Here’s how to change folder color on Mac

Drowning in a boring sea of cyan with all those blue folders and subfolders? No worries — I’ll show you how to change folder color on Mac, and how to change the Mac folder icon for easier navigation.

How to change folder color on Mac: Quick guide

To save you time, I've organized the solutions from this article into this table. Use it as your guide for quick reference. Some solutions like changing folder color using Preview need detailed steps, so scroll down for full instructions.

Task	Steps
Change folder color (native)	Right-click folder > Customize Folder > Click colored circle. Note: it applies to individual folders; syncs via iCloud; excludes system folders (Applications, etc.)
Set default folder color	Go to System Settings > Appearance > Choose option next to Folder color. The action affects all standard folders system-wide.
Make a perfectly sized PNG for Mac folder icons	Create PNG image sized 512×512 pixels > Use 32-bit color for smooth edges > Keep design lear without tiny details > Make sure the background is transparent > Export the image as PNG with alpha transparency enabled.
Change folder icon manually	Right-click folder > Get Info > Copy image > Paste image into folder icon in the Get Info window
Change folder color using Preview	Right-click folder > Get Info > Copy folder icon > Open Preview > File > New from Clipboard > Tools > Adjust Color > Copy adjusted icon > Paste icon into folder icon in Get Info window
Change folder background	Open folder > View > As Icons > View > Show View Options > Choose Color or Picture under Background
Color code folders using tags	Right-click folder > Tags > Select a color tag

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How to change folder color on Mac

macOS Tahoe 26 is the first macOS version from Apple that makes it easy to change folder colors natively — no workarounds needed. 

Here's how to change a folder color natively on MacBook:

1. Right-click any folder and select Customize Folder
2. Pick a color from the circles. 
3. Pick an icon or an emoji to add to a folder, if you wish to.

For a consistent look across all your standard folders, go to System Settings > Appearance and choose your preferred Folder color.

How to change folder color on Mac using Preview

You may have noticed that the built-in way to change a folder’s color through the right-click menu is limited to a set number of options. If you want gradients or precise hues, you’ll need to fine-tune folder icons with a Preview to achieve custom effects.

Here’s how to change folder color on MacBook with the help of Preview:

1. Right-click the folder you want to customize and choose Get Info.
2. In the Info window, click on the thumbnail of the folder icon and press Command + C to copy it.
3. Open Preview, go to File > New from Clipboard.
4. Adjust the color using the menu Tools > Adjust Color.
5. Choose the modified image and press Command + C to copy it.
6. Return to the folder info window and select the thumbnail of the folder icon.
7. Press Command + V to paste the modified icon.
8. Close the Info window to see the updated folder color.

Check out my pretty purple folder below.

How to change folder background in Finder

Did you know that your Mac gives you the ability to change the background for different folders in Finder? You can choose a solid color or even an image to give each folder a distinct theme. And it’s pretty easy to do. I’ll show you how.

Here’s how to change the background of a folder in Finder on your Mac:

1. Open the folder you want to customize.
2. Click View in the menu bar and make sure As Icons is selected.
3. Then click View > Show View Options.
4. In the Background section, choose either Color or Picture.
5. Click the square next to Color or Picture and set a color or image. You can also drag and drop an image onto the selection square.

Want the original look back? Select None in the same Background menu, and Finder reverts to its standard white backdrop.

How to color your folders on Mac using tags

Can you change the color of folders on Mac in some other way than described above? Yes, you can easily color code your folders for better visual identification with the help of Tags. This simple macOS feature allows you to assign specific colors to your folders. As far as I am concerned, tags are simple, minimalistic, and quite attractive.

Here’s how to color-code your folders using tags on a Mac:

1. Choose the folder you want to color code.
2. Right-click or control-click the folder, and then choose Tags from the shortcut menu.
3. In the Tags menu, you’ll see a list of available colors. Click on the color you want to assign to the folder. 

The selected color will be applied as a tag to the folder, and you’ll see a small dot representing the tag next to the folder’s name.

How to change folder icon on Mac manually

If you want to learn how to change file icon on Mac using methods other than third-party apps, try the instructions below. But keep in mind that it’s a much longer process than I described above.

Here’s how to change the file icon on Mac manually:

1. Create a folder on your desktop by right-clicking on the desktop.
2. Choose New Folder from the menu.
3. Name your folder.
4. Choose the image that you’d like to use as your folder icon (Note: macOS is picky about which images it will allow. PNG files are the most successful but may not always work).
5. Right-click on the image and click Copy.
6. Right-click the folder you created on your desktop.
7. Choose Get Info.
8. In the menu that appears, choose the folder icon. (Note: It will have a dark blue line around it to indicate that it’s selected).
9. With the icon selected, click Edit in the menu bar.
10. Click Paste.

By the way, for app icons, the process is pretty similar.

Extra tips for organizing your Mac

Organizing folders with snappy colors and changing icons on a Mac is a great way for any Mac user to stay focused. In addition, I recommend you try a few powerful tools that offer unique functionalities and can contribute to a more efficient and clutter-free digital environment, making your life easier and enhancing your overall Mac experience.

Tip 1. Automate your file and folder organization

With Spotless, you can create and manage custom rules to automatically sort files into specific folders based on criteria such as file type, keyword, or extension. This intelligent file organizer saves you valuable time that would otherwise be spent manually organizing files and making sure everything is in its proper place.

Tip 2. Access recent files and folders quickly

Another handy app to try is called Trickster. It lives in your Mac menu bar, tracking every file, folder, and app you’re working on or have opened recently. Trickster can automatically track your desktop activity, but you’re also able to manually configure it to track only the items you want; file types, names, destinations, and folders can be targeted with Trickster.

In addition to finding your favorite files and folders, Trickster lets you open them right from the app. It’s like Spotlight, just more proactive and customized to your needs. For keyboard warriors, Trickster supports hotkey switching to really speed up your workflow.

Tip 3. Detect and remove unnecessary files and folders

Organization matters, but so does keeping your Mac healthy. Adjusting files, folders, and documents can cause a lot of unnecessary data to pile up on your Mac. This is why you should have CleanMyMac.

The app helps you control and care for your Mac: it tidies up your space, clears unnecessary files, thwarts privacy threats, and speeds it up with its incredible Smart Care tool. Smart Care helps you identify and clear up the simplest issues, but CleanMyMac goes so much further.

Erasing malware, clearing your cache, uninstalling or updating apps – all easy work for CleanMyMac.

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Read more:

• How to create a shared folder on Mac: step-by-step guide
• How to password-protect a folder on Mac
• How to hide private files and folders on Mac
• How to move files on Mac
• Change app icons
• Rename screenshot
• Mac File Explorer

Transform your Mac experience: Change Mac folder icon and color with ease

A sea of blue folders is boring, so why not liven them up with custom icons and colors? Custom folder icons help identify what any folder is at a glance.

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