How to Op Yourself (Make Yourself Admin) on a Minecraft Server
Operator (op) status is admin on a Minecraft server: it lets you run commands, change gamemode, kick players and manage the world. Here is how to op yourself and others, and how the permission levels work.
Operators can do almost anything on the server, including changing other players and stopping the server. Only op people you trust.
Op yourself from the console
The server console runs as the highest authority, so you op yourself from there — no permissions needed. In the console (or your host panel's console), type it without a slash:
op YourUsernameIn-game, an existing operator uses /op YourUsername with the slash.
The first op on a fresh server
On a brand-new server nobody is an op yet, so you must use the console to op yourself the first time — you cannot op yourself from in-game until someone already has op. After that, ops can op others in-game.
Remove op
deop UsernameOperator permission levels
server.properties has an op-permission-level from 1 to 4. Level 4 is full access (the default); lower levels restrict which commands ops can use:
- 1 — can bypass spawn protection.
- 2 — plus command blocks and some single-player-style commands.
- 3 — plus kick, ban and op/deop.
- 4 — everything, including stopping the server (default).
The ops.json file
Ops are stored in ops.json with each player's name, UUID and level. As with the whitelist, op players in-game or by console rather than editing the file, so the UUID matches — especially in online-mode.
Op yourself from the console first, then hand out op sparingly. An op can undo everything, so trust matters more than convenience.
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Admin from a clean console
Op players, run commands and manage your world from an easy web console — Minecraft hosting, online in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make myself admin on my Minecraft server?
Open the server console and type: op YourUsername (no slash). The console has top authority, so it can op you even on a brand-new server. In-game, an existing op uses /op YourUsername.
Why can't I op myself in-game?
Because opping requires op permission, and on a fresh server nobody has it yet. Use the server console (or your host's panel console) to op yourself the first time; after that you can op others in-game.
What are Minecraft op permission levels?
A 1 to 4 scale set by op-permission-level in server.properties. Level 4 (default) is full access including stopping the server; lower levels restrict which commands an operator can run.
How do I remove op from a player?
Run deop Username from the console, or /deop Username in-game as an op. It is stored in ops.json, but you should change it with the command rather than by editing the file.
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