Where to find the font color tool
Font color controls live in the toolbar of nearly every word processor and email program. In Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Apple Pages, look for an icon that looks like an "A" with a colored bar underneath — usually near the bold and italic buttons. Click the small arrow next to it to open a color palette.
In Gmail and Outlook, the font color button appears in the compose window toolbar, often grouped with text formatting options like font size and bold. Some programs hide it under a "More options" menu if your toolbar is compact. If you cannot find it, right-clicking selected text usually reveals a formatting menu with color choices.
Spreadsheet programs like Excel and Google Sheets place font color in the same toolbar location, though they may also offer it through a Format menu at the top of the screen.
Key Takeaways
- Font color buttons appear in the main toolbar as an "A" with a colored bar, usually near bold and italic formatting.
- Select the text first, then click the color button — the program will not let you change color if nothing is selected.
- Most programs offer a preset palette of common colors plus a "custom color" or "more colors" option for exact shades.
- Changing font color does not affect how the document prints or exports unless you specifically remove colors before saving.
- Email programs may limit color choices to may support messages display correctly across different email clients and devices.
Selecting text before changing its color
You must select the text you want to recolor before the color tool will work. Click at the start of the text, hold down your mouse button, and drag to the end of the section you want to change. On a touchpad, you can also double-click a word to select it, or triple-click to select an entire paragraph.
If you want to change the color of text you have not typed yet, position your cursor where you want to type, click the color button, choose your color, and then type. The new text will appear in that color until you change the color again or press the color button a second time to turn off the override.
A common mistake is clicking the color button without selecting anything first. If the button does not respond or appears grayed out, go back and select the text you want to change.
Choosing from preset colors versus custom colors
Most programs show a small palette of preset colors when you click the font color button — typically red, blue, green, black, and a few others. These colors are designed to be readable on white backgrounds and to print clearly. For most work, a preset color is the fastest choice.
If you need a specific shade — a particular brand blue, a company green, or a shade that matches your design — look for a "More Colors," "Custom Color," or "Color Picker" option, usually at the bottom of the preset palette. This opens a larger dialog where you can enter exact color values. Different programs accept different formats: some use RGB numbers (0 to 255 for each of red, green, and blue), others use hex codes (six-character codes starting with #), and some show a color wheel you can click.
If you are working in a shared document or sending an email, stick to preset colors unless you have a specific reason to customize. Preset colors are more likely to look the same on every device and in every email client.
Removing or changing font color after you have applied it
To change a color you have already applied, select the colored text and click the font color button again. Choose a new color from the palette, and the text updates when ready. You do not need to undo or delete anything.
To remove color and return text to black (or the default color for your document), select the text and look for an option called "Automatic," "Default," or "No Color" in the color palette — it is usually at the top or bottom. Clicking it strips away the color formatting and returns the text to the document's standard color.
Some programs also let you select colored text and press a keyboard shortcut to clear formatting entirely. In Word, this is Ctrl+M on Windows or Command+M on Mac. In Google Docs, it is Ctrl+\ on Windows or Command+\ on Mac. These shortcuts remove all formatting (bold, italic, color) at once, not just color.
How font color behaves in different file types
Font color is preserved when you save a document as .docx (Word), .odt (OpenDocument), or .gdoc (Google Docs). If you export to PDF, colors remain visible and print correctly. However, if you save as plain text (.txt), all color information is lost — the text becomes black or whatever the default is for the program opening it.
In email, font color depends on the email client receiving the message. Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all display colors correctly. Some older email systems or very basic text-only email clients may strip colors out. If you are sending to someone using an unfamiliar email system, test by sending yourself a message with colored text first.
When you copy and paste text from one program to another, colors usually come along, but not always. Pasting into a plain-text field (like a search box or a comment field in some websites) will lose the color. Pasting into another word processor or email compose window typically keeps it.
Common reasons font color does not work as expected
If you click the color button and nothing happens, the most common cause is that no text is selected. Select the text first, then try again. If the color button itself is grayed out or disabled, the program may not support font color in that particular context — some templates or restricted documents do not allow formatting changes.
If the color appears on screen but does not print, check your printer settings. Some printers are set to "Print in black and white only" or "Grayscale mode." Change this in your printer preferences before printing, or the color will not show on paper even though it appears on your screen.
If you are working in a shared document (Google Docs or Word Online) and your color changes disappear, another user may have edited that section and removed the formatting. Check the version history or revision log to see what changed. In Google Docs, click "Version history" in the File menu; in Word Online, click "Version history" under the File tab.
Using font color effectively in your workflow
Font color works best when it serves a purpose: highlighting action items in a project plan, color-coding different sections of a report, or marking edits in a shared document. Avoid using color as the only way to communicate information — someone printing in black and white or using a screen reader will miss it.
If you are creating a document others will edit, use color sparingly and consistently. For example, always use red for feedback and blue for questions. This makes the document easier to scan and helps collaborators understand your intent without having to ask.
For accessibility, pair color with another visual cue: bold text, a different font size, or a note in brackets. This ensures your meaning comes through even if someone cannot see the color or is using a device that does not display it correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the color of just one letter in a word?
Yes. Select only that letter by clicking and dragging across it, then explore the color. The rest of the word stays its original color. This works in any word processor, though it is rarely useful except for design or creative work.
What is the difference between font color and highlighting?
Font color changes the text itself. Highlighting adds a colored background behind the text, like a marker. Both are in the toolbar, but they are separate tools. Highlighting is better for marking important passages; font color is better for categorizing or organizing information.
Does changing font color affect the file size?
Not meaningfully. Color information is stored as a small piece of metadata in the file. Adding color to a 100-page document might increase the file size by a few kilobytes at most. This is not a concern for sharing or storage.
Can I set a default font color for all new documents?
In Word, you can modify the Normal style to use a different color, and all new documents based on that style will use it. In Google Docs, there is no global default, but you can create a template with your preferred color and use it to start new documents. In most other programs, you set the color each time you create a document.
What happens to font color when I convert a Word document to Google Docs?
Colors are preserved during conversion. Upload a .docx file to Google Drive, right-click it, and select "Open with Google Docs." All font colors transfer correctly. The reverse is also true — downloading a Google Doc as .docx keeps the colors intact.