Are you tired of the default blue highlight color when you drag items around your Windows 10 screen? If so, you’re not alone. Many users find the blue highlight to be distracting or difficult to see, especially on dark backgrounds. Fortunately, it’s easy to change the drag highlight color to something more to your liking. In this article, we’ll show you how to do it in just a few simple steps.
Changing the drag highlight color is a great way to personalize your Windows 10 experience. It can also help you to be more productive by making it easier to see what you’re dragging. There are a variety of different colors to choose from, so you can find one that matches your personality or your workflow. We’ll also show you how to change the opacity of the drag highlight, so you can make it more or less visible.
Once you’ve changed the drag highlight color, you’ll be able to see your dragged items more easily. This can be especially helpful when you’re working with a lot of different windows or if you have a dark background. Changing the drag highlight color is a quick and easy way to make your Windows 10 experience more enjoyable.
Accessing Personalization Settings
To begin customizing the drag highlight color, we’ll need to delve into the depths of your computer’s personalization settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you there:
1. **Navigate through the Settings menu:** Start by selecting the “Start” button, typically found in the bottom-left corner of your screen. From there, click on the “Settings” icon, which resembles a gear.
2. **Locate the “Personalization” section:** Within the Settings menu, you’ll find various categories. Look for the “Personalization” category, symbolized by a paintbrush icon, and click on it.
3. **Access the “Colors” tab:** The Personalization window will display several tabs along the top. Select the “Colors” tab to proceed with modifying the drag highlight color.
Customizing Theme Options
Customizing the theme options in Windows 10 allows you to personalize the appearance of your desktop, including the drag highlight color. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Open the Settings app.
Click on the Start menu and select "Settings."
- Navigate to the "Personalization" section.
In the Settings window, click on "Personalization."
- Select the "Colors" tab.
In the left-hand menu, click on the "Colors" tab.
- Choose a custom color for the drag highlight.
Scroll down to the "Accent color" section and click on the color box. In the color picker that appears, select a custom color for the drag highlight.
- Turn on the "Show accent color on title bars and borders" option.
If you want the drag highlight color to be applied to title bars and window borders, make sure to turn on the "Show accent color on title bars and borders" option.
- Click on "Apply.
Once you’ve made your changes, click on the "Apply" button.
- Enjoy your new drag highlight color.
The drag highlight color will now be changed to the custom color you selected.
Modifying Window Accent Color
One way to change the drag highlight color in Windows 10 is by modifying the window accent color. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Open the Settings app in Windows 10.
2. Go to the “Personalization” section.
3. Click on the “Colors” tab.
4. Under the “Accent color” section, click on the “Custom” option.
5. Select the desired accent color from the color palette.
Additional Details
You can also use the “Advanced appearance options” section to further customize the appearance of the drag highlight color. Here’s how:
1. Under the “Advanced appearance options” section, click on the “Item Highlight” option.
2. In the “Item Highlight” dialog box, select the “Custom” option.
3. Use the color picker to select the desired drag highlight color.
4. Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Accent color | Sets the primary accent color used throughout the Windows 10 user interface. |
| Custom | Allows you to specify a specific accent color from a color palette. |
| Advanced appearance options | Provides additional customization options for various appearance aspects, including the drag highlight color. |
| Item Highlight | Sets the color used to highlight selected items, including the drag highlight. |
Understanding the Registry Editor
The Registry Editor is a powerful tool that allows you to change the settings of your Windows operating system. However, it is important to use caution when editing the registry, as making incorrect changes can cause your system to become unstable or even crash. Before making any changes to the registry, it is always a good idea to back up your registry. You can do this by clicking on the “File” menu and selecting “Export”.
To open the Registry Editor, press the Windows key + R and type “regedit”. Click on the “OK” button to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the Correct Key
Once the Registry Editor is open, you need to navigate to the correct key. The key that you need to edit will vary depending on the setting that you want to change.
For example, to change the drag highlight color, you need to navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors
Find the Correct Value
Once you have navigated to the correct key, you need to find the correct value. The value that you need to edit will vary depending on the setting that you want to change.
For example, to change the drag highlight color, you need to edit the “Highlight” value.
Change the Value Data
Once you have found the correct value, you need to change the value data. The value data is the information that is stored in the value.
For example, to change the drag highlight color, you need to change the value data to the following:
#0000FF
Close the Registry Editor
Once you have made the necessary changes to the registry, you can close the Registry Editor. Click on the “File” menu and select “Exit”.
Restart Your Computer
After you have made changes to the registry, you need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Restart Your Computer
Once you have made changes to the registry, you need to restart your computer in order for the changes to take effect. To restart your computer, click on the Start menu and select “Restart”.
Additional Information
In addition to the steps outlined above, here are some additional tips for changing the drag highlight color in Windows 10:
- You can use any color value that you want. You can find a list of color values at the following website: https://www.w3schools.com/colors/colors_hexadecimal.asp
Editing Registry Values
To modify drag highlight color through registry editing, follow these steps:
1. Open Registry Editor
Press Windows key + R, type “regedit” and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the DragHighlight key
Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM
3. Create the DragHighlightColor value
Right-click in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the value “DragHighlightColor”.
4. Set the color value
Double-click on the “DragHighlightColor” value, select Decimal from the Base option, and enter the desired color value in the Value data field. Refer to the table below for color values.
