# How to Change Text Color in Photoshop for Eye\-Catching Designs

- Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/how-to-change-text-color-in-photoshop-for-eye-catching-designs/
- Published: 2024-04-30
- Author: Jordan Brown
- Categories: [Software & APP](https://33rdsquare.com/category/software-app/)

---

Hello fellow designers! Skyler here, your friendly neighborhood Photoshop expert. Today we‘re diving into one of the most fundamental yet impactful edits you can master: changing text color.

Did you know that color accounts for a whopping 85% of the reason people decide to purchase a product? Or that using color strategically can increase brand recognition by up to 80%? ([Source](https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00251740610673332/full/html)) There‘s no denying the power of color in design, and your text elements are the perfect place to harness it.

Whether you‘re whipping up social media graphics, designing a logo, or creating an entire brand identity, customizing your text colors is a non-negotiable skill. Lucky for you, the process is quick and easy in Adobe Photoshop. Let‘s walk through it step by step, with bonus tips for choosing spot-on color palettes every time.

## Step 1: Add Your Text

First, you‘ll need to add some text to your Photoshop canvas. There are a few ways to do this:

- Horizontal Type Tool (T): Creates a single line of text. Perfect for headlines, titles, or short phrases.
- Vertical Type Tool (T): Writes your text top to bottom in a straight line. Useful for stylized designs or smaller spaces.
- Path Type Tool (T): Lets you write along any custom path or shape. Handy for curved text or fitting copy into a specific design element.

To add text with the Horizontal or Vertical Type Tool:

1. Select the Type Tool (T) in the left toolbar.
2. Click anywhere on your canvas and start typing.
3. Click the checkmark in the Options bar up top when you‘re done typing.

![Horizontal Type Tool dialog box](https://33rdsquare.com/add-text.jpg)
 To create a text box instead, click and drag a rectangle while the Type Tool is active. This is best for longer chunks of copy.
 ![Creating a text box](https://33rdsquare.com/text-box.jpg)
 Pro tip: You can edit any existing text by highlighting it with the Type Tool. From there, you can change the words, font, size, and more in the Options bar and Character Panel.

## Step 2: Change the Text Color

On to the main event! Here‘s how to switch up your text color in a few clicks:

1. Highlight the text you want to change with the Type Tool.
2. In the Options bar up top, locate the Color Picker. It looks like a solid square of color next to an "A".
3. Click the Color Picker to open the Color panel. This magical box holds every color of the rainbow and then some.

![Opening the Color Picker](https://33rdsquare.com/color-picker.jpg)
 From here, you‘ve got a few ways to choose your dream hue:

- Click or drag your cursor inside the large square color field. This sets the general shade.
- Fine-tune the color by sliding the rainbow bar up or down. This adjusts the brightness and saturation.
- If you know the RGB, HSB, or Hexadecimal codes for your color, type them into the labeled boxes for pinpoint precision.
- To match a color that‘s already in your canvas, click the Eyedropper Tool and click the shade you want to sample.

![Choosing a color in the Color panel](https://33rdsquare.com/color-panel.jpg)
 When you‘ve landed on a color you love, click "OK" to apply it to your selected text. Voila! Custom colored text in seconds.

## Understanding Color Codes

RGB, HSB, CMYK, Hex – the Color panel might look like alphabet soup at first glance. Here‘s a quick rundown of what those acronyms actually mean:

- RGB (Red Green Blue): The color mode for digital screens. Each color gets a value from 0 (none of that color) to 255 (full intensity). RGB is additive, meaning colors get brighter as you increase values.
- CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Key/Black): The subtractive color mode for physical printing. Measured in percentages from 0 to 100. As you increase the percentages, colors get darker. Always convert RGB to CMYK before sending designs to print.
- HSB (Hue Saturation Brightness): An intuitive way to dial in colors. Hue is measured in degrees from 0 to 360, like a color wheel. Saturation and Brightness are percentages.
- Hexadecimal: A 6-digit code representing amounts of red, green and blue, like #3A86FF. Mainly used in web design for consistency across devices.

![RGB, CMYK, HSB and Hex color codes](https://33rdsquare.com/color-codes.jpg)
 If you have specific color codes on hand, punch them into the corresponding box. If not, just use the visual color field and sliders till you spot a shade you like.

## Choosing Perfect Palettes

The Color panel puts millions of colors at your fingertips – a blessing and a curse. To narrow down your options, try these proven methods for picking palettes:

- Monochromatic: Shades and tints of a single hue. Creates a classy, cohesive look.

![Monochromatic color palette](https://33rdsquare.com/monochromatic.jpg)

- Analogous: Colors next to each other on the wheel, like blue, teal, and green. Evokes serenity and harmony.

![Analogous color palette](https://33rdsquare.com/analogous.jpg)

- Complementary: Opposites on the color wheel, like blue and orange. High contrast draws the eye.

![Complementary color palette](https://33rdsquare.com/complementary.jpg)

- Triadic: Three evenly spaced colors for a dynamic, balanced effect.

