How to Enable Whitelist on Your Minecraft Server

What is a Whitelist?

A whitelist is a security feature that allows only pre-approved players to join your server. When enabled, only players whose usernames are on the whitelist can connect to your server.

Important: When you enable the whitelist, make sure to add yourself first, or you might get locked out of your own server!

Method 1: Using Commands (Recommended)

Step 1: Add Yourself to Whitelist

First, add your own username to the whitelist to ensure you can still access the server:

/whitelist add YourUsername

Step 2: Add Other Players

Add other players you want to allow on your server:

/whitelist add PlayerName

Step 3: Enable the Whitelist

Once you've added all desired players, enable the whitelist:

/whitelist on

Step 4: Verify Whitelist Status

Check if the whitelist is enabled:

/whitelist list

Method 2: Using Game Panel Console

Step 1: Access Console

Navigate to the Console section in your Game Panel.

Step 2: Use Console Commands

Use the same commands as above, but type them in the console instead of in-game chat.

Managing the Whitelist

View Whitelisted Players

To see all players currently on the whitelist:

/whitelist list

Remove Players from Whitelist

To remove a player from the whitelist:

/whitelist remove PlayerName

Disable Whitelist

To turn off the whitelist (allow anyone to join):

/whitelist off

Using the whitelist.json File

Access File Manager

Navigate to the File Manager in your Game Panel and locate the server directory.

Edit whitelist.json

Find and open the "whitelist.json" file. You can manually add or remove players:

[

{

"uuid": "player-uuid-here",

"name": "PlayerName"

{

"uuid": "another-uuid-here",

"name": "AnotherPlayer"

}

]

Save and Restart

Save the file and restart your server for changes to take effect.

Whitelist Best Practices

1. Always Add Yourself First

Before enabling the whitelist, make sure your own username is added to prevent getting locked out.

2. Use Application System

For public servers, consider using a whitelist application system where players must apply to join.

3. Regular Maintenance

Periodically review your whitelist and remove inactive players to keep it manageable.

4. Backup Your Whitelist

Keep a backup of your whitelist.json file in case you need to restore it.

Common Whitelist Commands

Essential Commands

/whitelist add [player] - Add player to whitelist

/whitelist remove [player] - Remove player from whitelist

/whitelist list - List all whitelisted players

/whitelist on - Enable whitelist

/whitelist off - Disable whitelist

/whitelist reload - Reload whitelist from file

Troubleshooting

Can't Join After Adding to Whitelist

Make sure you used the correct username (case-sensitive) and that the whitelist is actually enabled. Check the console for any error messages.

Whitelist Not Working

Verify that the whitelist is enabled with /whitelist listand check your server.properties file for the whitelist setting.

Locked Out of Server

If you're locked out, use the Game Panel console to add yourself back to the whitelist, or temporarily disable the whitelist.