The fastest way depends on which program you're using

Font color lives in a different place in each program. In Microsoft Word and Google Docs, you'll find it in the toolbar as a small letter A with a colored bar underneath. In Apple Pages, it's under the Format menu. In most programs, you select the text first, then click the color tool and pick a shade. The exact steps change, but the principle stays the same across all of them.

Every program works the same way at the core: highlight what you want to change, find the color button, and click. The toolbar button is usually visible and labeled clearly, so you won't need to dig through menus once you know what to look for.

Key Takeaways

  • Select your text before changing its color — the color tool won't work on unselected text.
  • In Word and Google Docs, the font color button is a letter A with a colored underline in the main toolbar.
  • Most programs let you pick from a preset palette or enter a specific color code if you need an exact shade.
  • Changing font color does not affect the text itself, only how it appears on screen or in print.

How to change font color in Microsoft Word

Open your document and highlight the text you want to change. Look in the toolbar for a capital letter A with a colored bar or drop underneath it — this is the font color button. Click the small arrow next to it to open the color palette.

Word shows you a grid of standard colors. Click any color to apply it instantly. If you need a specific shade, click "More Colors" at the bottom of the palette. A dialog box opens where you can enter a hex code (a six-character color code like #FF5733) or adjust the color using sliders. Click OK when you're done.

How to change font color in Google Docs

Highlight the text you want to recolor. In the toolbar, find the letter A with a colored line underneath — this is the text color button. Click the small arrow next to it to reveal the color palette.

Google Docs shows a grid of preset colors arranged by shade. Click any color to apply it. If you want a custom color, click the plus sign at the bottom right of the palette. A color picker opens where you can enter a hex code, adjust using RGB sliders, or click directly on a color gradient. Your selection applies immediately.

How to change font color in Apple Pages

Select the text you want to change. Click the Format button in the toolbar (it looks like a paintbrush), then click the Text tab. Look for "Font Color" or "Text Color" in the options that appear.

A color picker opens. You can click a preset color from the grid, or click the color wheel icon to choose a custom shade. Pages also lets you pick from a spectrum or enter RGB values if you need precision. Click outside the picker when you're satisfied with your choice.

How to change font color in LibreOffice Writer

Highlight your text. In the toolbar, look for a capital A with a colored bar underneath and a small arrow next to it. Click the arrow to open the color palette.

LibreOffice shows a grid of standard colors. Click any color to apply it. For a custom color, click "Custom Color" at the bottom. A dialog opens where you can enter hex codes or adjust RGB values. Click OK to apply.

Reverting text to black or removing color

To change colored text back to black, select it and open the font color palette again. Click the black square in the color grid. In some programs, you'll see an option labeled "Automatic" or "Default" — clicking that returns the text to whatever color your document's default is.

If you want to remove color formatting entirely and return text to plain black, you can also select the text and press Ctrl+M (Windows) or Command+M (Mac) to clear all direct formatting. This removes color, bold, italics, and any other formatting you've applied directly to that text. Use this method when you want to strip all formatting at once rather than just the color.

Using color codes for exact matches

If you need the same color across multiple documents or want to match a color from a website or image, use a hex code. A hex code is six characters that represent a specific color — for example, #FF0000 is pure red, #00FF00 is pure green, and #0000FF is pure blue.

You can find hex codes by using an online color picker tool, or by right-clicking an image and selecting "Inspect" in your browser to see the code behind colors on a webpage. Once you have the code, open the custom color dialog in your program, paste the hex code into the field labeled "Hex" or "HTML Notation", and click OK. Every program will display that exact shade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing font color affect printing?

Yes, colored text prints in color if your printer supports it. If you're printing in black and white, colored text may appear as different shades of gray depending on the color you chose. Test a page first if you're unsure how it will look.

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

Yes. Select only that letter by clicking and dragging across it, then apply the color. You can change individual letters, words, or any portion of text — the selection method is the same.

What if the font color button is not in my toolbar?

Right-click the toolbar and look for an option to customize it or show hidden buttons. In some programs, you can also access font color through the Format menu at the top of the screen. Search the menu for "Font Color" or "Text Color".

Can I change multiple colors at once?

No, you apply one color per selection. If you want different colors in the same document, select the first section, apply its color, then select the next section and apply a different color. Repeat for each color change you need.