Change taskbar color in Windows 10 (1903 and later)

Are you bored by the standard colors of Windows 10? It is possible to apply an extra accent or color to some surfaces of Windows 10. This can be your start menu, taskbar or action center. But also title bars and window borders. This how-to shows you how to change taskbar color and start menu color.

Change taskbar color and start menu color

To change the accent color of your taskbar and start menu, do the following:

1. Click Windows 10 icon, type Color, and select Color Settings.
   
   
2. In Colors, in Choose your color, choose Custom.
   
3. Scroll down to Choose your accent color.
   Select your favorite color. You may also use the Color Picker to select a custom color.
4. At the bottom, select Start, taskbar, and action center.
   If you’re in a great mood, you may also select Title bars and window borders. This will colorize almost everything 🙂
   

How to set light or dark color mode

Instead of choosing your own color, you may also decide to select the default Light or Dark mode. This sets white or dark gray as the standard color.

I don’t like this setting, because the colors apply to all objects in windows 10. I prefer a dark Windows 10 environment. But I want my applications to be in light mode.
By choosing Custom, you can distinguish between standard Windows color and standard app color.

How to set only one app to dark mode?

Most Windows apps offer the option to change the color mode for that specific app. For example, to change the color of the Photo app to black, do the following:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. At the right top, click the 3 dots …
3. Select Settings.
4. Scroll down to Mode. It’s probably set to Use System Settings.
5. Change it to Dark and restart the Photo app.

For more information about backgrounds and accent colors, see Microsoft.