How to Change the Font Color in InDesign

Trying to figure out how to change the font color in InDesign? Check out this quick tip for a simple and easy solution. 

You can also follow along with us over on the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel and watch our video on how to change the font color in InDesign.

How Do You Change the Font Color in InDesign?

Step 1

When it comes to how to change the font color, InDesign gives us several options. Let’s start with the simplest method. 

Make sure you have Adobe InDesign open. For this demonstration, we’ll work in a New Document. Using the Type Tool, set some text on your page. 

If you’re unfamiliar, start by selecting the Type Tool. Then, click and drag to draw a Text Box—this is a rectangular frame that will hold your colored lettering.

With your Text Box created, add some type, much like you would in most word-processing software. I’m using a font from Envato Elements for this demonstration, but you are welcome to use any font you like.

Step 2

So, now that we have our “Hello!” lettering, how do you change the font color in InDesign?

If you look down at your Tools panel, you’ll see the Stroke and Fill colors. However, if we select our text and then change the colors here, we don’t get the correct result. 

Look at what happens below. The Fill Color in InDesign is applied inside our text box, and our Stroke color is applied outside our text box. 

To remove any unwanted Stroke or Fill color, select Apply None below them. This option is highlighted below.

Step 3

Instead, we need to look at these two icons, below the Stroke and Fill Color. They are an essential part of how to change the text color in InDesign.

The square toggles on Formatting Affects Container, and the T symbol toggles on Formatting Affects Text. We want to click on that T symbol, so our choices affect the text and not the container holding the text. We can also easily toggle between them by pressing J on our keyboard.

Notice that when we have Formatting Affects Text on, the Fill color looks like a “T” and not a solid square anymore. This visual cue reminds us which is active.

Step 4

Next, click on the Fill Color in InDesign—again, we want it to look like a “T”, so we’re changing the text color and not the color of the container. 

This opens up the InDesign color picker. Here, we can change the text color, and InDesign will reflect this choice.

You can also select the Eyedropper from this dialog box. It’s at the bottom right, and it’s highlighted in the screenshot below. With the Eyedropper, you can “pick up” a color that is already in your composition.

Choose a new color in InDesign, and then click OK.

Step 5

Now, our color has been changed to match our new color choice.

But what about the Stroke color? Let’s give that a try too. Click on the Stroke Color, and you’ll notice that it comes to the foreground, in front of the Fill Color. All we need to do is click on it to choose a Stroke Color.

Step 6

Choose a new color in the same way, using the InDesign color picker. Click OK when you’re happy with your color choice.

Step 7

Notice that the Stroke Color looks like an outline around the text.

Tip: You can change the width of the Stroke in the Stroke panel. Go to Window > Stroke to open it up.

Step 8

But let’s say you don’t want to keep this color. We can remove both the Stroke Color and the Fill Color.

Under our color formatting options, we have three additional options when it comes to how to change the text color in InDesign:

• Apply Color: This applies a solid color to the applicable text or object.
• Apply Gradient: This applies a gradient, rather than a solid color, to the applicable text or object.
• Apply None: This will remove the color from the applicable text or object, leaving the space transparent.

Step 9

So, to remove our Stroke Color from our text, all we need to do is make sure the Stroke Color is active, and then click on Apply None.

Then, we’re left with text that has a Fill Color but no Stroke.

Step 10

But what if you’d like the opposite? There’s a quick way we can do that.

Click on the dual arrows beside the Stroke and Fill to Swap Stroke and Fill Colors.

This takes us from text with a Fill Color to text that is transparent on the inside but has a visible Stroke (or outline) on the outside.

Step 11

Let’s take a look at the third option here, too: Apply Gradient. 

In this example, let’s Swap Stroke and Fill Colors, so our text has a Fill Color but no Stroke. Then, with the Fill Color active, select Apply Gradient.

Step 12

By default, InDesign applies a black-to-white gradient to our text, as shown below. But what if we want to use a different gradient? Luckily, that’s easy to do too.

Double-click on the Apply Gradient button.

Step 13

This opens up our Gradient panel. We can then apply InDesign Swatches here, to create a custom gradient and change the text color in InDesign. Open up your InDesign Swatches by going to Window > Color > Swatches. 

We can drag any color from our InDesign swatches and include it in our gradient.

Step 14

You aren’t limited to the colors listed in your InDesign Swatches. You can easily create new color swatches by clicking on the plus sign at the bottom of the InDesign Swatches panel.

Step 15

Double-click on any swatch to edit it. Move the sliders to change the font color that you want. Then, click OK to have your custom color added to your InDesign swatches.

Step 16

You can use your InDesign swatches in a custom gradient, but you can also apply it to your text color.

Let’s go back to our text. Make sure the Fill Color for our text is active. Then, click on your custom color InDesign swatches. The color will be automatically applied. This is really handy if you know you want to use one color regularly in your document or design.

We’ve reached the final step in our tutorial on how to change your text color in InDesign.

That’s It! Now You Know How to Change the Font Color in InDesign

We’ve explored how to change the font color in InDesign with Fill Color and Stroke Color, and we took an introductory look at InDesign Swatches too. Now, you should be able to change your font color in InDesign. Have fun with it!

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