheel, a pinch or the slider. The icon is always square.
- Check the real-size preview and the list row. If the picture is hard to read that small, zoom in on one part of it.
- For a pixel-art look, use fewer pixels across or fewer colors. A border can help a dark icon stand out.
- Download server-icon.png. It is always exactly 64 × 64 pixels, whatever you chose.
Putting the icon on your server
- Find the server's main folder: the folder with server.properties, the server jar and the world folder in it. On a hosting service, it is the top folder of the file manager or FTP.
- Upload server-icon.png there. The name must be exactly server-icon.png, all lowercase, and not server-icon.png.png (Windows may hide the second ending).
- Restart the server. It reads the icon when it starts, so a running server keeps the old one until then.
- In the game, open Multiplayer and choose Refresh. The list remembers icons, so if the old one stays, remove the server from the list and add it again.
Tips for an icon that reads well
- Keep it simple. The list shows the icon small, so one shape, a face or one or two letters work better than a whole scene.
- Use strong contrast. A light shape on a dark background, or the reverse, stays clear at any size.
- Crop tight. Zoom in so the important part fills the square, with little empty space at the edges.
- Match your server. Use the colors of your logo or your spawn, so players recognize the icon in the list and on your website.
- Pixel art suits the game. Try 16 or 32 pixels across with 8 or 16 colors for an icon that looks drawn by hand.
Questions
Why does my server still show the default icon?
The server shows its own picture only when the file is a real PNG, exactly 64 × 64 pixels, named server-icon.png and placed in the main folder. A JPG renamed to .png or a picture of another size is skipped. Files from this maker always have the right size and format, so check the name and the folder, then restart the server.
Can I use a transparent background?
Yes. If your picture has see-through parts, they stay see-through, and the list's background shows behind them. Rounded corners are see-through too. Most servers use a solid square, which is what the game shows best.
Does it work for Bedrock Edition or Realms?
No. server-icon.png is a Java Edition server file. Bedrock Edition's server software does not read it, and on Realms you cannot place files in the server's folder, so there is nowhere to put it.
Can I change the icon without restarting?
Not on a plain server: it loads the icon once, at start. Some server plugins can change the icon while the server runs, but a restart is the simple way.
Want more for your server? The command generator builds commands for your players, and the pixel art generator turns your logo into a build for your spawn. See all tools and the guides.