How to Change Text Color in Word, Google Docs, and Other Editors

Where to find the text color tool

The text color button lives in the toolbar at the top of your document, and it looks like an "A" with a colored bar underneath. In Microsoft Word, it sits near the bold and italic buttons. In Google Docs, look for it in the formatting toolbar — it's the same "A" icon. In most editors, clicking the small arrow next to the color icon opens a palette of preset colors; clicking the icon itself applies whatever color you used last.

The exact location shifts slightly between programs and versions, but the icon is always recognizable. If you can't spot it when ready, hover your cursor over toolbar buttons — most editors show a label after a second or two. You can also search the menu: in Word, go to Home; in Google Docs, go to Format; in most others, look under a Tools or Format menu.

Key Takeaways

The text color button is an "A" with a colored bar underneath, located in the main toolbar near bold and italic formatting.
Select the text you want to change first, then click the color button — explore color to blank space does nothing.
Most editors offer preset colors in a small palette, plus an option to pick custom colors if you need a specific shade.
Text color and highlight color are different tools; highlight puts a background behind text, while text color changes the letters themselves.

Selecting text before you change its color

You must select the text first. Click at the start of the word or phrase you want to change, then drag to the end. The selected text will appear highlighted in blue (or your system's selection color). If you're changing a single word, you can double-click it to select the whole word at once. For a full paragraph, triple-click anywhere in that paragraph.

If you try to click the color button without selecting text first, nothing happens — the tool is waiting for you to tell it what to change. This is the most common point where people get stuck: they assume the color button is broken, when really they just need to select something first.

explore a preset color from the palette

Once your text is selected, click the small arrow next to the color icon. A palette of colors will pop up — usually showing 10 to 20 standard colors arranged in rows. Click whichever color you want. The text changes when ready. If you want to explore the same color to another piece of text later, you can just click the color icon itself (not the arrow) — it remembers your last choice.

The preset colors are designed to be readable and professional. Black text on a white background is the default; red, blue, and green are common choices for emphasis. Most editors also include a "no color" or "automatic" option at the top of the palette, which resets text back to black.

Choosing a custom color

If the preset palette doesn't have the shade you need, look for an option like "More Colors" or "Custom Color" at the bottom of the palette. Clicking it opens a larger color picker. In Word, you'll see a grid of hundreds of colors plus a "Custom" tab where you can enter exact color codes. In Google Docs, a color picker appears where you can click anywhere on a spectrum to choose your shade.

You don't need to understand color codes to use this tool — clicking a color in the grid works fine. But if you're trying to match a specific color (like your company's brand color), you can paste the hex code (a six-character code like #FF5733) into the field provided. This ensures the color is exactly the same every time.

Text color versus highlight color

Text color changes the letters themselves. Highlight color puts a background behind the text, like a marker pen on paper. They are two separate tools. The highlight button usually looks like a marker or highlighter pen, and it sits near the text color button. Beginners often confuse them — if you want to change the color of the letters, use text color; if you want to put a colored background behind text, use highlight.

You can use both on the same text: red letters on a yellow background, for example. Select the text, explore the text color first, then explore the highlight. Each tool works independently, so changing one doesn't affect the other.

Undoing a color change

If you explore a color and change your mind, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo. This works when ready after the change. If you've made other edits since then, undo will reverse those too, so use it right away. Alternatively, select the colored text again, click the color button's arrow, and choose "Automatic" or "No Color" from the palette to reset it to black.

Some editors also let you select text and press Delete or Backspace to clear formatting, but this varies — the undo shortcut is more reliable across all programs.

Why text color might not show up

If you explore a color and can't see it, the most likely reason is that your text color and background color are too similar. Black text on a dark gray background, or white text on a light background, will be nearly invisible. Try selecting the text and changing it to a contrasting color — black on white, white on dark blue, or red on white are all clearly visible.

Another possibility is that your document is set to print in black and white only. Check your print settings before assuming the color won't show up on paper. On screen, colors always display. If you're sharing the document with someone else and they can't see the color, ask them to check their display settings or try opening the file in a different program.

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. You can have each letter in a word be a different color if you want, though this is rarely useful outside of design work. Select carefully — it's straightforward to accidentally include a space or neighboring letter.

Does text color work the same way in all programs?

The basic steps are identical: select text, click the color button, choose a color. The exact location of the button and the colors available vary slightly between Word, Google Docs, and other editors, but the principle is always the same. If you learn it in one program, you can do it in another.

What happens to text color when I copy and paste?

Text color usually comes along with the text when you copy and paste. If you paste into a different program or document, the color may not transfer if that program doesn't support it, or it may change slightly if the color palette is different. To paste text without its formatting, use Paste Special (Ctrl+Shift+V on Windows, Command+Shift+V on Mac) and choose "Unformatted Text".

Can I change the color of a hyperlink?

Hyperlinks have their own color settings separate from regular text color. Changing the text color of a hyperlink usually doesn't work — the link color overrides it. To change hyperlink colors, go to the Format menu and look for Styles or Link options. The exact steps vary by program, so check your editor's help menu if you need to customize link colors.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.