Learn How to Change App Colors on Your Device

Understanding Device Color Customization Basics

Most modern devices—whether smartphones, tablets, or computers—offer built-in color customization features that let you change how apps appear on your screen. These features go beyond just changing an app's icon color. You can modify the overall theme, accent colors, text colors, and background colors within individual applications and across your entire device interface. Understanding these options helps you personalize your experience and can make your device easier to use, particularly if you have vision concerns or simply prefer certain color schemes.

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Device manufacturers build color customization directly into their operating systems. On Android devices, this might be called "theming" or "color customization." On Apple devices, it's typically found under "Appearance" or "Display & Brightness" settings. Windows computers offer similar options through personalization settings. The specific names and locations vary depending on your device type and operating system version, but the underlying concept remains the same: you control how visual elements appear.

Color customization serves practical purposes beyond aesthetics. Research from accessibility organizations shows that certain color combinations reduce eye strain during extended screen time. A study by the Vision Council found that 59% of people experience digital eye strain, and adjusting color schemes—particularly reducing blue light or switching to darker themes—can help. Additionally, using high-contrast color schemes improves readability for people with low vision or color blindness.

Most apps have their own color settings separate from your device-wide settings. This means you might use a dark theme system-wide but still customize individual apps to match your preferences. Some apps sync their appearance settings across devices if you use cloud backup, while others maintain independent settings on each device.

Practical takeaway: Before diving into specific color changes, check what type of device you're using and what operating system version it runs. This information determines which color customization features you'll find and where they're located. You can find your device type and OS version in your device's "About" or "Settings" section.

Changing Colors on Android Devices

Android devices offer multiple layers of color customization. The most comprehensive approach starts with your system-wide theme, which affects the overall appearance of all apps and interface elements. On Android 12 and newer versions, Google introduced "Material You," a dynamic theming system that generates color palettes based on your wallpaper. When you set a new wallpaper, your device automatically creates a coordinated set of colors that appears throughout your device interface and compatible apps.

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To access system-wide color settings on Android, open your Settings app and look for options labeled "Display," "Themes," "Wallpaper & Style," or "Appearance." The exact label depends on your device manufacturer—Samsung calls it "Wallpaper & Style," while Google Pixel devices call it "Styles & Wallpaper." Once you're in this menu, you'll see your current wallpaper and several color palette options. Selecting a different wallpaper automatically generates new color schemes. You can also manually select from suggested color palettes if you prefer a specific aesthetic.

Individual Android apps have their own color settings. To change an app's colors, open the app and navigate to its Settings menu. Look for options like "Theme," "Appearance," "Display," or "Color Scheme." Common apps handle this differently: Gmail offers a "Dark theme" toggle in Settings > General, while YouTube provides theme options under Settings > General > Theme. Some apps, like Spotify, allow you to choose between light, dark, and automatic themes that match your device settings.

Many third-party Android launcher apps—tools that change how your home screen looks—include extensive color customization. Popular launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, and Niagara offer color palettes, custom icon themes, and accent color controls. These launchers let you customize colors independently of your device's system theme.

If your Android device runs an older version (pre-Android 12), you'll still have color customization options, though they're less sophisticated. Look for "Themes" or "Display" settings, or enable Dark theme through Display settings. Many older devices have an "Accent color" option that changes the highlight color used throughout the interface.

Practical takeaway: Start with your device's built-in wallpaper and style settings to change system-wide colors, then customize individual apps through their Settings menus. Write down which apps you use most frequently so you can customize those first for the biggest visual impact.

Customizing Colors on Apple Devices

Apple devices—iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers—offer comprehensive color customization through their Appearance and Display settings. On iPhones and iPads, the system distinguishes between Light Appearance, Dark Appearance, and Automatic (which switches based on time of day or ambient light). Dark Appearance has become increasingly popular, with Apple reporting that over 70% of iOS users enable it, primarily because it reduces eye strain and battery usage on OLED screens.

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To change your iPhone or iPad appearance, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and select your preferred appearance. The Automatic option switches to Light Appearance during daytime hours and Dark Appearance at night—you can customize the schedule in Settings > Display & Brightness > Automatic. Many users choose Automatic because it reduces the jarring transition when moving between indoor and outdoor lighting.

Individual iOS and iPadOS apps often have their own appearance settings. For example, Apple's Mail app has theme settings within the app itself: open Mail, tap the settings icon (often at the bottom of the screen), find "Appearance," and select your preference. Similarly, Books, News, and Maps have individual appearance controls. However, not all third-party apps include their own color settings—many simply respect your system-wide appearance preference and automatically adapt their interface.

On Mac computers, access appearance settings through System Settings > Appearance. You can choose Light, Dark, or Auto (which is called "Auto" on newer Macs). Mac also offers an "Accent color" option and "Highlight color" option in the same menu, letting you customize the colors used for buttons, selections, and interface highlights. These accent colors appear throughout macOS and compatible applications.

For users who need enhanced color options, Apple provides Accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size to find options like "Increase Contrast," "Reduce Transparency," and "Smart Invert" (which inverts colors but keeps images normal). These features help users with color blindness or low vision distinguish between interface elements.

Practical takeaway: Enable Automatic appearance on your iPhone or iPad to let your device switch themes based on time of day. Then check your most-used apps to see if they have individual appearance settings you can adjust.

Customizing Colors on Windows and Mac Computers

Windows computers offer extensive color personalization options. On Windows 11, go to Settings > Personalization > Colors to access the main color settings. You'll see options for Light, Dark, or Custom modes. The Custom option lets you choose Light mode for app windows while using Dark mode for the system background, or vice versa. Windows also includes an "Accent color" selector—a palette of colors you can choose to customize the highlights, borders, and selection colors throughout your system and compatible applications.

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Windows allows you to set accent colors to match your wallpaper automatically. In Settings > Personalization > Colors, toggle on "Accent color from background" and Windows analyzes your current wallpaper to extract a coordinating color palette. This creates a unified visual experience where your accent colors harmonize with your background image. You can also manually select from a predefined palette or create a custom color by choosing "Custom color."

On Windows, individual applications follow system color settings to varying degrees. Microsoft's built-in apps—Edge browser, Office suite, Mail, and Calendar—fully support Windows theme settings and will switch between light and dark modes based on your system preference. However, older applications or third-party programs may not respond to system color settings and will remain in their default appearance regardless of your Windows theme choice.

Mac computers running macOS Ventura or newer have similar options to Windows. Go to System Settings > Appearance to select Light, Dark, or Auto mode. Like Windows, macOS includes accent color and highlight color options. Click the "Accent color" dropdown to choose from colors like blue (default), purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, or graphite. These colors appear in buttons, menus, and selection highlights throughout macOS and compatible applications.

Both Windows and Mac allow you to create custom color schemes through advanced settings. Windows users can