Microsoft KB Archive/310543

= How to Change the Font, Size, and Colors of Desktop Items =

Article ID: 310543

Article Last Modified on 12/1/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

-



This article was previously published under Q310543



SUMMARY
This article describes how to customize the appearance of your desktop by changing the font, size, and colors of individual Window elements on the desktop.



MORE INFORMATION
In Windows XP, you can personalize the look and feel of your desktop by changing the font, size, and colors of individual Window elements such as menus, icons, and title bars.

NOTE: You can change the look of individual items if you select Windows Classic style in the Windows and buttons list on the Appearance tab of Display Properties. (Right-click an empty area of your desktop, then click Properties, and then click the Appearance tab). If you select a visual style other than Windows Classic, that style determines the appearance of your menus, fonts, icons, and other Window elements.

How to Change the Color, Size, and Font of Individual Window Elements
To change the font, size, or colors of individual Window elements, follow these steps:  Right-click an empty area of your desktop, and then click Properties. Click the Appearance tab, and then click Advanced. In the Item list or in the preview window, click the Window element that you want to change. You can select from any of the following items:

3D Objects

Active Title Bar

Active Window Border

Application Background

Caption Buttons

Desktop

Icon

Icon Spacing (Horizontal)

Icon Spacing (Vertical)

Inactive Title Bar

Inactive Window Border

Menu

Message Box

Palette Title

Selected Items

ToolTip

Window

 Do any of following to achieve the look that you want:

NOTE: Not all options for all Window elements are available. For example, the Font option appears dimmed and is unavailable for elements in the Item list that do not display text.  Under Item:  In the Size box, specify the size that you want to use for the item. In the Color box, specify the color that you want to use for the item.</li></ul> </li> Under Font: <ul> Click the font that you want to use for the item.</li> In the Size box, specify the font size.</li> In the Color box, specify the color that you want.</li> To apply a bold font, click B. To italicize the font, click I.</li></ul> </li></ul>

A preview of your current settings is displayed in the preview window.

</li> When you are finished making the changes that you want, click OK twice to save your settings.</li></ol>

NOTE:
 * If you click Window in the Item box, and then modify the font color for that item, the automatic font color that is available in many programs is also modified. Any documents that use the automatic font color are affected if you change this setting. Many programs, including WordPad and Microsoft Word, use automatic as the default font color. Any new documents that you create in these programs use the new font color that you select for the Window item.

To use a different default font color in programs that use automatic as the default font color, you may be able to create a template that uses the font color that you want as the default font color, and then use that template instead of the default template. For information about how to do this, view the documentation that is included with the program, or contact the program manufacturer.
 * As you modify items, note their appearance in the preview window. Note that you must use the same font and size for the Active Title Bar and Inactive Title Bar items, and that bold or italic selections for either item are applied to both items. If you choose a desktop theme after you change fonts or colors, the fonts and colors for that desktop theme override your selections.

<div class="references_section">