Windows doesn’t allow you keep different colors for the taskbar / system tray and the title bars of apps. There is, however, a way to keep the color selection independent. Find out how you can keep a dark taskbar with vibrant titlebars after the bump.
In today’s tutorial, we will show you first hand how to make your titlebar color and the color of your taskbar, action center, etc. completely independent from each other. Windows doesn’t give you this option, but Windows Clan can show you how!
Proceed with caution
While it isn’t the first time we have had the option to tinker with the taskbar, this is definitely an option for those who want to make their Windows 10 stand out. The guide is targeted at intermediate-level Windows 10 users as it involves some deeper interaction with the registry editor, but nothing that should prove as too much of a challenge.
Steps to use different colors in taskbar and titlebar
Before you proceed, it is best you do so with caution. If you can, get the help of an experienced computer user to help you with STEP 3 onwards.
If you run into any problem, just start over at STEP 1 and it will automatically restore the key we need in STEP 2 to get reset to the properties we need to adjust!
STEP 1:
Right-Click on your desktop and click on Personalize, choose the Colors tab. You first have to choose your desired title bar color before you begin. We will later select a different color for the taskbar and associated elements.
Once you have done so, run registry editor with the help of CTRL + R and typing in regedit. Otherwise you can run the command from Cortana too with the help of CTRL + S and regedit.
STEP 2:
Once you have registry editor open, navigate to the following directory:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAccent
In here, you will find the entry for “AccentPalette”
Once you double click and open “AccentPalette“, you will see a new box which will have 4 Rows (These are numbered as 0000, 0008, 0010, 0018, and 0020) and 8 columns going left to right. We’ll play with these to keep a separate color for the taskbar, system tray, Action Center, etc.
STEP 3:
This is what your registry editor will look like BEFORE you make the amendments to separate the color scheme.
Now, below is what the above should look like AFTER you have tinkered with it. Keep in mind the differences between the highlighted boxes in both pictures. Once the far right column are corresponding to the below AFTER shot, it means you did it right!
To make changes to this directory, simply place the cursor in front of the entry you wish to change and enter it i.e in the first column, first row, B7, you have to place the cursor in front of the 7 and type 1F.
If you have a look at the far right column, mainly referring to where on the far right side of 0000 in the two images, you see the change go from a random string of characters to a series of ellipsis. When your after shot looks like the above image, you have done the steps correctly and are all set to go!
Once you have done this, it is recommended to reboot, but if you don’t have the patience to wait that long a simpler way would be to bring up the task manager using CTRL + SHIFT + Esc and running anything in the background that lets you access file explorer, like This PC.
Right-Click on Windows Explorer in the Processes tab and choose restart!
You will now see the fruits of your labor come to fruition! Your specific taskbar color will be different from the color of apps’ titlebars.
You will instantly see the effect without any hassle! If you wish to change the color scheme of the title bar, then you can do so through STEP 1 right away. Doing so however, will restart the whole process and you will have to repeat STEP 3 to get the black taskbar to come back to the present state.
Anything that is on the taskbar will change with your selected color palette in STEP 1, this includes Action Center, the Start menu, clock, volume, etc. and this will also stay with your apps or anything with a title bar.
This is definitely going to be useful for people who want to have the separate color pattern. I know I plan on keeping this with me for the long term!
If you found this step by step guide to be of use to you, let us know in the comments section below. Additionally, if you run into any problems, feel free to drop a comment, too.
The post How To Use Dark Taskbar With Colored Titlebars appeared first on Windows Clan.
