How to Change Command Prompt Color in Windows 10

Changing the Command Prompt color in Windows 10 lets you personalize the text and background of the terminal window, making it easier to read or just more visually appealing. You can set colors for the current session or permanently for every future window. No additional software or downloads are needed—everything is built into Windows.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 10 PC with Command Prompt available (it’s included with all editions).
• Administrator rights are not required for changing colors, but you may need them if you want to change the default color scheme for all users (covered in Tips).

Step-by-Step

1. Open Command Prompt. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and press Enter. Alternatively, right-click the Start button and select “Command Prompt” or “Windows PowerShell” (you can use the same color commands in PowerShell, but the steps below focus on Command Prompt).
2. Check the current color scheme. By default, the text is white on a black background. To see the current color codes, type color /? and press Enter. This shows a list of valid color codes (0–9 and A–F) and their corresponding colors.
3. Set a new color for the current session. Type color followed by two hex digits: the first digit sets the background, the second sets the text. For example, to get green text on a black background, type color 0A and press Enter. The change applies immediately to this window only.
4. Experiment with different combinations. Try color 1E for blue background with yellow text, or color F0 for black text on white background. The first digit is the background, the second is the foreground (text).
5. Make the change permanent. If you want the color to apply every time you open Command Prompt, you need to edit the registry or use the Properties dialog. The easiest way is to:
6. Right-click the title bar of the Command Prompt window and select Properties.
7. Go to the “Colors” tab. You’ll see four sections: Screen Text, Screen Background, Popup Text, and Popup Background. Click on the radio button for “Screen Text” or “Screen Background” and then pick a color from the palette below. You can also adjust the RGB values manually.
8. Click OK. A dialog will ask if you want to apply the changes to the current window only or to the shortcut that starts Command Prompt. Choose “Save properties for future windows” to make it permanent.
9. Alternative permanent method via registry (advanced): Press Windows + R, type regedit, and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor. Create a new String Value named DefaultColor and set its value to a two-digit hex code (e.g., 0A). Close the registry editor and restart Command Prompt.

Common Mistakes

• Reversing the digits. The first digit is always the background, the second is the text. If you type color A0, you’ll get black text on a green background—which might be hard to read.
• Using more than two digits. The color command only accepts two hex digits. If you type color 0A1, you’ll get an error.
• Forgetting to save properties. If you change colors via Properties and click OK but don’t select “Save properties for future windows,” the change only applies to the current session.
• Using invalid hex codes. Only digits 0–9 and letters A–F are valid. Typing color G0 will fail.

Tips

• Use high-contrast combos for readability. For example, 0A (green on black) is easy on the eyes, while 1E (yellow on blue) can be harder to read for long sessions.
• Set a default for all users. If you have admin rights, you can change the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor and add the DefaultColor value there. This affects all users on the machine.
• Use the Properties dialog for more control. The dialog lets you pick any RGB color, not just the 16 standard ones.
• Create a shortcut with your preferred colors. Right-click the Command Prompt shortcut, go to Properties, and set the colors there. This way, you can have different shortcuts with different color schemes.
• Restore defaults quickly. To go back to the default white-on-black, type color with no arguments.

Troubleshooting

• Colors don’t change when using the color command. Make sure you’re typing the command correctly, with no spaces between the digits. If you’re in PowerShell, the color command is an alias for Set-Item in some contexts; use cmd /c color 0A or switch to Command Prompt.
• Changes revert after closing the window. You only changed the current session. Use the Properties dialog and select “Save properties for future windows” to make it stick.
• Registry edit doesn’t work. Double-check the path and the value name. It must be DefaultColor (no spaces) under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor. Also, restart Command Prompt completely.
• Colors look different than expected. The colors are limited to 16 standard colors in the color command. If you want a specific shade, use the Properties dialog to pick an RGB color.
• Can’t see the text after changing background. If you set a dark background and dark text, you might not see anything. Type color 0F (white on black) to recover.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use more than 16 colors in Command Prompt?

Yes, but only through the Properties dialog, where you can select any RGB color for the screen text and background. The color command is limited to the 16 standard colors.

Does changing the color affect the text in other programs?

No, it only affects the Command Prompt window. Other console apps (like PowerShell) have their own settings.

Can I have different colors for different Command Prompt windows?

Yes. If you change the color using the color command, it only affects that window. If you use the Properties dialog, you can choose to apply to the current window only.

How do I reset to the default black and white?

Type color with no arguments to reset to the default (white text on black background). Alternatively, go to Properties > Colors and select the default colors.

Will the color change work in Windows Terminal?

Windows Terminal is a separate app with its own settings. The color command works inside the terminal, but to change the default color scheme of Windows Terminal, you need to edit its settings JSON file.

Can I set a custom color using the command line?

No, the color command only accepts the 16 predefined hex codes. For custom RGB colors, you must use the Properties dialog.

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