Announce a server restart
/say Server restart in 5 minutesEvery player sees the line in chat, with your name in square brackets.
/say command in Minecraft
/say sends a message to every player on the world or server, with the name of whoever ran it in front. Operators use it for quick announcements, and map makers put it in command blocks to narrate events without writing JSON text.
Syntax
/say <message>| Argument | Expects | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| message | Message | Text sent to everyone. Selectors like @p or @a are replaced by player names; chat input stops at 256 characters. |
Examples
Greet the nearest player
/say Welcome @pThe selector is replaced by the name of the nearest player.
Speak as another player
/execute as @p run say I found diamondsThe nearest player appears as the sender, useful in functions and command blocks.
Build your commandFill in the fields, then copy the command.
Command generatorHow the message looks
The text appears in chat as [Name] message. Run from a Command Block, the prefix is [@] unless the block was renamed; from the server console it reads [Server]. Selectors inside the text are replaced by names, so /say Welcome @p greets the nearest player. A message typed in chat is limited to 256 characters.
Cheats and permission levels
/say needs permission level 2. In singleplayer, turn on Allow Commands when you create the world, or use Open to LAN and switch on Allow Cheats. Players without that level can still talk with /msg or describe an action with /me, which both work at level 0.
When to choose another command
/say always shows the sender and uses plain white text. For colors, bold text or messages without a prefix, use /tellraw. For text in the middle of the screen, use /title. With /execute you can speak as someone else: execute as @p run say I found diamonds shows the nearest player as the sender.
✓ Checked in Java Edition 26.3 · updated 2 November 2026
/say: FAQ
Why does /say show [@] in front of my message?
The message comes from a command block, whose default name is @. Rename the block in an anvil before placing it, or use /tellraw to drop the prefix.
Can I change the color of a /say message?
No, /say only sends plain text. Use /tellraw or /title with JSON text such as {"text":"Hello","color":"gold"} to pick colors and styles.
How do I use /say?
Type it in the chat with cheats on: /say <message>.
Who can use /say?
Cheats on, or operator level 2.
Related commands
/msgEveryone/meEveryone/tellrawCheats/titleCheats/teammsgEveryone/bossbarCheats/dialogCheats/playsoundCheats