NickPaint

v1.3.2 _

Create colorful MSN Messenger nicknames using BBCode gradients, presets, and per-letter coloring — free and instant, no install required.

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What is NickPaint?

NickPaint is a free, browser-based nickname color editor inspired by MSN Plus! — the legendary plugin that let MSN Messenger users style their display names with BBCode color tags. It brings that same per-letter coloring, gradient generation, and BBCode export workflow to the modern web, with no install required.

Type your nickname, pick a color mode, and NickPaint produces the exact BBCode string — for example [c=#FF6600]Y[c=#FF4400]o[c=#FF2200]u — that MSN Messenger and MSN Plus!-compatible clients understand. It also supports mIRC color codes, Unicode font styles, and a library of gradient presets.

Features

  • Gradient presets — one-click rainbow, sunset, ocean, and 20+ curated palettes
  • BBCode export — copy the exact [c=#RRGGBB] string ready to paste into MSN
  • Per-letter color control — assign a different color to every individual character
  • Unicode font styles — bold, italic, fullwidth, and decorative script variants
  • Import / Export config — save your color setup as a JSON file and reload it later

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use BBCode colors in MSN Messenger?
You need MSN Plus! installed alongside MSN Messenger. MSN Plus! extends the client to read BBCode color tags in display names and messages. Use NickPaint to build your colored nickname, copy the BBCode output, and paste it into your MSN display name field. The colors will appear instantly for anyone who also has MSN Plus! installed.
What is MSN Plus!?
MSN Plus! (also written MSN Messenger Plus!) was a free third-party add-on for MSN Messenger that added features the official client lacked: colored nicknames via BBCode, sound packs, tabbed conversations, contact locking, and much more. It was enormously popular throughout the 2000s and is the origin of the [c=#RRGGBB] BBCode syntax that NickPaint generates.
What are mIRC color codes?
mIRC color codes are a legacy IRC formatting system that uses Control+K followed by a number (0–15) to set text color in IRC clients like mIRC. They predate web color names and hex codes. NickPaint can generate these numeric codes alongside standard hex BBCode, making it useful for IRC channels and bots as well as MSN.
Is NickPaint free? Does it require an account?
NickPaint is completely free and requires no account, login, or personal data. Everything runs locally in your browser — no nickname text you type is ever sent to a server.