With the default settings, Windows 10 uses black color for the Start menu, taskbar, and action center. While the default black color looks beautiful and goes well with the default wallpaper, after using Windows 10 for a while, you might want to change your taskbar color to your desired color.

Microsoft has included several settings to customize the taskbar and Start menu in Windows 10. You can make the Start menu and taskbar transparent, add or remove the search box from the taskbar, and configure the taskbar to use the color of the desktop background or set your own custom color.

So in Windows 10, if you’re bored with the default black color of the taskbar, you can set a color of your choice or configure the taskbar to use a color to match the wallpaper.

The only catch, however, is that you can’t set different colors for the taskbar, action center, and Start menu in Windows 10, and moreover, the color of the taskbar and Start menu will be the accent color and vice versa. For the uninitiated, the accent color is nothing but a color used in the Settings app, some tiles on Start, and some other areas of Windows 10. The accent color is also the window border color.

To change the taskbar color in Windows 10, follow the instructions mentioned in one of the two given below methods.

Method 1 of 2

Change the taskbar color via Settings

Step 1: Right-click on desktop and then click Personalize option to Personalization section of the Settings app.

Step 2: Click Colors. Scroll down to see the Show accent color on the following surfaces section. Here, check the box next to Start, taskbar, and action center to show color on the taskbar, Start menu, and action center.

If you don’t want to use the current (accent) color, you can select a color (or create your own color by clicking on the Custom color option just below it) from the Colors section (on the same page).

If the Start, taskbar, and action center option is greyed out, please refer to our fix to Start, taskbar, and action center greyed out in Windows 10 Settings guide.

As you can see, the same page offers an option to show color on the title bars and window borders as well.

Method 2 of 2

Change the taskbar color to match the desktop background

Step 1: Open the Personalization section of the Settings app. To do so, right-click on the desktop and then click Personalize.

Step 2: Navigate to the Colors page. Select the following options:

Automatically pick an accent color from my background

Show accent color on Start, taskbar, and action center.

That’s it! From here onwards, whenever you change the desktop background and the color of the taskbar and Start menu will also be changed automatically.

Note: As of now, there is no software around to set different colors for the Start menu and taskbar in Windows 10. We will update this article if and when a developer comes with software to set separate colors for the taskbar and Start menu in Windows 10.

Let us know if you are unable to change your default taskbar color in Windows 10.