How to Change the Color of the Navigation Bar in Windows Explorer

Changing the color of the Navigation Bar in Windows Explorer can help personalize your user experience and make it easier to distinguish between different folders and sections. Below are methods to change the color of the Navigation Bar in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Method 1: Using Windows Settings (Windows 11)

1. Open Settings:

• Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.

1. Navigate to Personalization:

• Click on Personalization in the Settings menu.

1. Access Colors:

• In the Personalization settings, click on Colors.

1. Enable Accent Colors:

• Scroll down to the Show accent color on the following surfaces section.
• Check the box for Title bars and window borders.

1. Customize the Accent Color:

• Choose a color from the Choose your accent color section. You can either select a predefined color or use the Custom color option to pick a specific color.

Method 2: Using Registry Editor (Windows 10)

1. Open Registry Editor:

• Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

1. Navigate to the Personalize Key:

• Go to the following path:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize

1. Modify the ColorPrevalence Value:

• Find the ColorPrevalence value. If it does not exist, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it ColorPrevalence.
• Double-click the ColorPrevalence value and set it to 2 to apply the accent color to the title bar.

1. Customize the Accent Color:

• Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and choose your preferred accent color.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Tools (Windows 10 and Windows 11)

Folder Colorizer

1. Download and Install Folder Colorizer:

• Download Folder Colorizer from the official website.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

1. Change Folder Color:

• Open File Explorer and find the folder you want to colorize.
• Right-click the folder, hover over Colorize!, and select the desired color from the submenu.

Rainbow Folders

1. Download and Install Rainbow Folders:

• Download and install Rainbow Folders from the official website.

1. Change Folder Color:

• Open Rainbow Folders and select the folder you want to colorize.
• Adjust the Hue and Saturation levels in the color section and click Colorize.

Folder Painter

1. Download and Install Folder Painter:

• Download Folder Painter from the official website.
• Extract the downloaded file and run the executable.

1. Change Folder Color:

• Right-click on the target folder and select Show more options.
• Click on Change Folder Icon and choose your preferred color.

Professional’s View

As a computer expert, I recommend using the built-in Windows settings to change the color of the Navigation Bar for a seamless and secure experience. For users who want more granular control over folder colors, third-party tools like Folder Colorizer, Rainbow Folders, and Folder Painter offer additional customization options. Always ensure you have administrative privileges before making changes to system settings or installing third-party software. By following these methods, you can effectively personalize the appearance of your Windows Explorer Navigation Bar to enhance your productivity and user experience.