A practical guide to changing the color used for selected text, selected file names, and classic Windows highlight elements using safe Registry edits and accessibility-friendly alternatives.
The selection highlight color is the color Windows uses when you select text, rename files, highlight items in classic dialog boxes, or select entries in certain desktop applications. By default, Windows usually uses a blue highlight with white selected text.
This is not the same as the accent color used for the taskbar, Start menu, buttons, and some Settings elements. The selection highlight color is controlled by older Windows system color values, mainly Hilight and HilightText.
Windows does not provide a normal Settings switch for changing the standard selection highlight color. The most reliable built-in method is to edit two values in the Registry:
Hilight — the background color of selected text or selected items.HilightText — the text color displayed inside the selected area.regedit, and press Enter.HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors.The Windows Registry values for Hilight and HilightText use the format Red Green Blue. Each number must be between 0 and 255, separated by spaces.
0 120 215 = Windows-style blue
0 0 128 = classic dark blue
40 135 70 = green
128 0 128 = purple
255 255 255 = white text
0 0 0 = black textFor readability, choose a strong contrast between the highlight background and the selected text color. A dark highlight usually needs white selected text, while a very light highlight usually needs black selected text.
0 120 215
0 0 128
40 135 70
128 0 128
This method works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. It changes the current user profile only, so other Windows accounts on the same PC keep their own colors.
regedit, and click OK.HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\ColorsHilight.Hilight and enter the RGB value for the new selected background color. Example: 40 135 70.HilightText.HilightText and enter the RGB value for selected text. Example: 255 255 255.40 135 70 for Hilight and 255 255 255 for HilightText. This gives a clear green selection with white selected text.
To use a classic dark blue selection color, set these values:
Hilight 0 0 128
HilightText 255 255 255If you prefer not to edit the Registry manually, create a small .reg file. This is useful when you want to apply the same selection color again later.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors]
"Hilight"="40 135 70"
"HilightText"="255 255 255"change-highlight-color.reg..reg file can modify many Windows settings. Use only code you understand or create the file yourself.
For accessibility, Windows also provides Contrast Themes. These themes can make selected items easier to see and are often better than a small color tweak if the default blue selection is hard to distinguish.
Contrast themes change more than just selection colors. They affect windows, text, links, buttons, backgrounds, and many app elements. Use this method if visibility is the priority.
The Registry method changes classic Windows system colors. However, modern Windows apps do not always use these values. Some apps draw their own interface and ignore the system highlight color.
| Area or App Type | Expected Result |
|---|---|
| Classic Win32 dialogs | Usually follows the custom highlight color. |
| File rename field on Desktop or in File Explorer | Often reflects the changed selection color after restart. |
| Registry Editor and Run dialog | Usually affected by Hilight and HilightText. |
| Modern Settings app | May continue using Windows accent and theme colors. |
| Browsers and web pages | May use browser, website, or CSS-defined selection colors. |
| Office, Adobe, code editors, and other custom apps | Depends on the application theme engine. |
To return to the standard Windows-style blue highlight, set these values in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors:
Hilight 0 120 215
HilightText 255 255 255You can also restore the backup you exported earlier:
.reg backup file.Some Windows color values are loaded when the user session starts. If nothing changed immediately, restart the computer or sign out and sign back in.
The correct value names are Hilight and HilightText. Notice the spelling: Hilight does not contain the second “gh” used in the normal English word “highlight”.
Enter RGB values as 40 135 70, not 40,135,70 or #288746. Windows expects three decimal numbers separated by spaces.
Open Run, Registry Editor, or a classic dialog box and select text there. Modern apps may not reflect the change.
Third-party themes, shell customization tools, or contrast themes can override normal color behavior. Temporarily switch to a standard Windows theme and test again.
Not directly. Windows Settings lets you change accent colors, dark mode, light mode, and contrast themes, but it does not provide a simple switch for the classic selection highlight color.
No. The accent color affects items such as Start, taskbar, quick settings, buttons, and some interface highlights. The selection highlight color affects selected text and selected items in classic Windows interface elements.
No. Websites can define their own selection colors with CSS, and browsers may use their own rendering. The Registry method is mainly for Windows system colors and classic desktop controls.
Not directly in the Registry value. Convert the hex color to RGB first. For example, #288746 becomes 40 135 70.
Hilight and HilightText?Yes, if you change only these two string values and keep a backup. The change is reversible and affects only the current user profile.
The most direct way to change the selection highlight color in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is to edit the Hilight and HilightText values under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors. Use clear RGB values, keep strong contrast between the background and selected text, and restart or sign out after applying the change.
For a visible and comfortable custom highlight, try 40 135 70 for Hilight and 255 255 255 for HilightText. If you need broader accessibility improvements, use Windows Contrast Themes instead of relying only on the Registry method.