ModsFinder

Text Utilities

by Chaws

Chaws's Text Utilities is a Fabric utility mod that adds color formatting to signs, books and anvils, plus click-through handling for signs and item frames.

FabricClient and serverGNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 onlyOpen source1.19 – 1.21.8

What it does

Color formatting buttons appear in the sign editor, the anvil screen and the book edit screen, so a player can apply colors without typing formatting codes. The formatting prefix is configurable, and color support works on servers that run Text Utilities even where the server software does not provide it by default, such as Purpur. Clicking a button before typing text lets a player choose the color first.

Click-through covers signs, item frames and containers attached to a block, so a click passes through to the block behind. Holding a sign, dye or ink sac in the main hand prevents click-through on signs, and sneaking prevents it on item frames. Custom blocks and entities can be added to the click-through list, and a create:placard entry is supported. The chat HUD maximum width and height can also be increased. Text Utilities requires Cloth Config API and Fabric API, with Mod Menu optional. It runs on client and server, and the code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only, so it is open source.

Key features

  1. Color buttons on editors

    Formatting buttons for color appear in the sign, anvil and book editing screens.

  2. Sign and item frame click-through

    Clicks pass through signs, item frames and attached containers, with holding and sneaking rules that prevent it.

  3. Custom click-through list

    Additional blocks, entities and create:placard can be added to the click-through list.

  4. Chat HUD size

    The maximum width and height of the chat HUD can be increased.

  5. GitHub builds

    Builds from GitHub often appear before other locations, and an automated GitHub Actions workflow produces them from each change pushed to the repository.

Compatibility

Latest build for each game version and loader.

1.21.x9 of 9 versions with builds
1.21.81.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.71.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.61.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.51.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.41.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.31.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.21.7.2+1.21.2
1.21.11.7.2+1.21.0
1.211.7.2+1.21.0
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
1.20.61.7.2+1.20.4
1.20.51.7.2+1.20.4
1.20.41.7.2+1.20.4
1.20.31.7.2+1.20.1
1.20.21.7.2+1.20.1
1.20.11.7.2+1.20.1
1.201.7.2+1.20.1
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
ReleaseBetaAlphaNot available

Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.

Requirements

Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.

Required 2

Fabric APILightweight and modular API providing common hooks and intercompatibility measures utilized by mods using the Fabric toolchain.
Required
Cloth Config APIConfiguration Library for Minecraft Mods
Required

Optional 1

Mod MenuAdds a mod menu to view the list of mods you have installed.
Optional

Incompatible 2

Clickthrough 2.0Based off of the original Clickthrough Mod. Original developer had not made an update to 1.20, so I made this branch off of it. Your choice which one you want to use.
Incompatible
CL
ClickThroughSummary not published
Incompatible

Use cases

Who it’s for: Players who edit text on signs, books or anvils, and server owners who want color formatting on servers that run the mod.

How it compares

Full comparison

Book Formatting is a Fabric mod for 1.19.3 – 1.21.5 that runs client-side only and is released under the CC0 1.0 Universal license, so it is open source. Sign Edit Lite is open source under the MIT License, runs on Fabric and NeoForge for 1.20.2 – 26.2 and needs both client and server. Client-Side Color Codes (CSCC) runs on the client only, is not open source and is published for 1.21.4 – 26.2.

ModLoadersGame versionsEnvironmentUpdated
Text UtilitiesFabric1.19 – 1.21.8Client and server2025-02-16
Book FormattingFabric1.19.3 – 1.21.5Client-side only2024-04-15
Sign Edit LiteFabric and NeoForge1.20.2 – 26.2Client and server2026-08-02
Client-Side Color Codes (CSCC)Fabric1.21.4 – 26.2Client-side only2026-07-21

Questions

Does Text Utilities need Fabric API?

Yes. Fabric API and Cloth Config API are both required, and Mod Menu is optional.

Should Text Utilities be installed on the server?

Yes. The server and every player need the mod installed.

Which versions does Text Utilities support?

Builds cover 1.19 – 1.21.8 across 21 release versions, all on Fabric.

Is Text Utilities incompatible with ClickThrough?

Yes. ClickThrough and Clickthrough 2.0 are listed as incompatible with Text Utilities.

In the catalog

Text Utilities is one of 36,990 Utility mods on ModsFinder, and one of 25,772 Utility mods for Fabric. 17,695 mods support Minecraft 1.21.8.

Utility mods36,990Fabric modsMods for 1.21.817,695

More from Chaws

All projects
Expanded Enderchest1.19 – 1.21.8

Similar mods

Mod Menu1.14.4 – 26.3Reese's Sodium Options1.16.5 – 26.3Jade 🔍1.16.4 – 26.3Zoomify (Zoom)1.18 – 26.3FancyMenu1.12 – 26.3Indium1.16.5 – 1.21.1

What the author says

Text Utilities is a free and open-source mod for Minecraft which adds color and formatting options to signs, books, and anvils. NOTE: At the moment, you have to press a color before a format button if you want to use both.
Chaws, on the Modrinth page

Official listing

Owner
Chaws
Published
2022-11-04
Updated on Modrinth
2025-02-16
Facts verified
2026-10-15

Tags

UtilityDecorationGame mechanics
Open on ModrinthCompare