How to Color Text

This updated guide examines How to Color Text and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1

Using Microsoft Office

1. Open a Microsoft Office document. Double-click a Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document to open it in its respective Microsoft Office program.
   • If you want to create a new document, open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, then click the Blank option on the opening page.
2. Find text to color. Scroll through your document until you find the text for which you want to change the color.
   • If you're creating a new document, type in your text before proceeding.
3. Select the text. Click and drag your mouse across the text to highlight it.
4. Click theHometab. It's in the upper-left side of the window. This will bring up the Home toolbar at the top of the window.
5. Open the color menu. Click the drop-downicon next to the black A that's in the "Font" section of the toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear.
   • On Word for Mac, there are several A buttons; the bottom-right one in the Font section is the one which controls color. It should have a horizontal colored bar below it.
6. Select a color. Click one of the color boxes in the drop-down menu. You should see your selected text change its color to match.
7. Save your changes. PressCtrl+S(Windows) or?Command+S(Mac) to do so.

Method 2

Using Google Docs

1. Open the Google Docs page. Go to https://docs.google.com/ in your computer's web browser. If you're logged into your Google Account, this will open a list of your Google Docs documents.
   • If you aren't logged into your Google Account, enter your email address and password when prompted before proceeding.
2. Select a document. Click a document for which you want to color some of the text. The document will open.
   • If you want to create a new document, click Blank in the upper-left side of the page.
3. Find text to color. Scroll through your document until you find the text for which you want to change the color.
   • If you're creating a new document, type in your text before proceeding.
4. Select the text. Click and drag your cursor across the text to highlight it.
5. ClickA. It's at the top of the Google Docs window. A drop-down menu will appear.
6. Select a color. Click one of the color boxes in the drop-down menu. You should see your selected text change its color to match.
   • Your changes will automatically be saved.

Method 3

Using Pages

1. Open a Pages document. Double-click a Pages document for which you want to change some of the text color. The document will open in Pages.^[1]
   • If you want to create a new document in Pages, open Pages, then click Create Document and select a document preset.
2. Find text to color. Scroll through your document until you find the text for which you want to change the color.
   • If you're creating a new document, type in your text before proceeding.
3. Select the text. Click and drag your cursor across the text to highlight it.
4. ClickFormat. It's the paintbrush-shaped icon in the upper-right side of the window. Doing so will open the Format menu on the right side of the page.
5. Click theStyletab. You'll find this near the top of the Format menu.
6. Click the color wheel. It's the rainbow-colored circle at the bottom of the "Font" section of the Format menu. A drop-down menu will appear.
   • If you want to see a list of colors which go well with your document's preset, click the color rectangle here instead.
7. Select a color. Click a color in the drop-down menu to apply it to your selected text.
8. Save your changes. Press?Command+Sto do so.

Method 4

Using HTML

1. Open a text editor. On Windows, you'll usually use Notepad, while Mac users will use TextEdit.
2. Set up your document. The first thing you'll need to do when creating HTML text is indicate the type of document by doing the following:
   • Type inand press?Enter.
   • Type inand press?Enter.
   • Type inand press?Enter.
3. Create a line of text. Typeinto your text editor, write your text, and then close the line of text by typing.
4. Change the text's color. After thetag, type in—making sure to replace color with your preferred color (e.g.,red)—and then typedirectly before thetag.^[2]
   • Your completed line should look something like this:
   • You can choose any color on the ROYGBIV spectrum (as well as white and black), or you can experiment with other more specific colors (e.g., chartreuse).
5. Save your file. PressCtrl+S(Windows) or?Command+S(Mac) to open the save window, then select a save location and add a title to your file. You'll also need to save the file as an HTML file:
   • On Windows, click the Save as type drop-down box, click All Files in the drop-down menu, and type.htmlat the end of the file's name. Click Save to save the file.
   • On Mac, you'll type.htmlafter the file's name and then click Save .