The registry’s “Colors” key includes two string values you can adjust to change the color of the text in Windows. Here we’ll be looking at how you can change the colors for highlighted and non-highlighted text in Windows 11 by modifying two string values in Registry Editor. By doing so, you can change the text color to whatever you fancy.
How to Get an RGB Color Value for Your Text
First, you’ll need to obtain a couple of RGB (red, green, blue) color values to change highlighted and non-highlighted text. Those are color codes you’ll need to change the required string values within the Registry Editor. You can get such codes with an online RGB color code picker like this:
Open this RGB Color Codes Chart page. Left-click and drag the small circle on the palette to select a color. Alternatively, you can drag the color bar slider’s up and down. Note down the three numbers in the R, G, and B boxes into a word processor’s text document. Those three values will be combined into one RGB (red first, green second, and blue third) value, such as 158 216 56. Copy the noted RGB value in your word processor you want to change the text color to with the Ctrl + C hotkey. You can paste that value into the required text box a bit later. Repeat the previous steps to obtain a second RGB color value for text.
How to Change the Color of Highlighted Text
Windows 11’s text turns white when you drag the blue highlighting box over it in apps like Run and File Explorer. If you would prefer a different color for highlighted text, you’ll need to change the HilightText string’s value. This is how you can change that string value in the Registry Editor:
Click Start with your mouse’s right button and select Search. Input the search phrase Registry Editor inside the text box. Open an elevated Registry Editor by clicking its Run as administrator option in the search tool. Click in the Registry Editor’s address bar, and erase the current text in it. Then input Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors in that address bar and press Enter. Select the Colors key, and then double-click its HilightText string. Delete the current value from the box. Then press Ctrl + V to paste your copied RGB code copied from the color chart into the Value box as shown directly below. Press the OK option within HilightText’s Edit String window. Close your Registry Editor app. Select to restart Windows from your Start menu’s Power button.
Now check out your new highlighted text color in Windows. Press Windows + R, and then type some text into Run. Highlight that text with the cursor to see how its color has changed. The highlighted text color will have changed just the same in File Explorer’s folder location bar and the Registry Editor.
You can restore the original highlighted text color in Windows by reverting the HilightText string to its original value. Go back to the Colors key, double-click HilightText, and input the default 255 255 255 RGB value. Click OK to save the entered value, and restart your PC.
How to Change the Color of Non-Highlighted Window Text
You can also change the color of the none-highlighted text in Windows 11 much the same. To do so, open the same Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors registry key as outlined above. Then double-click the Colors key’s WindowText string shown directly below. Paste whatever RGB value you previously copied to the clipboard into the Value box, and click the OK option.
Now restart your Windows 11 PC to apply the registry tweak. You’ll immediately notice how the window text color has changed by opening the Registry Editor again. All text in the Registry Editor’s right pane will have changed. If you ever want to restore the original text color, 0 0 0 is the default value you’ll need to enter for the WindowText string in the Colors key.
Note that the non-highlighted text color will not change across the board in Windows. For example, the search utility’s text will remain the original black color. However, you’ll still notice the difference in built-in apps like Task Manager, Run, Disk Cleanup, MSConfig, and File Explorer among others.
Tweak Windows 11’s Text Color According to Preference
Changing the colors of highlighted and non-highlighted text is yet another great way you can customize Windows 11 by tweaking the registry. Now you can set the text colors in Windows 11 to better match your desktop theme’s overall color scheme. Choose whatever highlighted and non-highlighted window text colors suit you.