![Triadic color palette](https://33rdsquare.com/triadic.jpg)
 Let your content be your guide. For example, red tones convey passion and energy – great for a fitness brand. Blue exudes trust and security – no wonder it‘s a go-to for banks.
 ![Color emotions and meanings chart](https://33rdsquare.com/color-psychology.jpg)
 For color combo inspiration, check out palette generator tools like Adobe Color, Coolors, and Canva. Or sample swatches from your favorite images, ads, and websites.

## Accessible Color Considerations

No matter how gorgeous your text colors are, they won‘t be effective if people can‘t read them. The key is contrast.

According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 with its background. For larger text over 18pt or 14pt bold, that drops to 3:1. ([Source](https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/))
 ![Examples of accessible color contrast](https://33rdsquare.com/contrast-ratios.jpg)
 To check if your color palette is accessible, plug your text and background codes into a contrast checker like WebAIM. If your numbers are too low, adjust your shades as needed.

Roughly 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are color blind. ([Source](https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/color-blindness)) To make sure they can distinguish your text, avoid putting red and green or blue and yellow next to each other. Utilize patterns and symbols in addition to color.
 ![Color blind simulation of red and green](https://33rdsquare.com/colorblind.jpg)

## Saving Custom Color Swatches

Once you‘ve honed in on your perfect palette, save those colors for later! Custom swatches make it easy to maintain visual consistency across your designs.

To create a new swatch:

1. Click the New Swatch button at the bottom of the Swatches panel. It looks like a folded paper corner.
2. Give your swatch a descriptive name and set the Color Type to your color mode.
3. Click OK. The new swatch will appear at the bottom of the preset colors.

![New Swatch dialog box](https://33rdsquare.com/new-swatch.jpg)
 Use the Swatches panel to:

- Customize: Double-click any swatch to edit its values
- Rearrange: Drag and drop swatches to change their order
- Organize: Create groups to sort your colors by client, project, or theme
- Delete: Drag unwanted swatches to the trash can icon

![Swatches panel with custom colors](https://33rdsquare.com/swatches.jpg)
 To use a saved color, just click its swatch in the Swatches panel. You can also use the Eyedropper Tool to sample colors directly from your canvas.

## How to Change Text Stroke Color

Changing your text fill color is just the start. You can also customize the hue of your text outlines or strokes for even more visual impact.

To add a stroke to your text:

1. Highlight your text with the Type Tool.
2. Open the Character panel by going to Window > Character.
3. Click the menu icon (three lines) in the top right of the Character panel.
4. Select Stroke from the dropdown menu.
5. Customize your stroke‘s weight (thickness), color, and placement.

![Text with red stroke](https://33rdsquare.com/text-stroke.jpg)
 For the most legibility, keep your stroke relatively thin so it doesn‘t overpower the fill color. Contrasting fill and stroke colors maximize impact.

## Real-World Text Color Inspiration

Need some real-world inspiration? Check out these stellar examples of strategic text color in action:

- Spotify‘s bright green and white text pops against moody black backgrounds for a modern, edgy vibe. The colors reinforce their "audio everywhere" branding.

![Spotify's green, black and white branding](https://33rdsquare.com/spotify.jpg)

- Chanel‘s classic black and white color scheme oozes luxury and prestige – perfect for a high-end fashion house. Gold accents add warmth and glamour.

![Chanel's black and white logo](https://33rdsquare.com/chanel.jpg)

- McDonald‘s red and yellow colors are energetic, youthful and "hunger-inducing." Against a dark background, they stand out from a mile away – ideal for roadside restaurants.

![McDonald's red and yellow branding](https://33rdsquare.com/mcdonalds.jpg)
 Pay attention to text color choices in the wild – on websites, packaging, billboards, and more. Ask yourself why those colors were chosen and how they make you feel. Inspiration is everywhere.

## Level Up Your Text with Color

Phew, that was a lot of ground to cover! I hope you feel armed and ready to tackle text color in Photoshop like a total pro.

Remember, color can be up to 85% of the reason people buy a product – and 80% of brand recognition. Approach your text color choices with care and intention.

Luckily, with just a few strategic clicks, you can transform ho-hum type into an attention-grabbing design powerhouse. Add this skill to your toolbelt and watch your projects level up across the board.

Contrast, psychology, and accessibility are key factors in choosing on-point palettes. Let your content be your compass, and don‘t be afraid to experiment! The more you play with color, the better you‘ll get at expressing ideas and emotions visually. Keep tweaking until it feels right.

If you get stuck, it‘s all good. There‘s no shortage of color palette tools, trends, and inspiration out there. Lean on the resources we talked about and check out my other design tutorials for even more juicy tips.

Now go forth and add some chromatic flair to your text elements! Stay colorful, friends.

---

Source: [How to Change Text Color in Photoshop for Eye\-Catching Designs](https://33rdsquare.com/how-to-change-text-color-in-photoshop-for-eye-catching-designs/)