Windows 11 lets you set a custom Start menu color to improve its look and feel. Follow these steps to change the Start menu in Windows 11.
Compared to Windows 10, Windows 11’s Start menu is much more cleaner, usable, and functional. You can pin apps and folders, access your frequently opened apps from the Recommended section, and even categorize and organize pinned apps in folders. Although it’s different from Windows 10, you can still change the color of your Start menu in Settings. By default, Windows 11 displays a white or light-colored Start menu thanks to Light mode. However, with a few tweaks, you can apply any accent color to the Start menu with just a couple of clicks.
In this quick and easy guide, I will show you the steps to change the Start menu color in Windows 11 using the Settings app. Let’s get started.
Before You Start
- To change the Start menu color, you should use dark mode. If you are using light mode, please switch to dark mode (Settings > Personalization > Colors).
- The Start menu color is automatically applied to the taskbar and notification center.
Change Start menu color in Windows 11
You can change the Start menu color in Windows 11 via the Personalization options in the Settings app. Here’s how:
- Right-click the Windows icon and select “Settings“.
- Select “Personalization” on the sidebar.
- Click the “Colors” option.
- Turn ON the “Show accent color on Start and taskbar“.
- With that, the new color is applied to the Windows 11 Start menu.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
The first thing to do is open the Windows 11 Settings app. For that, right-click the Windows key on the taskbar and select “Settings“. You can also press the “Windows key + I” shortcut or search for “Settings” in the Start menu
Once it opens, go to the “Personalization” tab on the left sidebar and click the “Colors” option on the right page.
On this page, scroll down and turn ON the “Show accent color on Start and taskbar” toggle.
Important note: If this toggle is greyed out, you need to change need to switch from light mode to dark mode.
By default, Windows 11 uses the accent color from the wallpaper. If you want, you can change that. To do that, expand the “Accent Color” section. After that, select “Manual” from the dropdown menu. Next, select a color from the color palette. As soon as you choose a color, it should be applied to the Start menu and taskbar.
If you cannot find your favorite color in the palette, you can set a custom color. To do that, click on the View Colors button next to the “Custom Colors” option.
Now, use the color picker to pick a color and click the “OK” button.
As soon as you do that, the color is applied to the Start menu. i.e., you have successfully changed the Start menu color in Windows 11.
That is all. It is that simple to change the color of your Start menu. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
