PSA: You can customize Valheim sign text for color-coded storage chests without downloading a single mod

Much to my embarrassment, while I was mid-complaint about my new wall of Valheim storage chests, a fellow Viking hit me with, “You know you can color code those signs, right?” Duh, of course I know that. Well, I swear I did, but totally forgot about the handy feature that doesn’t require a single mod. In case you forgot too, I’m here to remind you—or teach you a quick tip for organizing Valheim storage with colorful text codes for signs.

Codes for sign colors

16 different Valheim signs showing different colors you can use for the text — (Image credit: Iron Gate Studios)

You can change a sign’s text color in Valheim through markup codes. For those even vaguely familiar with traditional HTML, you won’t need to close these style commands, but keep in mind you still have limited text space on a sign, so keep them short.

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Color	Hex Value	Code
Red	#ff0000ff	<#ff0000ff> Red sign
Green	#008000ff	<#008000ff>Green sign
Blue	#0000ffff	<#0000ffff>Blue sign
Dark Blue	#0000a0ff	<#0000a0ff>Dark Blue sign
Navy	#000080ff	<#000080ff>Navy sign
Aqua	#00ffffff	<#00ffffff>Aqua sign
Lime	#00ff00ff	<#00ff00ff>Lime sign
Yellow	#ffff00ff	<#ffff00ff>Yellow sign
Orange	#ffa500ff	<#ffa500ff>Orange sign
Magenta	#ff00ffff	<#ff00ffff>Magenta sign
Brown	#a52a2aff	<#a52a2aff>Brown sign
Maroon	#800000ff	<#800000ff>Maroon sign
Purple	#800080ff	<#800080ff>Purple sign
Silver	#c0c0c0ff	<#c0c0c0ff>Silver sign
Grey	#808080ff	<#808080ff>Grey sign
White	#ffffffff	<#ffffffff>White sign

You can use any 6-digit hex value, so check out the color code calculator on W3 Docs to find more, or reference the table I used from Unity. It’s a fairly straightforward process, but I’ll leave you with a few extra color-changing tips:

Codes for sign text size and style

Rows of signs in Valheim displaying the types of style codes you can use to customize the text.

(Image credit: Iron Gate Studios)

Other markup attributes from the Unity guide also work in Valheim. You can use a few at a time for text styles like bigger italics, colorful bolds, or extra spacing and alignment.

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Element	Description	Variables	Code
Size	Make sign text bigger or smaller	Recommended #”s: 3 through 12	Size
Italics	Italicizes sign text	Row 1 – Cell 2	Italicized
Bold	Bolds sign text (slight difference from default style)	Row 2 – Cell 2	Bolded
Underline	Underlines sign text	Row 3 – Cell 2	Underline
Strikeout	Strikes line through sign text	Row 4 – Cell 2	~~Strikeout~~
Align	Moves text to the sides or middle (center is the default alignment)	Left, right, center	Right
Highlight	Highlights sign text in yellow	Row 6 – Cell 2	Highlight
Line break	Go to next line by placing the code between words	\n	Line \nbreak
Supertext	Aligns text to top	Row 8 – Cell 2	^Supertext
Subtext	Aliens text to bottom	Row 9 – Cell 2	_Subtext

Unicode characters for signs

Various unicode symbols on Valheim signs

(Image credit: Iron Gate Studios)

You can take your Valheim signs even further by adding Unicode characters. I find the W3 Schools chart to be the most helpful, but they don’t all work, so I’ve included a few below for reference.

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Signs	Header Cell – Column 1	Header Cell – Column 2	Header Cell – Column 3	Header Cell – Column 4
Arrows	▲ ▼ ▶	△ ▽ ▷ ◁	︽︾》《	↑ ↓ → ←
Hearts and stars	💕	❤ ♥	✨💫	☆ ★
Signs and transport	🚫 🛑 🚨 🚧	🛎 ♻ ⚠	🚢 🛶 🛷	🛥
Tools and weapons	🏹🧨 💣 🔮	⚔ 🗡	🎣 🔧 🔑	🗝 ⚒ 🛠 ⛏
Food	☕ 🍺	🥩 🍖 🍗 🥚	🌽 🥔 🥕 🍄	🍞 🍛 🥧
Nature and weather	🐝 🐎 🐟	🌱 🌿 🌷 🌳	🔥 ⛅ ⚡	☀ ☁ ☂ ❄ ☃ 🌡
Misc	✅ ⭕ ❌	🎩 👕 👖 💍	🧺 💰 💎	💊 💀 🦴

Example Valheim signs

Valheim signs with different emojis, text colors, and styles to label different types of chests

(Image credit: Iron Gate Studios)

You don’t have to stop at just one code when customizing your text, so I’ve made a few examples you can use to test things out. Change the variables as needed, and remember to heed the 50-character limit—lest your signs wind up with awkwardly cut-off words or floating text.

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Elements	Notes	Example
Size, color	Big red text, line breaks make some letters float off the sign	<#ff0000ff>Big
Color, line break, unicode	Blue and white text to label your Deep North chests	<#0000ffff>Deep North \n<#ffffffff>❄
Color, bold, unicode	Bold orange text with a yellow money bag synmbol	<#ffff00ff>💰<#ff9900>Valuables
Color, unicode	White and red text for labeling trophy chests	<#ffffffff>▶ <#ff4000>Trophies
Color, unicode	White and orange text to label your boss summoning items with	<#ffffffff>Boss Key <#ffbe00>🗝
Color, unicode	Beige unicode symbol for labeling your loaves	<#ffe6cc>🍞
Color, unicode	Red unicode symbol for labeling uncooked meat	<#e60000>🥩
Color, unicode	Light and dark blue unicode symbols for labeling gear	<#00ace6>👕<#0000a0ff>👖
Color, unicode	Light orange unicode for labeling mead	<#ffbf80>🍺
Color, unicode	Green unicode for labeling woodsy materials	<#39e600>🌿
Color, unicode	Blue unicode for labeling gems	<#b3ecff>💎