The fastest way to change text color

Select the text you want to recolor, then click the text color button in the toolbar — it looks like an "A" with a colored bar underneath. A color picker will open. Choose your color and click away. That is the whole process.

If you cannot see the text color button in your toolbar, you may be in object selection mode instead of text editing mode. Double-click the text box first to enter edit mode, then try again. The button appears only when InDesign knows you are working with text.

The text color button sits near the fill and stroke buttons, which control shape colors. Do not confuse them — the one with the "A" is what you need for text.

Key Takeaways

  • Double-click a text box to enter edit mode, then select the text you want to recolor before clicking the text color button.
  • The text color button looks like an "A" with a colored bar and sits in the toolbar on the left side of your screen.
  • You can choose from the color swatches panel, the color picker, or type a specific color value if you need an exact match.
  • Changing text color affects only the selected text — unselected text in the same box keeps its original color.

Selecting text before you change the color

You cannot change the color of text you have not selected. Click inside the text box to place your cursor, then drag to highlight the words or letters you want to recolor. If you want to change the color of all text in a box, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) after clicking inside the box.

Be careful not to click the edge of the text box — that selects the box itself rather than the text inside. You will know you are in text editing mode when you see a blinking cursor inside the text. If you see a selection box around the entire text frame instead, double-click to enter edit mode.

You can also select text by triple-clicking a paragraph to select the whole paragraph at once, or by clicking at the start of your text and shift-clicking at the end to select everything between those two points.

Using the color picker to find the exact color you need

When you click the text color button, a small color picker appears. The easiest way to choose is to click directly on the color you want in the color bar at the bottom of the picker. If you need a specific shade, click anywhere in the large square above the bar — the left side is darker, the right side is lighter.

If you know the exact color value you need (a hex code like #FF5733, or RGB numbers like 255, 87, 51), click the small arrow or menu icon in the color picker to open the full color dialog. Type your values into the fields and InDesign will match them exactly.

You can also click the eyedropper tool in the color picker to sample a color from anywhere on your screen — useful if you want your text to match a color already in your design.

Saving colors you use repeatedly in the Swatches panel

If you use the same text color in multiple places, save it as a swatch so you can reuse it without hunting through the color picker each time. After you have chosen a color, right-click it in the color picker and select "Add to Swatches." The color now appears in your Swatches panel, which you can open from the Window menu if it is not visible.

Once a color is in your Swatches panel, you can click it directly to explore it to selected text. This is faster than opening the color picker every time, and it ensures the same color is used consistently across your document.

You can also create a new swatch by clicking the small plus icon at the bottom of the Swatches panel, which opens a dialog where you can name the color and set its values. Named swatches make it easier to remember which color is which when you have many saved.

Changing text color for a whole paragraph or style at once

If you want to change the color of every instance of a particular paragraph style (like all your headings or all your body text), you do not have to select each one individually. Open the Paragraph Styles panel from the Window menu, right-click the style you want to change, and select "Edit [Style Name]."

In the dialog that opens, click "Character Color" in the left menu, then choose your new color. Click OK, and every paragraph using that style will change color automatically. This is much faster than selecting text manually if you have dozens of paragraphs to recolor.

Be aware that if you have manually changed the color of individual text that uses this style, those manual changes will override the style color. You will need to select that text and reapply the style color to bring it back in line.

Fixing text color that looks wrong on screen or in print

Sometimes text color looks different on your screen than it does when you print or export. This usually happens because your screen and printer use different color spaces. If your text looks too dark, too light, or the wrong hue in print, try switching your color mode in the color picker.

Open the color picker, click the menu icon, and look for "Color Mode." If you are working in RGB (screen colors), try switching to CMYK (print colors) or vice versa. The same color value may look different depending on which mode you choose, so test both before printing.

You can also check your color by opening the Separations Preview panel (Window > Output > Separations Preview) to see how each color will print. This shows you whether your text color will separate correctly if you are printing to a professional printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the text color button not appear in my toolbar?

The text color button only appears when you are in text editing mode. Double-click inside a text box to place your cursor, and the button should appear. If it still does not show, you may need to customize your toolbar — right-click the toolbar and select "Customize Toolbar" to add the text color button manually.

Can I change the color of just one letter in a word?

Yes. Click inside the text box, then click and drag to select only the letter or letters you want to recolor. Once they are highlighted, click the text color button and choose your new color. Only the selected letters will change.

What is the difference between text color and text outline color?

Text color fills the inside of the letters. Text outline color (called a stroke) draws a line around the edge of the letters. To add an outline, select your text, then click the stroke color button (next to the text color button) and choose a color. You can use both at the same time.

How do I change the color of a text box background without changing the text color?

Click the edge of the text box to select the box itself (not the text inside), then click the fill color button to change the background. The text color stays the same. If you want to change both, select the text first for the text color, then click the box edge for the background.

Will changing text color affect my document file size?

No. Color changes do not make your InDesign file larger. The file size depends on images, fonts, and the number of objects in your document, not on how many colors you use.