/msg

Sends a private message to one or more players. Also available as /tell and /w.

Overview

Sends a private message to one or more players. Also available as /tell and /w. In vanilla Minecraft Java Edition it is one of the display commands and has been available since version 1.0.

It is invoked as /msg and accepts 2 required arguments ( and ).

/msg is an alias — /tell and /w behave identically, so you can use whichever you prefer.

Available to all players (permission level 0). Aliases: /tell, /w. The message is only visible to the sender and the targeted player(s).

The message is visible only to the sender and the targeted players; @a sends an individual whisper to each player.

Syntax & Arguments

/msg <targets> <message>

The full syntax is /msg . Angle brackets < > mark required arguments and square brackets [ ] mark optional ones; a vertical bar | between words means you pick exactly one of those literals. You must always supply and .

targets: Required, of type an entity. The player(s) to send the private message to.
message: Required, of type a message. The message text to send.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
targets	entity	Required	The player(s) to send the private message to.
message	message	Required	The message text to send.

Examples

The 2 examples below are ready to copy and adapt. For instance, /msg Steve Hey, come to my base! sends a private message to Steve. Each example varies the arguments to show a different real use of /msg; read the note under every snippet to see exactly what changes.

/msg Steve Hey, come to my base!

Sends a private message to Steve.

/msg @a Server maintenance in 5 minutes

Sends a private message to all players.

Permission Level & Requirements

/msg sits at permission Level 0 - All Players, which means any player can run it without operator status.

Permission level 0 — usable by everyone.

This reference describes the Java Edition 1.21 form of the command; Bedrock Edition may use slightly different argument formats.

Common Mistakes

Using /msg for public announcements, other players will not see the message. Use /say for public messages.
Forgetting that @a sends individual private messages to each player, not a group message.

Notes

Available to all players (permission level 0). Aliases: /tell, /w. The message is only visible to the sender and the targeted player(s).

Related Commands

If /msg is part of your toolkit, the commands below are the ones you will most often reach for alongside it: /say, /tellraw, and /me. They cover closely related tasks, so the links above jump straight to each one.

/say

/tellraw

/me

Frequently Asked Questions about /msg

What does the /msg command do in Minecraft?

Sends a private message to one or more players. Also available as /tell and /w. It belongs to the display command group and was added in Java Edition 1.0.

What is the correct syntax for /msg?

/msg . The required arguments are targets and message.

What permission level does /msg need?

It requires permission Level 0 - All Players. No operator status is needed.

What is a common mistake when using /msg?

Using /msg for public announcements, other players will not see the message. Use /say for public messages.

Can you give an example of /msg in use?

Yes. /msg @a Server maintenance in 5 minutes — sends a private message to all players.

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