- To change the Taskbar color on Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Colors, select “Custom” for “Choose your mode,” choose “Dark” for the Windows mode and “Light” for the app mode, turn on “Show accent color on Start and taskbar,” and select the new color.
UPDATED 10/20/2023: On Windows 11, the Taskbar uses the light color scheme by default, and while you can always switch to dark mode, you can also choose virtually any color you want. However, changing the accent color for this feature is not straightforward since you must use a specific color mode before the option to switch colors becomes available in the Settings app.
Also, choosing a new color for the Taskbar will change the color of the Start menu and other elements, such as Quick Settings, Notifications, Search, and more.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to choose a different color for the Start menu and Taskbar on Windows 11.
Change Taskbar color on Windows 11
To change the color of the Taskbar on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Personalization.
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Click the Colors tab.
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In the “Choose your mode” setting, select the Custom option.
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Select the Dark option in the “Choose your default Windows mode” setting.
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Turn on the “Show accent color on Start and taskbar” toggle switch.
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Choose the Manual option in the “Accent color” setting.
Quick note: The system will generate a color based on the desktop background image when using the “Automatic” option. -
Select the new color for the Taskbar (and Start menu).
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(Optional) Click the View colors button to create a custom color in the “Custom colors” setting.
Once you complete the steps, the Windows 11 Taskbar (and Start menu) will reflect the color you selected on the settings page.
Update October 20, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect new changes.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.