[SOLVED] Can’t Change Taskbar Color in Windows

The taskbar may stay stuck with its normal dark or clear look even after choosing a new color in the Settings app.
This means Windows is stopping the change because of mode limits, usually caused by Light mode, which turns off taskbar color changes.

The main cause is the system’s mode setting, with other causes including problems from third-party tools like ExplorerPatcher or Wallpaper Engine.

1. Revert to the Default Windows Theme

The taskbar color issue could be a temporary glitch in the display module. You can often clear it by switching back to the default Windows theme.

1. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize.

   

2. In Settings, select Themes on the left, then click Windows under Change theme.

   

3. Check if you can change the taskbar color now.

2. Update Windows of Your System to the Latest Build

Microsoft regularly adds features and fixes bugs through updates. If Windows isn’t up to date, you may experience this problem. Updating to the latest build may resolve it.

1. Press Windows + Q and type Check for updates.

   

2. Click Check for updates. If updates are available, download and install them.

   

3. Restart your system and see if the taskbar color issue is resolved.

3. Change the Color of the Taskbar After Enabling/Disabling Different System Options

Starting with Windows 10 version 1903, Microsoft changed how taskbar colors work. Follow these steps to set it up correctly.

1. Click the Windows button and search for Settings, then select it.

   

2. Open Personalization and set Background to Solid color.

   

3. In the left pane, click Colors. On the right, open the Choose your color dropdown.

   

4. Select Custom, then set Choose your default Windows mode to Dark.
5. Set Choose your default app mode to Light (you can switch this later if you prefer).
6. Turn Transparency effects Off.
7. Uncheck Automatically pick an accent color from my background (under Choose your accent color).

   

8. Select a color you like in the Windows colors section.
9. Under Show accent color on the following surfaces, check both “Start, taskbar, and action center” and “Title bars and window borders”.

   

10. Check if the taskbar color changes.
11. If not, open Settings again (step 1) and select Ease of Access.

    

12. In the left pane, select Color filters and turn Turn on color filters to the Off position. Then check the taskbar color again.

    

4. Reset the Graphics Settings of Your System to Defaults

If your graphics settings are misconfigured, Windows may not apply color changes correctly. Resetting your graphics settings to their defaults can help.

4.1. AMD

1. Right-click on the desktop and open AMD Radeon Settings.

   

2. Go to the Preferences tab and select Restore Factory Defaults.

   

4.2. NVIDIA

1. Right-click on the desktop and open the NVIDIA Control Panel.

   

2. Click Manage 3D settings, then click Restore (or Restore Defaults) near the top right.

   

4.3. Intel

1. Right-click on the desktop and select Graphics Properties.

   

2. Open 3D, then click Restore Defaults (near the bottom).

   

After resetting the graphics settings, restart your system and check if you can change the taskbar color.

5. Remove Conflicting Applications

Customization apps can override Windows settings and prevent the taskbar color from changing. Uninstalling conflicting apps may resolve the issue. One known example is Stardock Start10.

1. Press the Windows key, find Stardock Start10, right-click it, and click Uninstall.

   

2. In Control Panel’s list of installed programs, select Stardock Start10 and click Uninstall. If it’s not listed, right-click inside the window and select Refresh.

   

3. Follow the prompts to uninstall Start10, then restart your system.
4. After restart, check for any similar apps. If found, uninstall them as well and restart again.
5. Verify if the taskbar color can now be changed.

If you do not want to uninstall Stardock Start10 (or similar apps), explore its settings to disable features that control taskbar colors, which may be blocking Windows from changing them.

6. Use the High Contrast Mode

If the taskbar color still won’t change, switching to High Contrast mode can sometimes produce the desired effect.

1. Click the Windows button, then click the gear icon to open Windows Settings.
2. Open Ease of Access and select High contrast on the left.
3. Toggle Turn on high contrast to On, then check if you can change the taskbar color.

   

7. Delete the Personalization Registry Key

If none of the above worked, deleting the related registry key may help.

1. Press Windows + Q and type Registry Editor. In the results, right-click Registry Editor and select Run as administrator.

   

2. Then back up the registry (recommended).
3. Navigate to:

   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization

   

4. In the left pane, right-click Personalization and click Delete.
5. Confirm the deletion and exit Registry Editor.
6. Restart your system and check if you can change the taskbar color.

8. Use Another User Account

A corrupt user profile can also prevent color changes. Using another account (either the built-in Administrator or by creating a new user account) may solve the problem.

1. Right-click the Windows button and select Computer Management.

   

2. In the left pane, expand Local Users and Groups.
3. Click Users. In the right pane, right-click Administrator and select Properties.

   

4. Uncheck “Account is disabled” and click Apply/OK.

   

5. Restart your system. Log in with the built-in Administrator account and check if you can change the taskbar color.

9. Reset Windows of Your System to the Defaults

If none of the solutions worked, your Windows installation might be corrupted. In that case, reset Windows to its defaults. Hopefully, this will resolve the taskbar color issue.

If the issue persists, you may need to perform a clean installation of Windows or use a 3^rd party application (like TranslucentTB, Taskbowfree, Winaero’s Personalization Panel for Windows 10, Classic Shell, or Winaero Tweaker) to change the taskbar color.