Windows XP : Change Main Windows Screen Font Color

**Wskip49** · 12-04-2009, 10:23 AM

How do I change the font color for my windows screen. I have a background that the writing is not visible.

**martindwilson** · 12-04-2009, 06:20 PM

you can choose all this from
right click desk top
choose properties then choose appearance
advanced.
but im not sure what you really want!

**Wskip49** · 12-04-2009, 07:26 PM

I went to properties but the only thing that would change was the menu tile. What I'm trying to do is change the main screen, or maybe it's call desktop. There I have my programs i go to like excel, word, etc. I would like to change the font color under the Icons so the tiles will be white with black background.

**Paul** · 12-04-2009, 07:57 PM

Not sure you can change the icon text color using standard utilities. You can likely use something like TweakUI or Iconoid to do this. The only "standard" option would probably be to:

Open Control Panel -> double-click System -> click Advanced tab -> click Settings in the Performance section. In the 'Custom' box, scroll down and un-check 'Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop' and click OK a couple times. This should put either a dark background around your icon text, or a white background with dark lettering.

Hope that helps.

**Jo-Jo** · 12-05-2009, 06:11 AM

Hi,

I don't think I would normally want to tinker with the desktop other than by changing the entire colour scheme which in some cases changes the font colour.

Having said that (and from memory, so be careful)... if you happy delving into the registry (after making a backup copy), search for an entry in there named something like 'windowsmetrics'. As I say this is from memory, so it could be called 'windowmetric' without the 's'es' or just one 's' in either place... sorry to be vague, I don't have a windows box at the moment!

Anyway, if I recall, there is a hexdecimal setting in this windsmetric section that changes the icon font colour.

Repeat... do backup the registry before tinkering and even then only if your really comfortable doing it.

Good luck.

**martindwilson** · 12-05-2009, 09:43 AM

try iconoid as paul suggested from
http://www.sillysot.com/

**Jack in the UK** · 01-20-2010, 05:50 AM

I have never solved this from user side i.e. registry hacks or profile settings etc

There is software out there to do this I have never seen anything free (not that I have dug this one much)

Windowblindze (note I think its got a Z in the name) or Toys are probably the best place to start