To add a Minecraft server icon on Java Edition, save a square PNG that's exactly 64x64 pixels, name it server-icon.png, drop it in your server's main folder next to server.properties, and restart the server. That's the whole trick. The server only reads the file on startup, so nothing shows until you restart.
Most of the pain comes from small slips: a renamed JPG, a hidden .png.png, the wrong folder, or a cached entry on your own client. Below: making the image, uploading it, the not-showing checklist, proxies, rotating icons, and the honest answer for Bedrock.
The quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does it have to be 64x64? | Yes. Exactly 64x64 pixels. The server doesn't resize it for you, and 63x64 or 128x128 gets rejected. |
| How large is a server icon? | 64x64 pixels. That's the only size that works. |
| What file type and name? | A real PNG called server-icon.png, all lowercase. |
| Where does it go? | The server root, beside server.properties and the server jar. Not inside the world folder. |
| Do I need to restart? | Yes. There's no reload command for it. |
Make the image
Any image editor will do. Crop your logo to a square, resize it to 64x64, and export as PNG. If you'd rather not touch an editor, plenty of browser-based converter tools will resize an image to 64x64 and hand you a PNG. Just don't rename a JPG or WebP to .png. The extension changing doesn't change the file, and the server won't read it.
Two design notes. Transparency works: the transparent parts show the dark list background. Animation doesn't, so a GIF does nothing. And 64 pixels is tiny, so go for one bold shape or one or two letters with strong contrast. Fine text turns to mush.
Add the icon to your server
On your own PC
- Stop the server.
- Copy
server-icon.pnginto the folder that holdsserver.properties. - Start the server again.
Haven't got that far? My guide to making a Minecraft server gets you to the folder in question.
On a hosted server
Panels all look different, but the move is the same everywhere. Open the file manager, go to the top-level folder (the one with server.properties in it), upload server-icon.png, and restart from the panel. Some file managers have no upload button and want you to drag and drop the file instead. If you're still picking a host, my free Minecraft server hosting roundup compares them.
Aternos players have asked about this for years. Community posts point to uploading a 64x64 PNG on the server's Options page, but check what the panel shows today. If your host has no icon option and no file access, you can't set one.
One thing that isn't a setting
The icon isn't a key in server.properties. The line of text under the name in the list is: that's motd, covered in my server.properties guide. The bold server name itself is typed by each player when they add your server, so you can't set that from your side.
Restart, then refresh
Once the server's back up, open Multiplayer on your client and hit Refresh. If the old icon sticks, delete the server entry and add it again.
Why your Minecraft server icon isn't showing
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Grey default icon | Not exactly 64x64 | Resize it to exactly 64x64 and restart. |
| Grey default icon | Renamed JPG or WebP, not a real PNG | Re-export from an editor as PNG. |
| Grey default icon | Wrong name: Server-Icon.png, or server-icon.png.png because Windows hides extensions | Turn on file extensions in Explorer and rename it to exactly server-icon.png. |
| Grey default icon | Wrong folder, like world or plugins | Move it beside server.properties. |
| Nothing changed | No restart, or a reload command instead | Fully restart the server. |
| You see it, others don't (or the reverse) | Cached list entry on a client | Refresh the list, or remove and re-add the server. |
Check the server console right after startup too. If the icon is the problem, you'll see a line saying the server couldn't load or failed to load its icon, and often something about the size. The server keeps running either way. It just shows the placeholder.
BungeeCord and Velocity: put it on the proxy
If players join through a proxy, the proxy answers the server list, not your backend servers. So the icon goes in the proxy's folder, and icons sitting on the servers behind it won't show. It's the same 64x64 image either way. Want a different icon for different hostnames? That takes a plugin, and I'd check its own docs before trusting it.
Rotating icons with plugins
If one logo gets boring, plugins exist for Spigot and Paper-style servers that rotate through a folder of 64x64 PNGs. The rules don't change: every image still has to be exactly 64x64, and you'll want to know how to install Minecraft server plugins first.
Bedrock: no custom icon
Here's the bad news. Bedrock Dedicated Server has no custom list icon. As of BDS 1.26.63.1, the Bedrock server.properties has a server-name setting but nothing for an icon, and there's no server-icon.png equivalent. The icons you see on Bedrock's featured servers come through partnerships with Mojang, not a file you can upload. Running a Java server with Geyser so Bedrock players can join doesn't really get you around it: the icon is meant for the Java list, so don't count on Bedrock players seeing it. Setting up Bedrock anyway? Start with my Bedrock server guide.
Quick recap
- Java only: a 64x64 PNG named
server-icon.png. - Server root, beside
server.properties. - Restart the server, then refresh your list.
- Behind a proxy, put it on the proxy.
- Bedrock servers can't set one.