How to op yourself on a Minecraft server

Op yourself from the dashboard Players tab or from the console with /op. Vanilla, Paper, Forge, Fabric, and NeoForge all use the same flow.

"Opping" a player on a Minecraft server grants them operator permissions: access to commands like /give, /tp, /gamemode, server-side cheats, and (depending on the op level) the ability to op or de-op other players. On Hostd, you can do it from the dashboard or the console.

From the dashboard

Open Dashboard → your server → Players. Find the player's row and click Op. We add them to ops.json and the server picks it up within a second; no restart needed. De-op is the same row, opposite button.

From the console

The vanilla command works:

/op YourUsername

Run from the dashboard's Console panel (you are already authorised there because you own the server) or from in-game once you are opped through the dashboard the first time. To remove:

/deop YourUsername

Op levels

Vanilla Minecraft has four operator levels (set in server.properties as op-permission-level):

1: bypass spawn protection. Almost no use on its own.
2: edit blocks in spawn, use /clear, /difficulty, /gamemode, /give, /tp, and similar. The common "owner" level.
3: /ban, /kick, /op, /deop. The "admin" level.
4: /stop, full server control. Reserved for one or two trusted people.

We default to level 4 when you op from the dashboard, because you are the owner. To set a friend at a lower level, edit Files → /data/ops.json and set their "level" to the value you want.

Modded servers

Forge, Fabric, and NeoForge respect vanilla op levels. Some mods (Bukkit/Spigot-only permissions plugins on hybrids like Mohist, or Forge perms via FTB Ranks) add their own permission system on top; the vanilla op still works as a fallback.

Where to go next

Whitelist your server to lock the door before you start handing out op.
Console command blocked if a specific command is refused.

Last updated 2026-05-23. Notice a mistake? Tell us.