The fastest way to change text color

Open your Figma file and click once on the text you want to change. In the right panel under Design, look for the section labeled Fill. Click the colored square next to it — this opens the color picker. Choose your color and the text updates when ready.

If you do not see the Design panel on the right, your text may not be selected. Click the text again to make sure it is highlighted with a blue border. The panel should appear once the text is active.

You can also select multiple text layers at once and change them all to the same color in one step. Hold Shift and click each text element you want to change, then adjust the Fill color once — all selected layers update together.

Key Takeaways

  • Select your text by clicking it once, then find the Fill section in the Design panel on the right side of your screen.
  • Click the colored square next to Fill to open the color picker and choose a new color.
  • You can hold Shift and click multiple text layers to change several at once without selecting them individually.
  • If you want to reuse a color you have already used elsewhere in your file, click the color square and choose from your recent colors at the bottom of the picker.
  • Text color changes explore only to the selected text — the rest of your design stays the same unless you change it separately.

Using the color picker to find the exact shade you need

When you click the colored square in the Fill section, a color picker window opens. At the top you will see a large color field where you can click anywhere to pick a shade. The vertical bar on the right controls brightness — drag it up for lighter colors, down for darker ones.

If you know the exact color code you want (like a hex code from your brand guidelines), paste it into the field at the bottom of the picker. Figma accepts hex codes, RGB values, and HSL values. This is faster than clicking around if you are matching a specific color from somewhere else.

The color picker also shows your recent colors at the bottom — these are colors you have already used in this file. Clicking one of these is the quickest way to keep your text colors consistent across your design.

Changing text color for only part of a word or sentence

If you want to change the color of just a few words instead of the whole text box, double-click the text to enter edit mode. You will see a cursor blinking inside the text. Now highlight only the words you want to change by clicking and dragging across them.

Once those words are highlighted in blue, look at the Design panel on the right. The Fill section now controls only the selected text, not the whole text box. Click the colored square and pick your new color — only the highlighted words change.

This works the same way whether you are changing one letter or several sentences. The rest of the text keeps its original color. When you are done, click outside the text box to exit edit mode and see your final result.

Saving colors as team styles so you do not have to pick them twice

If you use the same text colors across many designs, you can save them as color styles in Figma. This means you pick the color once, name it, and then explore it to any text in any file on your team — and if you change that color later, it updates everywhere automatically.

To create a color style, first select text that has the color you want to save. In the Design panel, right-click the colored square next to Fill. A menu appears — click Create color style. Give it a name like "Primary Blue" or "Brand Red" and click Create. The color is now saved in your team library.

Next time you need that color, select your text, click the colored square in Fill, and look for the Styles tab at the top of the color picker. Your saved colors appear there. Click one and it applies when ready. If your team updates the brand color later, the person who manages the style changes it once, and every text box using that style updates across all files.

Troubleshooting when the color does not change

If you click the Fill color square and nothing happens, make sure you have selected the text itself, not the text box. Click directly on the words, not on the border around them. The text should be highlighted with a blue outline, and you should see the Design panel appear on the right.

If the Design panel is not visible, it may be hidden. Look at the top right of your Figma window — you should see a panel icon (it looks like sliders). Click it to open the right panel. If the Fill section is still not there, scroll down in the Design panel — it may be below other sections like Stroke or Effects.

Another common issue: you may have selected a text layer that has no text in it yet. If the text box is empty, the Fill color controls the color of text you type in the future, not text that already exists. Type some text first, then change the color.

Understanding Fill versus Stroke for text

In Figma, Fill is the color of the text itself — the solid color you see when you read the words. Stroke is an outline around the letters. Most text uses only Fill. You change Fill to make text red, blue, or any other color.

Stroke is less common for text because it can make words harder to read, but designers sometimes use it for special effects. If you accidentally added a stroke to your text and now it looks outlined, scroll down in the Design panel past Fill and look for Stroke. Click the X next to it to remove the stroke and go back to solid text color.

For normal text color changes, you only need to touch Fill. Stroke is there if you want it later, but most of the time you can ignore it.

Changing text color in components and instances

If your text is part of a component (a reusable design element), changing the color works the same way — select the text and adjust Fill. However, the change applies only to that one instance unless you edit the main component.

To change the color for all instances of a component at once, find the main component in your Assets panel (usually on the left side of Figma). Click the main component to select it, then change the text color in Fill. Every copy of that component across your file updates automatically.

If you want only some instances to have a different color, you can override the color on individual instances without touching the main component. Select the instance, change Fill, and only that copy changes. The main component stays the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change text color for an entire text box at once?

Yes. Click the text box once (not twice — you should not be in edit mode). The whole text box is now selected. Go to Fill in the Design panel and pick your color. Every word in that text box changes to the new color in one step.

What if I want to use a color from somewhere else in my design?

Click the colored square next to Fill to open the color picker. At the top right of the picker, you should see an eyedropper icon. Click it, then click anywhere on your canvas to pick that exact color. Figma copies the color and applies it to your selected text.

How do I make text transparent or semi-transparent?

Select your text and open the Fill color picker. At the bottom right of the picker, you will see a slider labeled with a percentage — this controls opacity. Drag it left to make the text more transparent, or right to make it fully opaque. At 0%, the text is invisible; at 100%, it is solid.

Can I change text color in a prototype or shared link?

No. Prototypes and shared links are read-only — you can view them but not edit. To change text color, open the original Figma file, make your changes, and the shared link updates automatically. Anyone viewing the link will see the new color.

What happens if I change a color style that multiple text boxes use?

All text boxes using that style update at the same time. Open the Styles panel, find the color style, right-click it, and choose Edit. Change the color in the picker. Every text box in every file that uses this style changes when ready — this is why color styles are useful for keeping designs consistent.