5. Customize Drag Highlight Color
To choose a specific color, use the following RGB format: 0xBBGGRR. Here’s how to break down the values:
| Parameter | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blue (BB) | 00 to FF | Blue intensity, from 0 (no blue) to 255 (deep blue) |
| Green (GG) | 00 to FF | Green intensity, from 0 (no green) to 255 (deep green) |
| Red (RR) | 00 to FF | Red intensity, from 0 (no red) to 255 (deep red) |
For example, to set a light blue highlight, use: 0x00CBFF (0 blue, 203 green, 255 red)
6. Restart Explorer
Restart Windows Explorer (taskmgr > Processes > Right-click Windows Explorer > Restart) to apply the changes.
Navigating the Registry Tree
To navigate the Registry Tree:
1.
Click the
Computer
option in the Registry Editor window’s left pane.
2.
Navigate to the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors
path by expanding the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
folder, then the
Control Panel
folder, and finally the
Colors
folder.
3.
Find the
HotTrackingColor
value on the right-side pane of the Registry Editor window.
4.
Right-click the
HotTrackingColor
value and select
Modify
from the context menu.
5.
Change the
Value data
field to the hexadecimal color code of your desired highlight color.
6.
Steps to Modify the
HotTrackingColor
Value:
1.
In the
Modify
window, ensure that the
Base
option is set to
Hexadecimal
.
2.
Enter the hexadecimal color code of your desired highlight color in the
Value data
field. For example, to set the highlight color to blue, you would enter
0000FF
.
3.
Click
OK
to save your changes.
4.
Close the Registry Editor window.
5.
Restart your computer to apply the new highlight color.
Creating a New DWORD Value
Now, let’s delve into the final steps of creating a new DWORD value:
7. Double-Click on the New Value
Once you’ve created the new value, double-click on it to open the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value window.
a. Value Data Field
In the Value data field, enter the numerical value corresponding to the desired highlight color. Refer to the table below for a list of available color codes:
| Color | Code |
|---|---|
| Black | 0 |
| White | 1 |
| Red | 2 |
| Blue | 4 |
| Green | 8 |
| Yellow | 16 |
| Magenta | 32 |
| Cyan | 64 |
| Gray | 128 |
| Light Gray | 192 |
| Dark Gray | 255 |
b. Hexadecimal Color Code
Alternatively, you can enter a hexadecimal color code (e.g., #000000 for black, #FFFFFF for white). To do this, select the Hexadecimal option under Base.
c. Click OK
Once you’ve specified the color, click OK to save the changes.
d. Restart Explorer
Finally, to apply the changes, restart Windows Explorer by following these steps:
- Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
- Find Windows Explorer in the Processes tab.
- Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
Setting the Highlight Color Value
To set the highlight color value, follow these detailed steps:
- Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Run dialog box (press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box).
- Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM
- Right-click on the DWM folder and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new value ColorPrevalence.
- Double-click on the ColorPrevalence value and set the Value data to one of the following values:
- Click OK to save the changes.
- Close the Registry Editor.
- Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
| Value | Color |
|---|---|
| 0 | Default system color |
| 1 | Accent color |
Restarting the Computer
Restarting the computer can often resolve minor issues and glitches, including those related to drag highlight color. Here’s a detailed guide on how to restart your computer:
1. Save Open Documents and Files
Before restarting, make sure to save any unsaved work or open documents to avoid losing data.
2. Close All Running Programs
Close all applications and programs that are running, as they may interfere with the restart process.
3. Click the Start Button
Click on the Start button located in the taskbar at the bottom left of your screen.
4. Select the Power Icon
Hover over the power icon in the bottom left corner of the Start menu.
5. Choose “Restart”
Click on the “Restart” option to initiate the restart process.
6. Wait for the Computer to Restart
Your computer will now begin the restart process, which may take a few minutes depending on its speed.
7. Log In to Your Account
Once the restart is complete, you will need to log in to your account using your password or other authentication method.
8. Check the Drag Highlight Color
After logging back in, check if the drag highlight color has changed to the desired color. If not, you may need to apply additional troubleshooting steps.
9. Advanced Troubleshooting
If restarting the computer alone does not resolve the issue, you can try the following advanced troubleshooting steps:
| Troubleshooting Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Update Graphics Drivers | Update your graphics card drivers to the latest version to ensure compatibility with the operating system. |
| Check System Files | Run the System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan and repair corrupt system files. |
| Create a New User Account | Create a new user account and check if the drag highlight color issue occurs in that account as well. |
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you’re having trouble changing the drag highlight color, here are a few things to try:
- **Make sure you’re using a Windows 10 theme that supports custom colors.** Some themes, such as the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition default theme, do not allow you to change the drag highlight color.
- **Try restarting your computer.** This will sometimes resolve any issues that may be preventing you from changing the drag highlight color.
- **Check for Windows updates.** Microsoft may have released an update that fixes the issue you’re experiencing.
Customising the Drag Highlight Color
The values in the table are the color components in hexadecimal format. The first two digits represent the red component, the second two digits represent the green component, and the last two digits represent the blue component. For example, the value “FF0000” represents the color red, and the value “00FF00” represents the color green.
| Color | Hex Value |
|---|---|
| Red | FF0000 |
| Green | 00FF00 |
| Blue | 0000FF |
| White | FFFFFF |
| Black | 000000 |
To change the drag highlight color, you can modify the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM<br>
Create a new DWORD value named DragHighlightColor and set its value to the desired color in hexadecimal format. For example, to set the drag highlight color to red, you would set the value of DragHighlightColor to FF0000.
How To Change Drag Highlight Color Windows 10
If you’re not a fan of the default drag highlight color in Windows 10, you can easily change it to something else. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app.
- Click on the “Personalization” category.
- Click on the “Colors” tab.
- Scroll down to the “Highlight color” section.
- Click on the color you want to use.
- Click on the “Apply” button.
Your drag highlight color will now be changed to the color you selected.
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