How to Change the Colors of Your Mac's Folders

If your Desktop is full of identical blue folders, macOS now makes it easy to add some color. Since macOS Tahoe 26, Apple lets you customize folder colors natively — no extra apps needed. On older versions, there are still simple workarounds.

Change folder colors natively (macOS Tahoe 26+)

1. Right-click the folder you want to customize.
2. Select Customize Folder.
3. Choose a color from the circles, or tap Custom Color for more options.
4. Optionally add a symbol or emoji.
5. Click outside the panel to save.

Set a default color for all new folders

1. Open System Settings > Appearance.
2. Click Folder Color and pick a shade, or choose Custom Color.

Change folder colors on older macOS versions

1. Right-click the folder and select Get Info.
2. Click the folder icon top-left and copy it (Command + C).
3. Open Preview > File > New from Clipboard.
4. Go to Tools > Adjust Color and tweak the hue or tint.
5. Copy the edited image (Command + A, then Command + C).
6. Back in Get Info, click the icon and paste (Command + V).

Use Tags as a quick alternative

Right-click a folder, hover over Tags, and pick a color. It won't change the folder icon itself, but it adds a colored dot for fast visual organization.

Quick comparison

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