How to set a custom accent color for Windows 10

By published

Windows 10 is bringing a few options to customize the way things look. In fact, we wrote up a massive tome of all the various options you have at your disposal:

How to customize your Windows 10 experience

One of the more hidden abilities is to set a custom accent color. Microsoft lets you choose from a palette of 49 hues, which is probably fine for most users. In fact, you can let Windows auto-match the color according to your wallpaper.

However, you can go further and pick an exact color, including saturation, hue, intensity, and brightness. This feature is actually hidden, but with a simple run command you can have access to it. Let's see how.

Custom accent color picker

1. Run

Use Win + R to bring up the run command window, or type Run into Cortana/search box on the taskbar

2. Command

Type in (or copy and paste) Control Color and hit OK

3. Enable

Reveal the extended menu by clicking on Show color mixer

4. Pick

Using the various sliders, you can pick the color, hue, brightness , and intensity to your liking. Hit Save Changes once you are done.

If you are using the release version of Windows 10 build 10240, the color changes the Start menu, Action Center, and Taskbar. If you are on the Insider build of 10525 or later, the color you also choose changes the Title bar on apps.

Of course, nothing is permanent. If you would like to undo the change, just go into All Settings > Personalization > Colors. From this area, you can let Windows auto-select an accent color based on your background again or use one of the 49 presets.

Most people should be okay with the default options in Windows 10, but for those who have a real peculiar hue that they want, this trick should help you out!

For more resources, don't forget to check our Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks page. Or if you have any questions, you can always count on our Windows 10 Forums at Windows Central for more help.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.
45 Comments
  • You should always publish a link to your current wallpaper LOL
  • http://cdn.superbwallpapers.com/wallpapers/minimalistic/solar-system-268... Found using Google
  • Bing should have search by image
  • Bing does have search by image. However I wish it also had the upload image search like Google has.
  • This might help find it easier if you bookmark the link. http://www.bing.com/images/searchbyimage
  • Thanks for the Wallpaper Link...
  • *Mandatory wallpaper requests here*
  • something something wallpaper pls
  • I clicked this article SPECIFICALLY to learn the origin of the wallpaper.
  • Where is pluto :(
  • It's designated as a dwarf planet not a true one, so not shown here.
  • Pluto needs love.  
  • Very sad bro :(
  • Wallpaper: http://cdn.superbwallpapers.com/wallpapers/minimalistic/solar-system-268...
  • Kewl. Thanks a million
  • DL to your wallpaper please ;)
  • #BringBackPluto
  • ^
  • #PlutoPlannetMatters
  • Thanks ,,, we need similar option on windows mobile
  • So your phone can look ugly? Microsoft does not want that.
  • Daniel.. I like ur articles as well as wallpapers. I think u r an artist too ;)
  • I wouldn't say artist. More like he has a good taste in wallpaper. But, that's objectively.
  • http://www.screen-wallpapers.com/wallpapers/3353/bigpreview_Solar%20Syst... Link for 2560*1600 resolution wallpaper... No need to thank me :) Posted via the Windows Central App
  • TIP:   If you set the brightness slider 1-2 clicks before the complete left position, the 1px borders around windows becomes black and you will still have your prefered color as accent ;)
  • dont understand
  • It nice with all the fancy customization options but there is one obvious that is missing: option to have tablet mode taskbar different colour than black!
  • Lol.. I saw the wallpaper, quickly anticipated Daniel would be asked for download link!
  • i'm still hoping in future updates of Transparent icons in Start Menu. Transparent means like a PNG format in photo. 
  • Tiles FTW!
  • More proof how half baked the settings app is.
  • Really? I think the best setting is let Windows pick the color to match your wallpaper. Set it and forget it.
  • I disagree. There's no reason (or excuse) for the show color mixer drop down to not be in the new color settings on desktop and phone...
  • Tip: UGLY PHONES
  • But the personalization menu has been messed up a lot. The simple act of changing a theme now takes a lot of clicks. The color, sounds, transparency and wallpaper settings should also not have been separated.
  • "I think the best setting is let Windows pick the color to match your wallpaper. Set it and forget it." I like the idea of this setting, but not the execution (with my chosen background). The color that Windows chose to match is a small bit of orange, and I think the orange looks terrible as my accent color. For now, I've switched it to a blue that may not coordinate well with my background image, but I will try this hidden setting when I get home.
  • It woud be great if I could choose white as accent color.
  • I want dark title bars
  • As far as I can tell, Windows still picks one of the standard colors that is closest to the slider settings.
  • That wallpaper....rad...
  • Hi Daniel, I am going to do a silly question here (probably). Can we finally have a solid taskbar color or it is always translucent? Thanks in advance
  • Wow, an actual advanced tutorial for a change. One that explains a hidden/ obsolete feature that is not obvious and can't be figured out by just trying it yourself for more then two seconds.
    Great job, interesting stuff. This is promising for future articles!
    Oh, nevermind. The next "guide" is "How to right click on an item to select pin to taskbar". Jeez.
  • Just looking for the color to auto select based on the wallpaper. This is partially broken, only changes after logging out and logging in.
  • Disappointing.  You really cannot set the color of your choice since no matter how much I slide the bars, I cannot produce a creamy white or a pale pink.  I don't want to "set it and forget it" as selecting the day's theme is a great deal of the pleasure I take in having a computer and sometimes the AutoPick option selects an inappropriate color.  It is annoying to read websites such as this that are basically just copying from each other and not fully answering the problem.  I do hope that Windows will give us back the freedom to really choose our colors that was in the previous versions.
  • What is this, Apple?  What Microsoft, you afraid users will mess something up if you allow us to enter an RGB value?  How am I supposed to match a color w/ those sliders?  Disappointing that they don't have RGB and HSL color picker options.