Here’s how to make your Windows Command Prompt look different.
Most of us rarely use the Windows Command Prompt these days, and when we do, it can be tedious — not to mention tiring — to use while staring at the default white text on a black background.
Many people, however, are unaware that the Windows Command Prompt can be easily customized with different colors and fonts. This can make it feel more personal and allow you to have more fun while using the Command Prompt to check your laptop’s battery life or locate your Windows 10 product key.
So, if you’re ready to get rid of that drab black-and-white text box, keep reading to learn how to change the color scheme of your Command Prompt.
How to change Command Prompt color in Windows 10
1. Of course, the first step is to open the Windows Command Prompt. The quickest way to do so in Windows 10 is to press the Start button and type “cmd” — the Command Prompt app should appear as the top search result. Allow yourself to open it.
If that doesn’t work, manually scroll down the Start Menu’s app list to the Windows System section and look for Command Prompt there. To use the Command Prompt app, simply double-click it.
2. After starting the Command Prompt, you should see a familiar black window with white text spelling out a command line — most likely starting with C: and ending with your Windows user name. We’re going to switch things up with the color command, and you can see what’s possible by typing color /? and pressing Enter.
As you can see, the color command is pretty self-explanatory: you can use it in conjunction with the provided table of colors corresponding to alphanumeric characters to change the color of the Command Prompt text and background by typing color XY, where X is the alphanumeric character for the color you want the text to be and Y is the color you want the background to be.
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You can also see that attempting to set the foreground and background to the same color will result in an error, indicating that you won’t be able to use the Command Prompt if you use this command. Let’s take it for a spin, shall we?
3. To demonstrate how it works, create a Matrix and use bright green text on a black background in the Command Prompt. To do so, type color 0a into the search box and press Enter.
For maximum comfort, I prefer bright text colors on a black background, but if you prefer something a little less stark, you could try a bright color on gray. Type color 8b to see how light aqua looks on gray, for example.
4. If you get tired of your custom color scheme and want to revert to the default white-on-black Command Prompt, simply type color and hit Enter to return everything to factory default.
It’s also worth noting that all changes made with the color command are only temporary. They’ll be forgotten once you close the Command Prompt, and when you open it again, it’ll be back to its default white-on-black look.
5. To change the color scheme of the Command Prompt permanently, go to the Properties menu of the Command Prompt. The simplest method is to right-click the Command Prompt window while it is open, then select Properties from the menu that appears.
You’ll find a plethora of options for customizing the look of your Command Prompt in the Properties menu, including the ability to change fonts, colors, and text sizes, change the appearance of the Command Prompt cursor, set the default window size, change its opacity, and more.
Furthermore, when you use the Properties menu, all of these changes are permanent. That means that if you give your Command Prompt a cleaner font, some sharper colors, and a 60% opacity level so you can still see what you’re working on behind the Command Prompt window, all of those changes will remain in effect even if you close and reopen it days later.
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And, if you type color to reset your Command Prompt’s color scheme, it will reset to whatever you’ve configured in the Properties menu, rather than the default white-on-black —so you’ll have to undo your changes manually in the Properties menu if you want to undo your changes.
