EssentialsX Messages Config

Install, customize, and troubleshoot the ZCraft Studios EssentialsX Messages Config (messages.properties, 1600+ lines).

EssentialsX Messages Config

A drop-in message pack for EssentialsX with 1600+ lines of clean, professional messages. It contains messages.properties (English) and messages_es.properties (Spanish), which restyle the text EssentialsX sends to players and the console. It changes how messages look; it does not install a plugin or change any EssentialsX features.

Get it on BuiltByBit or browse all ZCraft Studios resources at bbyb.it/zcs. Need help? Join the ZCraft Studios Support Discord.

What's included

File	Purpose
`messages.properties`	English messages and formatting.
`messages_es.properties`	Spanish messages and formatting.

There is no config.yml, jar, or database. Everything else about EssentialsX (commands, permissions, modules, settings) stays exactly as you have it.

Compatibility

	Supported
Minecraft versions	1.21.1 through 26.2 (including 1.21, 1.21.11, and 26.1.2)
Plugin	EssentialsX, using a build that supports your Minecraft version
Server software	Paper recommended (EssentialsX officially supports Paper)

Requirements

A server already running EssentialsX, with its default folder generated at plugins/Essentials/
Access to your server files and permission to restart the server

Installation

Confirm EssentialsX is installed

EssentialsX must already be running and must have generated its plugins/Essentials/ folder. Run /ess version to check it loads.

Back up your current messages

If you already have a custom messages file, copy it somewhere safe. Also back up config.yml if you use the message-colors section.

Place and rename the file

Extract the download and copy the files into the messages folder inside the Essentials folder (create the folder if it doesn't exist). Rename the English file so both match their language codes:

messages.properties      →  plugins/Essentials/messages/messages_en.properties   (English)
messages_es.properties   →  plugins/Essentials/messages/messages_es.properties   (Spanish, already named correctly)

EssentialsX uses the locale option in config.yml to pick the server language. Set locale: en for English or locale: es for Spanish. You can install both files; with per-player-locale enabled, players see messages in their own game language.

Restart the server

EssentialsX loads custom message files when the server starts, so a full restart is the reliable way to apply the pack. Check the console for errors while it boots.

Test in game

Run a few common commands (for example /home, /tpa, /msg, /balance) and confirm the new messages and colors appear correctly.

The English file must be renamed from messages.properties to messages_en.properties. The Spanish file, messages_es.properties, is already named correctly. EssentialsX ignores a custom file with the wrong name.

Customizing messages

Each line in the file is one message, written as a key and its text:

backOther=<primary>Returned <secondary>{0}<primary> to previous location.

Placeholders such as {0} and {1} are replaced by EssentialsX with names, amounts, and similar values. Keep them in the message, and don't change their numbers unless you know what they refer to.
Hide a message by setting it to blank, for example noNewMail=.
Colors use MiniMessage tags. The primary and secondary tags follow the message-colors section of your config.yml:

message-colors:
  primary: '#ffaa00'
  secondary: '#ff5555'

Rich text (hover and click actions, gradients, custom fonts) is available through MiniMessage. You can preview messages in Adventure's MiniMessage viewer, though it doesn't understand the primary and secondary tags.

Make small edits and keep a backup of the original pack so you can compare or roll back.

Never edit message files inside the EssentialsX jar. Those changes are lost when the plugin updates.

Updating EssentialsX

Back up your messages file and config.yml.
Update EssentialsX.
Restart and test a few commands.
Check the EssentialsX release notes for message format changes and re-test your messages.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to check
Messages didn't change	The file must be at `plugins/Essentials/messages/messages_<lang>.properties`. Confirm the English file was renamed to `messages_en.properties`, that the language in the name matches `locale` in `config.yml`, and that you restarted the server.
Only some messages changed	Messages missing from the file fall back to EssentialsX's defaults. Messages sent by other plugins are not affected by this pack.
Raw tags or odd symbols show in chat	Your EssentialsX build is too old for MiniMessage, or a tag was edited incorrectly. Update EssentialsX to a build that supports your Minecraft version.
`{0}` or `{1}` appear literally	A placeholder was changed or the line was edited incorrectly. Compare it with the original line in the pack.
A message is missing an apostrophe	Apostrophes in these messages usually need to be doubled (for example `don''t`).
Console errors on startup	Look for the line number in the error, check that line for a typo or broken formatting, then restore your backup if needed.
Colors look wrong	Check the `message-colors` section of `config.yml` and any hardcoded colors inside the messages you edited.
Players see a different language	`per-player-locale` is enabled, so players with another game language see that language's messages. Provide the pack for each language you support or turn the option off.

Resources and support

When reporting a problem, include your EssentialsX version, Minecraft version, server software, the file name and location you used, and the relevant console error. Remove any private information from shared logs.

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