by Bradford6 min read
Need to unban a player from your Minecraft server? Whether you banned them by mistake or they've served their time, this guide covers all methods to remove bans - via commands, console, or directly editing ban files.
1Method 1: In-Game Command
The easiest way to unban a player if you're online.
/pardon <playername>Unban a player by username
Example: /pardon Steve
/pardon-ip <ip>Unban an IP address
Example: /pardon-ip 192.168.1.100
Pro Tip
- You must be an operator (OP) to use pardon commands
- Player names are case-sensitive
- Use Tab to autocomplete banned player names
2Method 2: Server Console
Unban players directly from your server console.
- 1Access your server console in the control panel
- 2Type: pardon <playername>
- 3Press Enter to execute
- 4You'll see a confirmation message
Pro Tip
- No / prefix needed in console
- Works even if you're not in-game
- Console commands always have full permissions
3Method 3: Edit banned-players.json
Manually remove bans by editing the ban file.
- 1Stop your server (important!)
- 2Navigate to your server files
- 3Open banned-players.json
- 4Find the player's entry and delete it
- 5Save the file
- 6Start your server
Warning
- Always stop the server before editing JSON files
- Make sure to maintain valid JSON format
- Delete the entire player object including the braces
4Method 4: Edit banned-ips.json
Remove IP bans from the ban file.
- 1Stop your server
- 2Open banned-ips.json
- 3Find and remove the IP entry
- 4Save and restart
Pro Tip
- IP bans block all accounts from that IP
- Players on shared networks (college, etc.) may need IP unbans
- Consider using player bans instead of IP bans when possible
5Using LHyper Panel
The easiest method for Loafhosts customers.
- 1Go to your server in LHyper panel
- 2Navigate to Console
- 3Type: pardon <playername>
- 4Or use File Manager to edit banned-players.json
6Plugin-Based Bans
If you use ban plugins, the process is different.
/unban <player>Common unban command for plugins
Example: Works with most ban plugins
/tempunban <player>Some plugins use different commands
Example: Check your plugin documentation
/banlistView all banned players
Example: Find the exact username
Pro Tip
- EssentialsX, LiteBans, and AdvancedBan have their own unban commands
- Check your plugin's documentation for exact syntax
- Plugin bans may not appear in banned-players.json
7Troubleshooting
Common issues when unbanning players.
Info
- Player still can't join? Check if they're also IP banned
- Using plugins? The vanilla pardon command won't work
- Whitelist enabled? Add them to whitelist too
- Name changed? You may need their current username or UUID
minecraftserver-guidetutorial
Questions?
Join our Discord community to chat with other server owners, get help, and stay up to date with the latest news.