Minecraft server operators, commonly called OPs, are players who have elevated administrative permissions on a Minecraft Java server.

Operators can use powerful server commands, so OP access should only be given to players you trust.

This guide explains how to add, remove, and manage Minecraft operators on a Down Side Hosting Minecraft Java server.

An operator is a Minecraft player who has permission to use administrative commands that normal players cannot normally access.

Depending on the server configuration, operators may be able to:

• Change game modes
• Teleport players
• Give items
• Change the time or weather
• Manage the whitelist
• Kick or ban players
• Use command blocks
• Run other administrative commands

Important: OP access can give a player significant control over your Minecraft server. Only give operator access to people you trust.

Log in to your Down Side Hosting server panel.

Select your Minecraft server and open:

Console

The server console can be used to manage operators without already having administrator permissions in-game.

From the server console, enter:

op PLAYERNAME

Replace PLAYERNAME with the player's Minecraft username.

For example:

op Steve

Minecraft should confirm that the player has been made a server operator.

An existing operator can normally use:

/op PLAYERNAME

For example:

/op Steve

You must already have permission to run the command.

From the Down Side Hosting server console, do not include the leading slash:

op Steve

To remove a player's operator permissions from the server console:

deop PLAYERNAME

For example:

deop Steve

In-game, an authorized administrator can use:

/deop Steve

After being de-opped, the player will no longer have the permissions provided by Minecraft operator status.

Minecraft stores operator information in:

ops.json

You can view this file from the Files section of your Down Side Hosting server panel.

A typical entry may contain information such as:

[
  {
    "uuid": "PLAYER-UUID",
    "name": "PlayerName",
    "level": 4,
    "bypassesPlayerLimit": false
  }
]

The actual UUID and player name will be different for your server.

For normal operator management, using:

op PLAYERNAME

and:

deop PLAYERNAME

is safer and easier than manually editing ops.json.

If you do need to edit ops.json manually:

• Stop the server first.
• Make a backup of the file.
• Keep the JSON formatting valid.
• Save the file.
• Restart the server.

An incorrectly formatted JSON file may prevent the operator list from loading correctly.

Minecraft supports operator permission levels.

These levels control which categories of commands an operator can normally use.

The levels range from:

1
2
3
4

with higher levels providing access to more powerful commands.

For most normal Minecraft servers, operators are commonly assigned the level configured by the server's:

op-permission-level=

setting.

Open:

server.properties

and you may see:

op-permission-level=4

This controls the default permission level granted to server operators.

The normal range is:

1
2
3
4

Level 4 provides the highest normal operator command access.

For more information about server.properties, see:

Minecraft server.properties Configuration Guide

In general:

The exact commands available can vary by Minecraft version and server software.

Plugins may also change how permissions are handled.

On Paper, Purpur, and Spigot servers, OP status still works, but many larger servers use a permissions plugin for more detailed control.

A permissions system can allow you to give someone access to specific commands without giving them full operator access.

For example, a moderator might need permission to:

• Kick players
• Mute players
• Teleport
• Check logs

without needing every command available to a full operator.

Minecraft OP permissions are relatively broad.

A permissions plugin can provide much more detailed control.

For example:

Operator:

Full or broad Minecraft administrative access

Permissions plugin:

Specific permissions assigned to specific players or groups

For a larger public server, a permissions plugin is often preferable to giving many staff members full OP access.

Usually, no.

Only give operator access to staff who genuinely need it.

For example:

• Server owner
• Trusted administrator
• Technical administrator

Moderators may not need full operator access if you use a permissions plugin.

Limiting OP access reduces the chance of accidental or unauthorized administrative changes.

Operator status and whitelist access are separate.

Whitelist:

Controls whether a player is allowed to join.

Operator:

Controls whether a player has elevated Minecraft administrative permissions.

A player can be:

• Whitelisted but not OP
• Whitelisted and OP
• OP but affected by other server access settings

For whitelist management, see:

How to Whitelist Players on a Down Side Hosting Minecraft Server

First confirm that the player is actually an operator.

From the server console, you can run:

op PLAYERNAME

again if necessary.

Also check:

• The command syntax
• op-permission-level
• Plugin permissions
• Server software
• Whether another plugin is overriding the command
• Console errors

On a Paper, Purpur, or Spigot server, plugins can add or modify commands and permissions.

Being OP does not guarantee that every third-party plugin will behave exactly the same way.

Check the plugin's documentation if a specific plugin command is not working.

See:

Minecraft Plugin Troubleshooting Guide

If you remove your own OP status, you can restore it from the Down Side Hosting server console.

Enter:

op YOUR_USERNAME

For example:

op Steve

Because the server console is not an in-game player, you do not need to already be OP to run the command there.

A normal player cannot give themselves operator access.

If you do not already have permission to use /op, open your Down Side Hosting server console and use:

op PLAYERNAME

No.

A player does not need access to your Down Side Hosting account or server panel simply to receive Minecraft operator permissions.

You can give them OP access from the console.

Only provide server-panel access to people who actually need hosting-level administrative access.

If someone should no longer have administrative access, remove their operator status:

deop PLAYERNAME

If they also had other access, consider checking:

• Permissions plugin groups
• Whitelist
• Server panel access
• FTP or file access
• Other administrative accounts

Removing Minecraft OP status only removes the Minecraft operator privileges associated with that player.

Operator accounts can perform powerful actions.

Good practices include:

• Keep the number of operators small.
• Only OP trusted players.
• Remove access when it is no longer needed.
• Use permissions plugins for limited staff roles.
• Maintain server backups.
• Do not share hosting-panel credentials unnecessarily.

From the Down Side Hosting server console:

op PLAYERNAME

For example:

op Steve

Use:

deop PLAYERNAME

Normally, no.

The op and deop commands take effect while the server is running.

Yes.

Use:

op YOUR_USERNAME

This is useful if you are setting up a new Minecraft server or accidentally removed your own operator status.

Do not rely on OP status as a replacement for whitelist configuration.

If the server uses a whitelist, manage the whitelist separately.

See:

How to Whitelist Players

Only if they actually require operator-level commands.

For larger servers, a permissions plugin can provide more limited access without giving every staff member full administrative permissions.

• How to Whitelist Players
• Minecraft server.properties Configuration Guide
• How to Install Minecraft Plugins
• Minecraft Plugin Troubleshooting Guide
• How to Back Up a Minecraft Server

If you are having trouble with operator permissions, provide your Minecraft version, server software, and the command that is not working when contacting support.

Contact Down Side Hosting Support

Down Side Hosting provides Minecraft Java hosting with server panel access, console controls, file management, backups, and server configuration.

Minecraft Java hosting starts at $2/month.

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