Solved Show accent color on title bar not working

Ken · Mar 25, 2023

Hi,
Under Setting > Personalize > Colors, I have set Accent color to Manual, and selected a nice shade of green.
I have set the "Show accent color on title bars and windows borders" to "On".

My chosen color duly appears on the border of the active window every time, i.e. when I click on a window its border turns green, however the title bar turns green on some windows, but not others.

Specifically, it seems to be File Explorer and Settings windows where the title bar does not turn green; windows such as text editor, control pane, and pop-up panels behave correctly with green title bar.

This strange behaviour only started a few days ago, after system crashed when I attempted to install an update to PSPad editor. I recovered OK from the crash, except for this problem with title bar color.

So I have now restored a backup from before the crash, but the problem is still there !

Can you offer any advice ?
Thanks, Ken.

glasskuter · Mar 25, 2023

Ken said:
it seems to be File Explorer and Settings windows where the title bar does not turn green;

That is by design. They have never had color. These windows will only show the active and inactive border colors.

Ken · Mar 26, 2023

Well that is odd; I was pretty sure the active file explorer used to have a green title bar.
I guess I must be imagining it!
Thank you anyway. Ken.

CharmaineK · Apr 14, 2023

My File Explorer title bar displays my chosen accent color randomly after I have my laptop on for a few hours, even days. I found I had to customize a preset theme and save it to get it to display but once I shut down the color reverts back to grey at reboot. The accent color is fine everywhere else it is supposed to be on, just not the File Explorer title bar. However, after a few hours most days the accent color magically reappears. Once I see my chosen color I so not shutdown, I use sleep instead to retain the color choice. I had to shutdown 3 days ago due to Window Updates and finally the color is back to the accent color. Not sure what is running in the background on some strange command causing this to happen. I've alrrady tried all the "fixes" since I found this issue after the Oct 22 Win 11 update.

Ken · Apr 15, 2023

I fixed the File Explorer title bar issue by installing a third party patch:
It is ExplorerPatcher, from Valinet solutions SRL product version 22000.795.48.2

CharmaineK · Apr 21, 2023

I have tried many tactics. It remains random. It was grey for days. It magically changes to the accent color surprisingly different days and times. When it does I use sleep mode to retain the colour as if I shutdown it reverts back to grey and K wait again until is automatically changes. I've been powered up a week, no changes and finally the accent colour is displaying again. Somestimes the accent colour displays a few hours after reboot, sometimes it is several days as long as I don't shutdown. I tried the explorer patch fix but it changes the Taskbar to look lie WIN10. I like it in the center with WIN11. Also the System Tray icons changed appearance. I went into Taskbar settings and see it says center but is it actual to in the left corner and won't move no matter what I select. I uninstalled the patch from programs and removed the registry keys. It's not the fix I want.

CharmaineK · May 16, 2023

Ken said:
Hi,
Under Setting > Personalize > Colors, I have set Accent color to Manual, and selected a nice shade of green.
I have set the "Show accent color on title bars and windows borders" to "On".

My chosen color duly appears on the border of the active window every time, i.e. when I click on a window its border turns green, however the title bar turns green on some windows, but not others.

Specifically, it seems to be File Explorer and Settings windows where the title bar does not turn green; windows such as text editor, control pane, and pop-up panels behave correctly with green title bar.

This strange behaviour only started a few days ago, after system crashed when I attempted to install an update to PSPad editor. I recovered OK from the crash, except for this problem with title bar color.

So I have now restored a backup from before the crash, but the problem is still there !

Can you offer any advice ?
Thanks, Ken.

I think I have the same issue! I can sometimes get the accent color in the file explorer title bar by customizing a pre-installed WIN theme. However, after shutdown it reverts to grey. There has been somedays were I see it as grey but a few hours later it is magically the accent color. No one can explain this. I have questioned it since last Nov. Once I see the accent color I use Sleep not Shutdown. Today I needed to shutdown after a WIN update and now I can't get the accent color to display using either my saved custom them or pre-installed theme. Maybe it will magically appear in a few hours. Screenshots show my settings for the custom theme and accent color - the accent color shows in File Explorer, I then leave laptop on and do not shutdown. The last screenshot is after reboot and I have to delete custom theme and reconfigure again or sometimes it will display hours/days later if I leave laptop on or sleep.

