Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Minecraft Whitelist and Op Commands for Servers
Type /whitelist add PlayerName to let someone join a whitelisted server, and /op PlayerName to make them an operator who can use commands. Turn the list on with /whitelist on. Operators get a permission level from 1 to 4; level 4 is the owner and can run every command, including /stop.
How do whitelist commands work?
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/whitelist on | Only listed players can join |
/whitelist off | Anyone can join |
/whitelist add <player> | Adds a player |
/whitelist remove <player> | Removes a player |
/whitelist list | Shows everyone on it |
/whitelist reload | Re-reads whitelist.json after you edit it |
The list is stored in whitelist.json. Set enforce-whitelist=true in server.properties to kick a player the moment they are removed. Since Java 26.3 new servers start with the whitelist on. See server.properties.
How do operators work?
| Level (Java) | Name | Can do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moderator | Build inside spawn protection |
| 2 | Gamemaster | Most cheat commands, command blocks, F3+F4 game mode switcher |
| 3 | Admin | Multiplayer commands such as /kick, /ban and /op |
| 4 | Owner | Everything, including /stop and /save-all |
/op <player> gives the level set by op-permission-level (4 by default); /deop <player> removes it. Ops are saved in ops.json, where you can set a different level per player. Run the first /op from the server console.
How does it work on Bedrock?
Bedrock has player permissions instead: Visitor, Member and Operator, set in the world's settings or with /op and /deop. On external servers and Realms, operator status is level 1. Giving another player Operator turns off achievements for that world. Bedrock Dedicated Server uses an allowlist (allowlist.json, allowlist add <player>). See Bedrock servers.
How do you ban or kick a player?
/kick <player> [reason]removes them once; they can rejoin./ban <player> [reason]and/ban-ip <address>block them;/pardon <player>lifts it./banlistshows bans. Commands in full: Minecraft commands.
How do ranks work on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
How do I add someone to my server whitelist?
/whitelist add TheirName, from the console or as an operator.
How do I give myself op?
Type op YourName in the server console.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.