Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the Appearance and Color of Excel Worksheets

Phi Hung Vo Oct 10, 2026 872 views

Question details

The user wants to customize the overall visual appearance, title bar color, and internal worksheet colors in Excel.

How to Change the Appearance and Color of Excel Worksheets

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Customizing the workspace aesthetics to improve visibility, match personal preferences, or align with a specific color scheme.
Observed behavior: The user is looking to independently change the workbook layout colors and the application interface, such as the title bar.

Before you start

Keep in mind that modifying the Windows system theme to change the Excel title bar will also affect the appearance of other applications running on your computer.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Application Interface and Title Bar Color via Windows Settings

Modify your Windows personalization settings to update the Excel application interface, including the title bar and window borders.

Excel often relies on the operating system's theme for its outer frame and title bar. Changing this setting will adjust the aesthetics of Excel but applies globally to other Windows applications as well.

Open Windows Settings

Click on the Start menu and select the gear icon to open Windows Settings, or press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard.

Navigate to Personalization

Click on the 'Personalization' category from the main settings menu.

Apply a New Theme or Color

Select 'Themes' or 'Colors' from the left sidebar. Choose a new Windows theme or pick a specific accent color, and ensure the option to show accent color on title bars and window borders is checked.

Change the Application Interface and Title Bar Color via Windows Settings

System-Wide Changes: Because the title bar color is controlled by the Windows theme, any color changes made here will change the appearance of your other desktop applications.

Solution 2

Change Worksheet Colors Using Excel Page Layout Themes

Apply built-in or custom themes to change the default colors, fonts, and graphic effects inside your Excel workbook.

Customize Your Workspace in WPS Spreadsheet

Change Spreadsheet Appearance and Colors Easily with WPS Office

Unlike Microsoft Excel, which relies on Windows system settings for its outer frame colors, WPS Office offers built-in Skin and Appearance settings. You can seamlessly switch between Light, Dark, or custom colored interfaces directly within the application without altering your entire computer's theme.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open a new or existing spreadsheet document.
2. Access the Skin Center: Click on the 'Skin' or 'Settings' icon (usually represented by a small t-shirt icon) in the top-right corner of the application window.
3. Select a Pre-set Interface Theme: Choose from a variety of built-in skins, such as Dark Mode, Classic, or vibrant colored themes to instantly change the title bar and interface.
4. Customize Worksheet Colors: To change the colors of your actual spreadsheet content, navigate to the 'Page Layout' tab and select 'Colors' to apply a fresh palette to your charts, tables, and shapes.

Built-in skin and theme customization directly in the appIndependent from system-wide Windows themesFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx and .xls) formatsLightweight, fast, and free to use

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did changing my Excel title bar color affect my other computer programs?

Microsoft Excel relies on the Windows OS theme settings for its application frame. When you change the Windows theme or accent colors to adjust Excel, those settings apply system-wide to all supported applications on your computer.

Can I change the color of just one specific worksheet tab?

Yes, you can easily change individual tab colors. Right-click the worksheet tab at the bottom of the Excel window, hover over 'Tab Color', and select your desired color from the palette.

How do I enable Dark Mode specifically for Excel?

To enable Dark Mode, open Excel, go to File > Account, and look for the 'Office Theme' dropdown. Select 'Black' or 'Dark Gray' to change the application interface to a darker color scheme.

Will applying a Page Layout theme change how my document prints?

Applying a new theme under the Page Layout tab changes the visual colors and fonts of the document content. These stylistic changes will be reflected when you print the document, but it does not alter structural print settings like page margins or paper size.

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