Teletha · May 19, 2023

you can try and change it via this app instead see if it helps

Pure Dark Theme Tool For Windows-V2 / Use True Black Theme

Use True Black Theme on Windows, How to use Pure Dark Theme Tool V2? How to Make Your Windows 11 Taskbar and Start Menu 100% Pure Black

www.ceofix.net

CharmaineK · Jun 9, 2023

I saved a photo, used it as the background. Set up as: Custom/Light/Light mode, Transparency ON, Show on Start/Taskbar OFF, Show on Title Bars and Windows Borders ON. A shade of the color from the picture used for the background is automatically the file explorer title bar color. (I tried different saved pictures and the title bar is a shade of color from the picture) The Accent color I choose only applies to the Start Menu and Taskbar, it doesn't not affect the File Explorer Title Bar. Just baffled why it doesn't work with built-in choices for solid background or customizing a theme. However, in the end I used my own saved background and manual accent color.

xerces8 · Sep 29, 2023

I have the same problem. Sometimes the title bars ignore the accent color setting, sometimes it is used.

I have Windows 11 22H2.

Now the setting works, here is a screenshot of Explorer:

xerces8 · Sep 29, 2023

xerces8 said:
Now the setting works,

as opposed to yesterday, when it did not; I'll post screenshots for comparison when that happens again

CharmaineK · Oct 2, 2023

I had to use a saved background I found online. The File Explorer Titel Bar will be a color for the chosen background. I choose a similar color in the color settings. This does not work if using a windows theme or choosing a windows background solid color. Only works if you use your own picture.

CharmaineK · Oct 2, 2023

xerces8 said:
as opposed to yesterday, when it did not; I'll post screenshots for comparison when that happens again

Do the setting stick or gone at restart?

xerces8 · Oct 3, 2023

CharmaineK said:
I had to use a saved background I found online. The File Explorer Titel Bar will be a color for the chosen background. I choose a similar color in the color settings. This does not work if using a windows theme or choosing a windows background solid color. Only works if you use your own picture.

I have a single color desktop background.

antspants · Oct 3, 2023

When you get it how you like it, save it as a theme. Sometimes the only way I can get accents/taskbar/windows to show colour properly lately is to load a saved theme.

CharmaineK · Oct 4, 2023

xerces8 said:
I have a single color desktop background.

Your own saved single colour or chosen in baclground personalization? I can only get a file explorer title bar color is I use my own saved picture.

CharmaineK · Oct 4, 2023

antspants said:
When you get it how you like it, save it as a theme. Sometimes the only way I can get accents/taskbar/windows to show colour properly lately is to load a saved theme.

I tried customizing an existing Windows theme and it didn't work. It would revert back to a the grey title bar at restart. If I use as a theme, even a theme I create and save, I end up with desktop icon labels with dropshadow so I just configured with using my own background that I saved and choosing an accent color most matching my background. I can change out the picture from my own photos and the title bar will pick up a color from that picture. I just have to select a matching accent color for the start menu and taskbar.

xerces8 · Oct 5, 2023

CharmaineK said:
Your own saved single colour or chosen in baclground personalization? I can only get a file explorer title bar color is I use my own saved picture.

I selected "Solid color" for background and then clicked a color (blue-something) in the 2 dozen offered colors.

I haven't rebooted since, so I don't know if the setting will work after that.

CharmaineK · Oct 8, 2023

xerces8 said:
I selected "Solid color" for background and then clicked a color (blue-something) in the 2 dozen offered colors.

I haven't rebooted since, so I don't know if the setting will work after that.

I tried selecting a solid color from the choices in personalization. I tried both saving as a custom theme and also as just choosing as a background, Unfortunately, either way after reboot the file explorer title bar color reverted to grey. For me, it only works if I find and save my own background picture or solid color, and do not install the CoPilot Windows Update. It will cause desktop icon labels to have a dropshadow which I do not like.

xerces8 · Nov 7, 2023

xerces8 said:
I selected "Solid color" for background and then clicked a color (blue-something) in the 2 dozen offered colors.

I haven't rebooted since, so I don't know if the setting will work after that.

I booted on 2.11.2023 and the window bar accent coloring still works.