Formatting Issues

How to Change OneNote Page Title Text Color

John Wilson Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to change the text color of the page title in OneNote, specifically the title that appears in the left navigation pane.

How to Change the OneNote Page Title Text Color

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing the appearance and formatting of text within OneNote to organize and categorize pages more effectively in the navigation pane.
Observed behavior: While OneNote allows users to change the color of ordinary text within the page itself, there is no built-in setting to customize or change the font color of the page title displayed in the navigation pane.

Before you start

Make sure you are looking at the page body rather than just the navigation pane, as OneNote applies different formatting restrictions to its interface menus compared to the actual page canvas.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Title Text Color Within the Page

Although the navigation pane color cannot be altered, you can easily change the font color of the title directly on your OneNote page canvas.

OneNote treats the left-hand navigation pane as a system UI element, which is why its text color is locked. However, any text you type into the actual page header or body can be fully customized using standard text formatting tools.

Select the title text

Click into the header box at the top of your OneNote page and highlight the title text you want to format.

Navigate to the Home tab

Look at the ribbon menu at the top of the application window and click on the 'Home' tab.

Apply a new font color

Click the 'Font Color' icon (represented by an 'A' with a colored bar underneath) and choose your preferred color from the dropdown palette.

Change the Title Text Color Within the Page

Navigation Pane limitation: Changing the color of the title text on the page itself will not update the color of that title in the left-hand navigation list. The navigation pane will remain in the default system text color.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft

Because the inability to change the navigation pane title color is a software limitation, submitting feedback is the best way to request this feature for future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of a notebook in OneNote?

Yes, you can customize notebook colors to help differentiate them. Right-click the notebook name in the navigation pane, select 'Properties,' and choose a new color from the 'Color' dropdown menu.

How do I change the background color of a OneNote page?

To change the background color of the current page, navigate to the 'View' tab on the ribbon menu, click 'Page Color,' and select one of the available pastel colors from the dropdown palette.

Can I set a default font color for all new pages in OneNote?

Yes, you can change your default font settings. Go to File > Options > General. Under the 'Default font' section, you can select your preferred font type, size, and font color to be applied automatically to all newly created pages.

Why does OneNote restrict formatting in the navigation pane?

Microsoft typically locks the formatting of UI elements like the navigation pane to maintain consistency, accessibility, and readability across different devices and platforms, ensuring the app remains easy to navigate.

Document & File Issues