How To OP Someone in Minecraft

Building and managing your own Minecraft server requires the right permissions. One of the best and quickest ways to do that is becoming an operator (OP). This is reserved for owners or players you trust with your life, as it allows them to have access to everything. All commands and permissions are given when you’re OP – but there are levels to it. These can limit the power a player has, which can come in handy.
 
In this Nitrado guide, we’ll show you how to become OP and edit levels in your Minecraft server! 👏
 

Rent your own Minecraft server!

Becoming a Server Operator

Administrative powers allow you to enforce rules and enhance gameplay. You cannot grant these permissions to yourself from within the game initially. You must use the server console to trigger the change. Follow the steps below to make a player a server operator:

1. Head towards your Nitrado Web Interface for your Minecraft server.
2. Navigate to Tools > Live Server Console from your Dashboard.
   
3. Enter op [username] in the text box for the console.
   
4. If successful, you will see the “Made [username] a server operator” message.

Understanding Operator Levels

Minecraft splits operator privileges into four distinct tiers. Each tier builds upon the last one. This system allows you to distribute responsibilities without giving away full control of the backend.

Editing Default OP Levels

You can change the default level that the server assigns whenever the OP command is used. Adjusting this option prevents accidental distribution of full server control.

1. Navigate to Settings > Config Files inside your web interface.
   
2. Access the server.properties file, then locate the op-permission-level setting.
3. Change this to either 1, 2, 3, or 4 based on the level you want.
   
4. Click the Save Changes button at the top and restart the server.

Changing Levels for Existing Operators

If you already assigned operator status to a player, you can adjust their specific level manually. This allows for precise customization without affecting global settings.

1. In the same area (Settings > Config Files), select the ops.json file.
2. Change the op level for the specific player in the editor.
   
3. Click Save Changes and restart the server to finalize the adjustments.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Unable to OP Players
Ensure the server is online and running, not loading from a recent startup. Try again and if successful, you should see the confirmation message. If you’re doing this for Bedrock players, make sure they’re connected to the server and you enter their gamertag exactly how it’s portrayed in the server. This includes any prefixes if you’re using GeyserMC.
 
Commands Remain Locked
If an operator cannot access specific commands, the global permission level might be set too low. Review your OP settings to ensure the default level matches your expectations. You may have to manually change the level in the ops.json file. Missing commas or broken brackets inside this config file will cause the server to ignore your changes.
 
Operator Status Will Not Remove
Occasionally, data remains cached in the system memory after running a removal command. Type save-all into the console after revoking access to force the server to update its files. If the player still retains power, shut down the server entirely and delete their entry directly from the configuration files.