Customizing the Appearance of Windows 10

  • 11/2/2015

Adjusting colors and transparency

The colors that appear on various elements of your screen (for example, the taskbar and open window borders) have two functions. First, they might appeal to your personal color sense and make your computing environment more attractive. Second, they might make the content on the screen easier to see. You can configure Windows 10 to pick a color scheme that matches the background image you’ve chosen for your desktop or make the Start menu transparent. You can also choose from among several high-contrast color schemes which are especially helpful for those who have low vision. You can even customize and save high-contrast color themes to use the colors you prefer.

Control colors and transparency

  1. In Settings, choose Personalization, and then click Colors.
  2. Click the switch to turn on the Automatically Pick An Accent Color From My Background setting.
  3. If you want the taskbar to change color (rather than remaining black), be sure the Show Color On Taskbar And Start Menu option is set to On.
  4. Click to turn on or off the Make Start, Taskbar, And Action Center Transparent option.
  5. Click High Contrast Settings to choose a color scheme in the Ease Of Access settings.

  6. Click the drop-down list at the top to display available themes.
  7. Click a theme.
  8. To customize your own theme, click any screen element, and then, from the palette that opens, choose a color.
  9. Click Apply.