How to OP or de-op a player on your Minecraft server

OP gives a Minecraft player operator permissions, which lets them run server commands in game. Only give OP to players you trust, as operators can use powerful commands such as changing gamemodes, teleporting players, giving items, or managing other players.

Use Console

1. Start the server, then open Console in the control panel.
2. To make a player OP, enter the command below. Replace PlayerName with the player's exact Minecraft username:
   

   op PlayerName

3. To remove OP permissions from a player, enter:
   

   deop PlayerName

You can also edit ops.json while the server is stopped, but using Console is usually quicker and avoids formatting mistakes.

Check the player identifier

Use the exact identifier the game expects, such as a username, SteamID64, UUID, or player ID. Copy it carefully, because one wrong digit or character can apply the change to the wrong player or stop it working.

After making the change

Restart the server if the game requires it, then test with the affected player. If the change does not apply, check the console or log output for permission or formatting errors.