How to Add Players to a Minecraft Whitelist (Server Guide)

On Minecraft servers, a whitelist gives you the ability to allow only approved usernames to join. This is especially useful if you’re doing maintenance on your public Minecraft SMP or for private servers.

This article will explain everything about whitelisting your Minecraft server, when to use and not use it, as well as how to enable it.

This guide applies primarily to Minecraft Java Edition servers. Bedrock Edition servers may use different whitelist configuration methods depending on the server software.

What is a whitelist in Minecraft?

In Minecraft servers, a whitelist is a list of players. When enabled, only players on that list are allowed to join your server. It’s the simplest and most reliable way to secure your Minecraft server during maintenance or start a private world without having to worry about extra steps like firewall configuration.

How to whitelist your Minecraft server

Many Minecraft servers, SMPs, and testing environments use whitelist configurations to control who can join. It is very important to know how to whitelist a Minecraft server for security, privacy, and maintenance.

To enable whitelisting on your Minecraft server, go to your server console on SodiumNodes and click Stop.

Next, go to the “Files” tab in the SodiumNodes panel and go to server.properties.

Make sure white-list and enforce-whitelist are both enabled.

white-list=true
enforce-whitelist=true

This prevents any future whitelisting issues.

What’s the difference between enforce-whitelist and white-list?

• enforce-whitelist: allows only players in the whitelist to join your Minecraft server.
• white-list: enables the whitelisting feature.

How to whitelist a Minecraft server: quick steps

• Turn off your Minecraft server.
• Go to your the Minecraft server.properties file, find the option named white-list and set it to true.
• Set enforce-whitelist to true to kick non-whitelisted players from the Minecraft server.
• Save changes.
• Start your Minecraft server and the whitelist should be enabled.

How to add/remove players from the Minecraft server whitelist

When it comes to adding or removing players from the whitelist, there are two ways of doing this.

• Through the server console (recommended): The more user-friendly and convenient approach when adding a player to the Minecraft server whitelist.
• Through the whitelist.json file: This is the more advanced method of adding or removing players from the whitelist.

Server Console Method (recommended)

Go to your Minecraft server console on SodiumNodes, and type whitelist add <username>. Replace <username> with the Minecraft username you want to whitelist (e.g. LookedRobob).

Whitelist File Method (advanced)

Go to your SodiumNodes Minecraft server, go to “Files”, and look for whitelist.json. Here you can add or remove players from the list using a JSON format. However, this method is recommended for advanced users. Incorrect JSON formatting in this file can prevent the whitelist from loading.

Minecraft server whitelist commands

Here is a summary of commands you can use when using a whitelist on a Minecraft server.

• /whitelist on: enable the whitelist on your Minecraft server.
• /whitelist off: disable your Minecraft server whitelist.
• /whitelist add/remove <name>: add/remove players from the whitelist.
• /whitelist list: display the whitelisted players.
• /whitelist reload: reloads the whitelist from whitelist.json without restarting the server.

Please note that you will need OP permissions to use these commands.

When to use Minecraft whitelists

Use a whitelist in Minecraft when:

• Performing server maintenance
• Testing new plugins/mods
• Running a private SMP
• Hosting a family/friends-only server
• Preparing a server launch

When to avoid whitelisting a Minecraft server

Avoid whitelisting your Minecraft server if:

• You run a public SMP and want anyone to join
• You rely on organic player discovery
• You run community events where registration isn’t practical

Troubleshooting Minecraft whitelist issues

Knowing how to troubleshoot whitelists in Minecraft, especially when your Minecraft whitelist isn’t working, is important knowledge as a Minecraft server admin. Here’s why:

• Delicate JSON syntax: the whitelist.json file uses JSON syntax which can easily be broken if manually edited whether you’re a beginner or a Minecraft server developer.
• Case sensitivity: make sure the username is spelled correctly. This is especially important for offline-mode servers, where username handling may differ.

Player cannot join after being added

Possible fixes:

• Confirm the username spelling is correct
• Make sure white-list=true
• Run /whitelist reload
• Restart the server

Whitelist commands not working in game

Possible fixes:

• Make sure you have OP permissions
• Analyze the whitelist.json file for syntax errors

Players are still joining without being whitelisted

Possible fixes:

• Make sure enforce-whitelist is set to true in the Minecraft server.properties file.

Minecraft whitelist FAQ

How do I add someone to a Minecraft whitelist?

Use:

/whitelist add username

How do I remove someone from a Minecraft whitelist?

Use:

/whitelist remove username

Where is Minecraft whitelist stored?

The whitelist is stored in:

whitelist.json

Does a whitelist protect my Minecraft server?

A whitelist restricts who can join, but it should be combined with other security measures like backups, updates, and good server permissions.

Can I whitelist players before starting my Minecraft server?

Yes. Players can be added through the whitelist file before the server starts, although using console commands is usually the safer method.

Conclusion

Minecraft whitelists are one of the easiest ways to control who can access your server. Whether you’re running a private SMP, performing maintenance, or testing changes, enabling a whitelist gives you more control over your Minecraft community.

Having a flexible Minecraft hosting provider that allows SFTP access like SodiumNodes is extremely convenient to successfully complete these steps and have the maximum amount of flexibility over your own Minecraft server. Our customer support is always happy to help you with any problems you may face so you can fully manage your Minecraft server with a fast support team, giving you the best of both worlds.