Although the names may be used interchangeably, a “theme” is not the same as a “color scheme.” The Windows Terminal defines a theme as a color system mode, which can be in two states (light or dark), affecting the entire application. In contrast, a color scheme is a scheme of colors for the background, selection, cursor, foreground, and other elements, and they only apply to a specific profile. If you use the Windows Terminal app, you can change the color scheme in several ways using the Settings interface or editing the Settings.json file directly with a code editor (such as Visual Studio Code). This guide will teach you the steps to change the default color scheme for each Windows Terminal profile on Windows 11 or 10.
Change Terminal default color scheme from Settings Change Terminal profile color scheme from Settings Change Terminal profile color scheme editing JSON file Create Terminal color scheme from Settings Create color scheme editing JSON file
Change Terminal default color scheme from Settings
Once you complete the steps, the selected color scheme will become the new default for every profile that doesn’t already have a defined scheme.
Change Terminal profile color scheme from Settings
After you complete the steps, the color scheme will apply only to the profile.
Campbell. Campbell Powershell. One Half Dark. One Half Light. Solarized Dark. Solarized Light. Tango Dark. Tango Light. Vintage.
Change Terminal profile color scheme editing JSON file
To change the color scheme by editing the JSON file, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the scheme will be reflected in the console.
Create Terminal color scheme from Settings
In addition to the default colors, you can also create your custom Windows Terminal color schemes. To create a custom color scheme for the Terminal app, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the scheme will appear in the list of available colors when customizing a specific profile.
You cannot delete the predefined schemes, but you can delete the custom colors you create using the Delete color scheme button.
Create color scheme editing JSON file
To create a color scheme using the JSON file, use these steps: After you complete the steps, similar to the Settings experience, the color scheme will be available alongside the list of the already available colors.
In the code, make sure to replace My Custom Name with the name of the scheme you want to use, and edit each color with the hexadecimal code for the color you want to use for each element. Alternatively, you can get custom color schemes for Windows Terminal from websites like Windows Terminal Themes. You only need to browse through the available colors, click the Get theme button, and paste the code under the “schemes” section, like in step 4. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info.
